South LA by Water

South Louisiana has a storied past that is rich with tales of self-reliance and survival, exploration and perseverance. From the Acadian settlers to the Baratarian pirates, the French Creoles to the Native Americans, the history of Louisiana was carved out of a challenging wilderness by people who saw beauty and value in an environment that many considered unliveable. This project is inspired by their bold determination. 

In mid-March of 2017, just a few weeks from now, a group of friends and adventurers assembled (by myself and Christie Matherne) will travel from Baton Rouge to New Orleans entirely by water. Paddling a small fleet of kayaks and canoes we will cover 100 miles of bayous, rivers, and the two largest lakes in Louisiana. We will fish and forage for much of our food and camp in hammocks along the water at night. In an effort to share and spread our love  of this state's incredible natural beauty we will document the entire expedition on camera. 

Our goal is to inspire current and future generations to enjoy and protect this great wilderness. It's no secret that Louisiana's wetlands are under threat from a number of factors. We hope to illuminate what is at stake for our culture and our way of life if these ecosystems are lost. To accomplish this we are reaching out to local experts in ecology, archeology, and conservation who will meet our crew at various points along the journey to paint for us a picture of Louisiana's past, present, and future. We'll speak to locals who live on these waterways to gain the unique perspective of people whose way of life is intrinsically tied to the swamp.

There are inherent dangers and difficulties for an expedition like this, which is where you come in. Preparation is everything, and we've been planning and gearing up for over a month, making sure we are as ready as possible for both the challenges and the opportunities that we'll encounter, but we've gone as far as we can on our own. We need your help to ensure that we keep our people safe and our cameras rolling so we can share this experience with you and anyone who will see this film. Your donations will go to things like camera and sound gear, solar battery chargers for cameras and GPS, bug nets and insect repelant, first aid kits, and of course backup food and water. (We'd like to thank New Orleans Kayak Swamp Tours for donating boats, paddles, and life-vests to get our crew on the water!)

This is about closing the imagined gap between humans and nature. It's about reforging a connection to the swamp, which is at the heart of Louisiana's identity. Your donations can help us protect the very soul of our culture; the natural environment from which that culture emanates. We, the crew, express our gratitude for your interest and support! 

Cheers,

-Ross Baringer