Port Arthur and East

**Hollis** · 8-Mar-2008, 20:22

Hello all, I am thinking of heading down to Port Arthur on the gulf coast from Dallas to shoot. I want to head SE of Dallas, spend some time on the TX/LA border and then head east but right on the coast (through Cameron, LA). Google earth shows numerous small roads heading that way. Would love some first hand advice. Also, anything interesting SE of Dallas? Also, once in New Orleans, Im going to head home to Nashville through the Delta, again, any suggestions?

**PBrooks** · 9-Mar-2008, 00:45

Hello Hollis, You can take 82 that runs through Port Arthur, Holly Beach (totally wiped out, just slabs left, last time I was there). Then the fun part, crossing on the ferry at Cameron, then left at Pecan Island. Be careful along this stretch if you get out to shoot, crazy alligators, no joke! My adjice for going to NO is to take River Road to get there.
Hope this helps
PBrooks

**Hollis** · 9-Mar-2008, 20:26

Wow, thats some good info. Yeah, I figured there would be alligators all over the place from the looks of the satellite images. Thanks for the tip on getting into NO. Whats so special about that road anyways? If you look at my work at www.hollisbennett.com you will kind of see what I do and what I am looking for. Holly beach sounds perfect.

**PBrooks** · 9-Mar-2008, 20:58

You will be happy along 82. River Road is full of Plantation and Old live oaks.

**Ed Richards** · 10-Mar-2008, 07:15

Your main decision will be what to do at Lafayette. You can take I10 to Baton Rouge, then take River Road to NO. You see old plantations, but also a lot of industrial sites. If you want to see some more barren county, which might fit better with what I can see of your site (should there be thumbnails on the gallery page?), you can go south of Lafayette and take Highway 90 to NO. This takes you through Morgan City and Raceland. (Great old sugar mill in Raceland.) Worth stopping at the Tabasco factory in New Iberia.

If you have some time, detour from 90 down to Grand Isle. Grand Isle is the main staging point for the Gulf of Mexico offshore oil production. The drive will give the best understanding of the long term fate of southern LA. You will drive about 30 miles and be close to sea level the whole way. Read Bayou Farewell for background. Except that the real problem is geologic subsidence, not destruction of the wet lands, so there is not much to do about it. (Unless we tear down the levees all the way to Canada and let the river flood again.) You can see why hurricanes are hell down there, and why it is going to sink below the sea over the next 40 years.

When you get to NO, if you want to take another long, desolate drive with some interesting industrial sites at the end, drive to the end of the delta. Venice is about 90 miles south of NO. This area was flattened by Katrina, but the industrial base is back up because it services the offshore rigs.

When you leave NO, stay on old highway 90 going east. This takes you along the coast and there is a lot to see. Lots of Katrina damage as you get east through Waveland, MS. Beyond there, someone else will have to fill you in on the drive north.

**venchka** · 13-Mar-2008, 09:09

I've driven the road that hugs the coast east of Cameron. It would be great for a wildlife photographer and a truck load of really long lenses.

The next east-west road north of the coast shows more human influence on the Prairie. Rice farms, cattle, some oil exporation, rice, a few small towns, rice. Not unlike the Miss. Delta only rice instead of cotton. Geydan, Lake Arthur, Kaplan, Abbeville, Delcambre (shimper fleet), New Iberia. All worthy of your time and efforts. I particularly like Geydan. The Conrad Rice Mill (Kon-Rico Rice) in New Iberia is interesting, entertaining, tasty and photogenic. By all means, avoid I-10.

Bon voyage!

**Hollis** · 13-Mar-2008, 19:59

Hello all, I am on the road about to venture into Louisianna. Im in Port Arthur at the moment and will be heading out pre-first light. Wayne, you are definately rigth about avoiding I-10. In fact, avoiding I-anything is usually a good idea unlessyou just have to get somewhere. I took I-45 from Dallas down to Conroe where I got onto TX 105 East and that is an interesting road. Very interesting. Any road that allows you to see something you want to shoot and turn around right in the middle of the road (or at least hit the next driveway) is a good deal. I must have made 20 U-turns today.

Again, thanks all. Ill post some photos when I get back.