The second weekend in August found us on the road to Venice, Louisiana. News reports from Venice peaked my curiosity about the area and what better way to satisfy that curiosity than to pay a visit.
A number of things surprised me about the area south of New Orleans. There were numerous groves of citrus trees, cattle farms, horse farms, and pecan orchards. In some areas the land mass looked no wider than half a mile or so with dikes on each side. As we entered the Venice area helicopter pads dotted the area. The tops of huge vessels could be seen over the dikes. A few miles past Venice the road ends. Past that point are Cypress swamps and the Gulf of Mexico. The end of that road was covered with about six inches of water, a real reminder of how vulnerable the area is.
Many visitors come through the area on the way to offshore oil rigs and to fish the rich waters surrounding Venice. Numerous accommodations resembling mini trailers on blocks or stilts are visible throughout the area.
We intentionally traveled the coast line to and from Venice. We were pleased to see clean beaches.
