Fort Livingston,

Grand Isle, LA 70358

"This Island is where in the introduction to the 1958 movie, The Buccaneer, they say that Jean Lafitte's base of Barataria was located on a fancy map as they introduce the history of the Louisiana Purchase and then closed in for more details of the Battle of New Orleans. I guess that now they say that Lafitte was never at the battle, but it made for a great story. I just watched the movie 2 nights ago and could not help but wonder if that part about it being the original Barataria was not true after all. I was on Grand Isle a few years ago, and took some pictures of it from across the water and even then was wondering if it was. I was 11 when the movie came to our small south Texas town and sat through it 3 times one Saturday . . . you could do that back then."

"Launched my kayak and paddled over from Grand Isle Marina. About 45 mins. Can only enter from the front (beach) now due to the rock breakwater all around the western part of the island. Voracious mosquitoes and horse flies live here so beware! Very overgrown with thorns and most of the lower portion is heavily flooded and silted up. Still, very interesting to explore."

"Take some bug spray the mosquitoes are unbearable. You have to charter a boat to get there. Do not use Sharkeys because they'll charge you more than they quoted you. You will be in another city before you realize it."

"Very cool place! If you can get pass the hoarse flies and nats then i suggest touring as much of this place as you can. There is also thorns and sticker bushes all over the place, but the history is awesome!"