By using this site, you agree to abide by our user agreement. Last fall, Hurricane Georges pushed salt water from the Gulf of Mexico up Bayou LaBranche, east of the Bonnet Carre Spillway, flooding the iris beds in the largely freshwater marsh and destroying many of the plants, said Tyrone Foreman, a frequent visitor to the marsh. Irises reproduce both vegetatively, by sprouting new plants from their roots, and by seed reproduction. Foreman said he plans to lead volunteers into the marsh to move existing iris plants to areas where they once flourished in the hope that new plants will spring from their roots. Even without the colorful irises as an attraction, Bayou LaBranche offers much to the paddler.
Paddlers can visit all four conveniently in half a day.
Launch from the east spillway levee into a canal that connects with Bayou LaBranche. Paddle south along the bayou and take Bayou Traverse to get deep into the wetland. Retrace the route back to the levee for a paddle of about five miles. A side trip into Lake Pontchartrain will add about an hour to the trip. These wetlands are home to bald eagles and waterfowl such as teal, pintail and gadwall.