New Basin Lighthouse Rescue

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Have a great story about Lake Pontchartrain? Are you writing poetry about the Pontchartrain Basin? Want to share photos and memories of the Lake? LPBF is accepting submissions for our “Purely Pontchartrain” web page. This is great way to express your feelings about the Pontchartrain Basin, showcase your creative writing and share photos of the present and past with the world.

Please send photos, poetry and stories to Crystal Gross, Membership & Outreach Coordinator at laura@saveourlake.org or LPBF, Attn: Crystal, P.O. Box 6965, Metairie, LA 70009. If enclosing photos, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope so that we may return your photos to you. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

By: Audrey Enzor

I am sending you a very old memory of Lake Pontchartrain which I hope is readable. When the rescue in question took place in 1955, we were informed that no one had ever been rescued alive after spending the night on Lake Pontchartrain, hence, the news media waiting on shore for us to arrive.

Needless to say, I was in a heap of trouble at my children’s school where I was to have participated in the May festival. After the Nuns read the headlines of the Times-Picayune, they forgave me and said a few prayers for all.

All of the men on board that day are now deceased, I have remarried and little is known of Mrs. Vial who also remarried and moved to California.
To read the entire article from the Times Picayune click here

Elvis at Pontchartrain Beach

Save Our Lake

On Labor Day, I met 5 friends from LSU, 3 of which I spent the weekend with,sailing from Madisonville to New Orleans. We departed at around 10 am from the Tchefuncte River and sailed through the south draw to the muncipal yacht harbor. While some devistation remains, and much work has been done, around the harbor, I was thrilled to see that the SYC was back. In the spirit of trying to maintain the sport of sailing, despite being surrounded by destruction, they are again holding regattas.

Later that night, we departed West End for some night fishing on our 31' sloop and, while gracefully sailing from the Seabrook Bridge to the Bonneville Boat launch, say a large object cross before our bow. The foredeckmen said, that looked like a dolphin. Sure enough, it followed us and jumped from the water a few times. A botleneck dolpin in Lake Pontchartrain. I just couldn't get over it.

I grew up sailing on the Lake. I remember that parts of it were declared unsafe for swimming. While the banning of dredging was certainly a wise move, I never expected the ecology of the lake to change so dramatically to support such a spectacular being. What an unbelievable sight!!

~ John Bosworth

The Lake’s Own Folk Song
Submitted by Robert W. Hastings:

Did you know that Lake Pontchartrain (or rather the “lakes” of Pontchartrain, which also include Lakes Borgne and Maurepas) have their own folk song. No one knows who wrote the song, nor when it was written, but it is commonly referred to as an Irish song and was possibly “brought back from British and French soldiers fighting in Louisiana and Canada in the War of 1812”. It has also been described as being popular during the Civil War. It has become quite popular in recent years, and has been recorded by numerous recording artists, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Paul Brady, Mebane, Brendan Nolan, Deanta, Planxty, and Full Moon Ensemble. The words are as follows.

The song has also been the inspiration for the title of my book in progress: “The Lakes of Pontchartrain: Their Natural History and Environments”.

“THE LAKES OF PONTCHARTRAIN”

'Twas on one bright March morning I bid New Orleans adieu.
And I took the road to Jackson town, my fortune to renew,
I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain,
Which filled my heart with longing for, The lakes of Pontchartrain.

I stepped on board a railroad car, beneath the morning sun,
I rode the roads till evening, and I laid me down again,
All strangers there no friends to me, till a dark girl towards me came,
And I fell in love with a Creole girl, By the lakes of Pontchartrain.

I said, "My pretty Creole girl, my money here's no good,
But if it weren't for the alligators, I'd sleep out in the wood".
"You're welcome here kind stranger, our house is very plain.
But we never turn a stranger out, From the lakes of Pontchartrain."

She took me into her mammy's house, and treated me quite well,
The hair upon her shoulder, in jet black ringlets fell.
To try and paint her beauty, I'm sure 'twould be in vain,
So handsome was my Creole girl, By the lakes of Pontchartrain.

I asked her if she'd marry me, she said it could never be,
For she had got another, and he was far at sea.
She said that she would wait for him, and true she would remain.
Till he returned for his Creole girl, By the lakes of Pontchartrain.

So fare thee well my Creole girl, I never will see you no more,
But I'll ne'er forget your kindness, in the cottage by the shore.
And at each social gathering, a flowing glass I'll raise,

And I'll drink a health to my Creole girl, And the lakes of Pontchartrain.

Anne Rheams