"A BOAT  RIDE "

FOR A LOT OF YEARS JOHNNIE AND I SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME ON CADDO LAKE.  DURING THE TIMES WE WERE DOWN THERE WE HAD LOTS OF COMPANY.  THEY WOULD COME STAY A WEEKEND WITH US OR SOME TIMES LONGER.  WE ENJOYED THE COMPANY AND ALWAYS FEED THEM ALL THE FISH THEY COULD EAT.  WE ALSO LIKED TO SHOW OFF “OUR” LAKE.  IF IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD EVER BEEN TO CADDO THEY WERE IN FOR THE SIX-BIT TOUR.

WE WOULD START THE DAY OFF WITH A BIG BREAKFAST OF FRIED FISH, SCRAMBLED EGGS, GRITS, BISCUITS, GRAVY AND HOME MADE JELLY, WITH ORANGE JUICE AND MILK OR COFFEE TO DRINK.  AFTER BREAKFAST I WOULD SEE THAT WE HAD TWO FULL TANKS OF GAS IN THE BOAT.  WE WOULD PUT AN IGLOO ICE CHEST OF DRINKS AND SANDWICHES IN THE BOAT AND ASK IF THEY HAD THEIR CAMERA.  THEN WE WOULD BE OFF FOR THE TOUR OF THEIR LIFE.

WE WOULD HEAD NORTH OUT OF TUCKER’S CAMP UP ALONG THE SHORE LINE, UP PAST BIG LAKE CAMP TO HARRISON BAYOU.  WE WOULD DUCK INTO HARRISON BAYOU AND FOLLOW IT AROUND TO RAG ISLAND, WHILE WE WERE IN HARRISON BAYOU, I WOULD TAKE A PATH THOUGH THE LILLY PADS WHERE THE WATER WAS ONLY ABOUT 18 INCHES DEEP.  THE WATER WAS VERY CLEAR AND I WOULD SHUT OFF THE BIG MOTOR AND USE THE TROLLING MOTOR TO MOVE ALONG SLOWLY AND QUIETLY SO WE COULD WATCH FOR FISH.  WE WOULD SEE LOTS OF SUN FISH AND ONCE IN AWHILE A CHAIN PICKEREL.  ONCE WE SAW A 4 FOOT GAR.

THEN WE WOULD RUN PAST RAG ISLAND TO OLD FOLKS PLAYGROUND.  IF THE LILLY PADS WERE IN BLOOM, OLD FOLKS PLAYGROUND WOULD LOOK LIKE A BIG FIELD OF SNOW BALLS.  I WOULD STOP FOR AWHILE AND LET THEM TAKE SOME PICTURES.  THERE WERE ALWAYS A FEW DUCKS IN THE BACK SIDE OF HARRISON BAYOU AND WE WOULD SEE THEM AS THE BOAT SCARED THEM UP.  THEY WOULD CIRCLE AROUND UNTIL WE LEFT AND THEN LIGHT AGAIN.

AS WE MOTORED THROUGH OLD FOLKS PLAYGROUND WE COULD SEE A FEW FISH IN THE CLEAR WATER.  ONCE IN A WHILE WE WOULD SEE A GAR OVER FIVE FEET LONG.  THERE WERE LOTS OF MUD HENS (COOTS) FEEDING HERE AND IT WAS TIME FOR ANOTHER PHOTO STOP.  THEN WE WOULD RUN DOWN TO GOOSE PRAIRIE AND CUT THROUGH STAR DITCH TO THE OLD RIVER BED.  WE WOULD RUN UP THE RIVER PAST THE “DALLAS CADDO CLUB”, JOHNSON’S RANCH, AND THE LAST RESTING PLACE OF “MISS EMPIRE” (THE BOAT DAD MADE BACK IN THE 30’s).  WE WOULD STOP AGAIN FOR PICTURES OF THE HOUSE BUILT OUT IN THE LAKE UP IN CYPRESS TREES.  IT USE TO BE A BEER JOINT AND YOU MOTORED UP TO IT IN YOUR BOAT AND TIED UP TO THEIR DOCK.  WHEN YOU WENT INSIDE THERE WAS A LONG BAR WITH TALL STOOLS.  THE MAN THAT RAN IT ALSO COOKED AND SOLD HAMBURGERS.  I CAN REMEMBER GOING IN THERE WITH DAD AND MR. JOE AT LUNCH TIME WHEN WE WOULD BE FISHING.  DAD AND MR. JOE WOULD HAVE A BEER AND I GOT A COKE WHILE THE MAN WAS COOKING OUR HAMBURGERS.  THERE WERE ALWAYS BIG BOWLS OF POPCORN ON THE BAR.   BUT THAT’S A WHOLE NOTHER STORY FOR A DIFFERENT TIME.

AFTER THAT STOP WE WOULD GO UP PAST “CURLY’S CAFÉ” (WHERE WE WOULD GO FOR FROG LEGS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS) INTO THE GOVERNMENT DITCH.  WE WOULD TURN RIGHT INTO “OX BOW” AND MAKE THAT BIG CIRCLE.  WE WOULD ALWAYS SEE PLENTY OF SQUIRRELS AND BIRDS ON THIS CIRCLE BECAUSE VERY FEW PEOPLE EVER CAME THIS WAY.  THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER PHOTO STOP. OX BOW CAME BACK OUT INTO GOVERNMENT DITCH JUST BEFORE THE RIVER.  WE WOULD TURN RIGHT INTO THE RIVER AROUND DEVIL’S ELBOW, INTO ALLIGATOR BAYOU.  THIS IS A TWISTING CREEK CHANNEL THAT RUNS FOR ABOUT TWO MILES WITH LOTS OF TWISTS AND TURNS.  IT IS LINED WITH GIANT CYPRESS TREES THAT HAVE SPANISH MOSS HANGING ALL OVER THEM.  IT IS ALWAYS SHADY AND DARK BECAUSE THE TREES OVER HANG IT FROM BOTH SIDES.  YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE JUST STEPPED BACK INTO PRIMEVAL DAYS AND YOU MIGHT MEET A DINOSAUR AROUND THE NEXT BEND.  I ALWAYS STOP THERE AND TURN OFF THE MOTOR.  YOU CAN ALMOST FEEL THE SILENCE. 

WHEN ANYONE TALKS IT IS ALWAYS IN HUSHED TONES.  AS THE BOAT DRIFTS ALONG WITH THE CURRENT WE WATCH THE BANK AND SOME TIMES WE SEE AN ALLIGATOR LYING IN A SUNNY SPOT, SUNNING HIMSELF.  THIS IS WHERE WE SEE MINK ALONG THE SHORE LINE AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THE BIG BLUE HERONS IN THE SHALLOWS LOOKING FOR A SMALL FISH.  THE SPANISH MOSS IS TO THICK TO SEE THEM BUT WE HEAR LOTS OF DIFFERENT BIRDS UP IN THE CYPRESS TREES.  WHEN THE BOAT DRIFTS TO CLOSE TO ONE OF THE HERONS HE WILL FLY UP AND DO A LOT OF SQUAWKING TELLING US OF HIS DISPLEASURE AT BEING INTERRUPTED IN HIS SEARCH FOR HIS DINNER. 

AFTER A LITTLE WHILE I CRANK THE MOTOR AND WE RESUME OUR TOUR.  BY THIS TIME WE ARE CLOSE TO WHERE KITCHENS CREEK COMES INTO ALLIGATOR BAYOU AND WE TURN INTO IT AND RUN UP IT TO CLINTON LAKE BY WAY OF WHANGDOODLE PASS.  WE PASS THROUGH HAY RACK AND JUDD’S HOLE AND RUN INTO WHISTLEBERRY SLOUGH.  WE GO THROUGH A SMALL OPENING IN THE TREES INTO JOE MOORE’S HOLE AND UP CLINTON’S CHUTE.  WE RUN ABOUT A MILE UP THE CHUTE TO GOAT ISLAND.  I TURN OUT OF THE CHUTE AND GO TOWARD THE ISLAND.  WHEN WE GET CLOSE TO THE SHORE I TURN OFF THE MOTOR AND TIE UP TO A LARGE CYPRESS TREE WHERE THERE IS SHADE.  WE HAVE BEEN GONE FROM CAMP ABOUT FOUR HOURS BY THIS TIME.  SO WE BREAK OUT THE SANDWICHES AND DRINKS AND HAVE LUNCH.

WHILE WE ARE EATING LUNCH I TELL A LITTLE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CADDO LAKE.  THE LAKE WAS FORMED BY A SERIES OF EARTH QUAKES IN DECEMBER 1811 TO JANUARY 1812.  THESE WERE THE “NEW MADRID” QUAKES THAT OCCURRED ON A FAULT LINE RUNNING DOWN FROM TENNESSEE THROUGH MISSOURI, ARKANSAS AND TEXAS.  THESE EARTH QUAKES WERE SO STRONG THEY MADE THE WATER IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER RUN BACKWARD FOR A LITTLE WHILE.  THEY CAUSED THE GROUND HERE WHERE CADDO LAKE IS TO SINK SEVERAL FEET AND THE CYPRESS RIVER AND ALL THE CREEKS FILLED THE AREA WITH WATER MAKING A CHAIN OF LAKES.  AT ONE TIME CADDO WAS CALLED FARRY LAKE AND BEFORE THAT SODA LAKE.  ACTUALLY CADDO IS NOT ONE LAKE BUT A WHOLE CHAIN OF SMALL LAKES CONNECTED BY LITTLE WINDING CREEKS AND CHANNELS.  THERE WILL BE SMALL OPENINGS IN THE TREES THAT WILL LEAD YOU FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER IF YOU KNOW WHERE THESE OPENING ARE.  THERE ARE A LOT OF LITTLE POCKETS OF WATER THAT ARE NEVER FISHED BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO GET INTO THEM OR JUST DON’T KNOW THEY EXIST. 

I HAVE SPENT 60 YEARS EXPLORING THE “OUT OF THE WAY” PLACES ON THIS LAKE AND HAVE BEEN IN MOST OF THESE PLACES.  MANY OF THESE PLACES I DO NOT TAKE ANY ONE, NOT EVEN JOHNNIE.  IF I EVER GOT BACK IN SOME OF THOSE POCKETS AND MY MOTOR QUIT ME I WOULD NEVER BE FOUND, EVEN BY AIR.  THE CYPRESS TREES AND THE SPANISH MOSS ARE SO THICK I WOULD NEVER BE SEEN FROM THE AIR.  MY BOAT IS TO BIG TO PADDLE AND THERE IS NO WAY A PERSON COULD WADE OUT OF THERE THROUGH THE LILLY PADS, MOSS AND MUD. 

BACK IN THE MID-1800’s THERE WAS A BIG LOG JAM ON THE RED RIVER. THAT BACKED UP THE WATER IN CADDO LAKE SO IT WAS DEEP ENOUGH FOR STEAM BOATS TO RUN UP THROUGH CADDO FROM SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA TO JEFFERSON, TEXAS.  FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS JEFFERSON WAS AN INLAND PORT THAT SHIPPED COTTON, TIMBER, AND FARM PRODUCE DOWN TO SHREVEPORT.  THE STEAMBOATS WOULD RUN FROM SHREVEPORT UP TO SWANSON'S LANDING IN CADDO AND TIE UP THERE FOR THE NIGHT.  THE NEXT MORNING THEY WOULD CONTINUE ON UP THROUGH CADDO INTO THE BIG CYPRESS RIVER AND ON TO JEFFERSON.  A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LEAVE THE BOAT AT SWANSON’S AND GO INTO MARSHALL.  MR. SWANSON BUILT A RAILROAD TO CARRY PASSENGERS AND GOODS FROM THE LANDING TO MARSHALL.  

WHEN HE GOT THE TRACKS BUILT HE BOUGHT A FLAT CAR, ONE PASSENGER CAR, AND ONE BOX CAR, BUT DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY AN ENGINE.  HE WOULD PULL THE CARS INTO MARSHALL WITH A TEAM OF MULES.  THE SIX MULE TEAM WOULD PULL THE RAIL CARS UP A HILL AND AT THE TOP SWANSON WOULD SET THE BRAKES. THEN HE WOULD UNHITCH THE TEAM OF MULES AND LOAD THEM ON THE FLAT CAR.  THEN HE WOULD RELEASE THE BRAKES AND LET THE CARS COAST AS FAR AS THEY WOULD AND THEN SET THE BRAKES AGAIN AND HOOK THE MULES BACK UP TO THE CARS AND LET THEM PULL THE CARS TO THE NEXT HILL.

AFTER WE ATE OUR PICNIC LUNCH WE WENT ON UP THROUGH CLINTON’S CHUTE INTO CARTER’S LAKE.  THEN I WOULD GO THROUGH ONE OF THOSE LITTLE OPENINGS IN THE TREES THAT WAS A SHORT CUT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT.  IT LEADS BACK OUT TO THE RIVER.  WHEN WE GOT IN THE RIVER WE HEADED BACK DOWN STREAM TOWARD HOME.  WE WOULD PASS SOME BOATS ON THE RIVER.  THEY MIGHT BE TIED UP ALONG THE SIDE OF THE CANNEL FISHING OR JUST BOAT RIDING LIKE US.  WE WOULD WAVE AND THEY WOULD WAVE BACK.  WE WENT BY THE MOUTH OF PINE ISLAND POND AND TURNED INTO MOSSY BREAKS, RAN BY TAYLOR ISLAND, INTO JACKSONS ARM.  FROM THERE WE WENT THROUGH RED BELLY, HOG WALLOW, AND TURTLE SHELL.

WHEN I LEFT TURTLE SHELL I WOULD GO THROUGH DRAGOVER PASS AND BACK OUT INTO THE RIVER CHANNEL.  DRAGOVER PASS IS SO NAMED BECAUSE IT IS A SHALLOW PASS THROUGH SOME TREES THAT CAN ONLY BE USED WHEN THE WATER LEVEL IS AT OR ABOVE NORMAL.  IF THE WATER LEVEL IS A LITTLE LOW BOATS WOULD HAVE TO BE DRUG OVER A VERY SHALLOW SPOT TO GET TO THE RIVER.  BY USING THIS PASS THROUGH THE TREES WE SAVED ABOUT THREE MILES GETTING BACK TO THE RIVER.  AFTER WE WERE BACK IN THE RIVER WE WOULD RUN DOWN STREAM TO TOW HEAD AND OUT IN TO BIG LAKE.  AS WE PASSED TOW HEAD THIS DAY THERE WAS A BOAT TIED TO A TREE AND THEY WERE FISHING.  JUST AS WE GOT EVEN WITH THEM THE WOMAN IN THE FRONT OF THE BOAT JERKED HER POLE UP AND LANDED A NICE WHITE PERCH.  I STOPPED THE BOAT AND LET OUR GUEST TAKE A PICTURE OF THE LADY AND HER FISH.

THEN WE WOULD CUT ACROSS BY TWIN ISLANDS AND INTO TUCKER’S CHANNEL AND HOME.  ALL THIS WOULD TAKE ABOUT SIX HOURS AND WE WOULD BURN ALMOST TWO WHOLE TANKS OF GASOLINE.  THIS TOUR NEVER GOT OLD FOR ME.  I ENJOYED IT AS MUCH THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT AS MUCH AS I DID THE FIRST TIME.  WHAT I ENJOYED MOST OF ALL WAS WATCHING THE PEOPLE THE FIRST TIME THEY WENT ON THE TOUR.  I ALWAYS TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS “GOD’S” LAKE, HE MADE IT, MAN DIDN’T.  TO MY KNOWLEDGE I HAVE NEVER TAKEN ANYONE TO CADDO LAKE THAT DIDN’T FALL IN LOVE WITH IT.  MAYBE NOT THE WAY I LOVE IT, BECAUSE TO ME IT IS HOME.  TO OTHER PEOPLE IT IS A BEAUTIFUL, UNUSUAL PLACE OF PEACE AND TRANQUILITY. 

CADDO LAKE IS GETTING SO MUCH PUBLICITY NOW THAT A LOT OF THE PEACE AND TRANQUILITY HAVE DISAPPEARED.  THERE ARE 100 BOATS NOW TO WHAT USE TO BE ONE BOAT BACK IN THE 30’s AND 40’s ON THE BIG PART OF THE LAKE ANYWAY.  BUT THERE ARE STILL LITTLE SECRET POCKETS THAT I CAN HIDE IN THAT NO ONE ELSE KNOWS ABOUT.  BUT EVEN THESE ARE GETTING FEWER EACH YEAR AS OTHER PEOPLE EXPLORE THE BACK PLACES IN THE SWAMPY END OF CADDO.

TO ME CADDO LAKE WILL ALWAYS BE GOD’S LAKE