Bayou Farewell?

All the horrifying news of the OIL SPILL probably does not indicate the unknowable impact on the bayous of Louisiana, which are already disappearing at a rapid rate, as you can see in the above photograph.

A friend recently recommended the book Bayou Farewell: The Rich Life and Tragic Death of Louisiana's Cajun Coast by Mike Tidwell. The topic came up because of the oil spill that continues to flow. I decided that I knew little about this area and ordered a used copy, which I plan to send to son BJ when I finish, as he is an avid fisherman.

I've only read 56 pages of the 344 page book and am already enthralled. It is well written, with vivid descriptions and stories of people the author encountered as he "hitch-hiked" on fishing boats through the bayou.

A Cajun shrimper named Tim reacts when asked if land is being lost:

"'Losing land?' he says. 'Losing it? Hell, here in Leeville we done already lost it. It's done disappeared. Look around.' He stands from his bucket and gestures up the bayou and toward the marsh grass and then over to the narrow ribbon of road that runs through town. 'Take a few steps off dat road and your foots in open water. De bayou's so big now it's startin to look like a lake and all the lakes and bays are startin' to look like de ocean 'cause dat's what dey're becoming. Dere is no more land left here in Leeville.'" (29)

When the author asks another shrimper, Wayne, "Is there no way to make the land stop sinking and eroding?", Wayne answers:

"'Sure dere is,' Wayne says, rubbing his silver bear with his enormous hands as his voice dips into sharm sarcasm. 'All you have to do is fill in all de oil-company canals, build up all de barrier islands to de size dey were a hundred years ago, and den let de Mississippi River flood again. Dat's all.'" (56)

"As conservationists, scientists, and public official make excruciatingly slow progress toward possible solutions, the marsh continues to disappear at a rate of 25 square miles per year." (57)

And I am wondering how this fragile landscape will survive the surfeit of oil coming its way?? (Let alone the people, animals, and fish)