Pass Manchac, the rest of the story

If you have never heard of Pass Manchac, don't feel bad. The area, though, does have a rich history. This fishing camp (note the shrimp boat on the left with its nets hanging on the rigging) sits on the pass which connects Lake Pontchartrain (the large body of water just north of New Orleans) with Lake Maurepas -- a smaller lake.

Lake Maurepas recieves the waters from the Tickfaw River, Amite River and Blind River. It's up these rivers where the real steaming history starts.

Little known is that there was once a well-travelled pass from Lake Pontchartrain, to Lake Maurepas through the Tickfaw to Bayou Manchac to the Mississippi River. The American troops in the War of 1812 sealed that connection (sinking boats there) to keep the British from being able to take the short cut into the Mississippi River.

The area has a rich Acadian (Cajun) heritage. Note to myself : We'll have to talk more about all this is future posts.

But what was I doing there? We all met for a good seafood meal at Middendorf's, a landmark for decades -- I think I had my first meal there back in 1975.

-- steve buser