Take a Ride on the Wild Side . . . page 4.
We sample the lotus flower seeds (he calls them "graine a voler"), and I ask
him if there is anything out there he doesn't eat."Just the tourists," he says.
I ask if there is anything he doesn't know about the marsh. He laughs. "Not much, except a few of the flower names," he says. "I wouldn't want to live in the city."
When we disembark, it's difficult to say who has had the most fun -- Matherne, Frank (who was already scheduling his next trip) or me.
After Cathy shows us the soft shell crab tanks and describes the whole farming process, it's time to leave.
Watching the heat lightning flash in the sky over the marsh, Frank and I look at each other and sigh. "Well, it's getting pretty late and I have stories to write tomorrow. We better go," I say. We drag our feet back to the car and our regular lives.
Tour facts
Matherne's airboat accomodates six people. He charges $20 for half an hour and $35 for an hour, per person . . . He also offers a two-hour tour to Lake Salvador, or he will take you all the way to Grand Isle.
Tours are by appointment only and can be scheduled anytime during the year. Matherne will also accomodate a fishing trip or hunting expedition.
Airboat Tours is on Bayou Gauche at 433 Hwy. 306. Call [504] 758-2365 [phone] or 758-1862 [fax] for more information.
