HouDat
Prominent Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2012
- Messages
- 684
- Reaction score
- 1,477
Two points:
First, regarding the white 4WD pickup truck. Though Lafayette is less rural, more city-like, there are still boatloads of high-dollar pickups being driven in and around town. Often, Oil & Gas company executives (especially those affiliated with the independents) drive those things in lieu of luxury cars. It is not wise to simply shift focus away from Lafayette proper due to the nature of one of the vehicles in question.
Second, regarding the Atchafalaya. I fished and hunted there for 25+ years, and one nuance about the basin is that water movement is only very, very slightly affected by tides. What affects current much more is river stage. That is, the Mississippi River. There are locks which regulate the flow of water into the Basin, depending upon the river stage of the Mississippi. When floodwaters from up north began surging southward, the locks are opened accordingly to siphon off some overflow. Essentially, the Basin acts as a shield of sorts, accommodating excess waters from the big river so that downstream flooding doesn't occur.
That said, when there is a particularly large bump of water coming downstream from the Mississippi River, currents in the Basin -- and especially in Whiskey Bay, which is otherwise known as the "Pilot Channel" of the Atchafalaya River -- can be quite treacherous.
ETA: What can you local outdoorsmen tell me about current conditions of a) the MS River; and B) Butte La Rose? (river stage, etc.)
What I haven't yet been able to determine is whether or not the watery area where the bicycle was supposedly found is directly in that channel, or whether it's in one of the nearby slack-water bodies. Obviously this would make a significant difference in terms of the water's turbidity and, thus, underwater visibility.
First, regarding the white 4WD pickup truck. Though Lafayette is less rural, more city-like, there are still boatloads of high-dollar pickups being driven in and around town. Often, Oil & Gas company executives (especially those affiliated with the independents) drive those things in lieu of luxury cars. It is not wise to simply shift focus away from Lafayette proper due to the nature of one of the vehicles in question.
Second, regarding the Atchafalaya. I fished and hunted there for 25+ years, and one nuance about the basin is that water movement is only very, very slightly affected by tides. What affects current much more is river stage. That is, the Mississippi River. There are locks which regulate the flow of water into the Basin, depending upon the river stage of the Mississippi. When floodwaters from up north began surging southward, the locks are opened accordingly to siphon off some overflow. Essentially, the Basin acts as a shield of sorts, accommodating excess waters from the big river so that downstream flooding doesn't occur.
That said, when there is a particularly large bump of water coming downstream from the Mississippi River, currents in the Basin -- and especially in Whiskey Bay, which is otherwise known as the "Pilot Channel" of the Atchafalaya River -- can be quite treacherous.
ETA: What can you local outdoorsmen tell me about current conditions of a) the MS River; and B) Butte La Rose? (river stage, etc.)
What I haven't yet been able to determine is whether or not the watery area where the bicycle was supposedly found is directly in that channel, or whether it's in one of the nearby slack-water bodies. Obviously this would make a significant difference in terms of the water's turbidity and, thus, underwater visibility.