Madisonville

Out of all the places we've visited near here, our favorite is Madisonville, in St. Tammany Parish. Nestled on the banks of the Tchefuncte (cha-FUNK-tah) River, Madisonville exudes charm and nostalgia. Founded in 1800, the town was originally called Coquille (ko-KEE) by early French settlers because of the abundance of seashells. It was incorporated into the U.S. by 1810 and renamed for President James Madison. Today, it boasts fine dining, antique stores, marinas and recreational boating.

Saturday, Nov 3, was a fun photo shoot. Standing in 2 feet of water with all my camera equipment (very risky move for this clumsy gal), I gazed out over the water and pretended I was on the ocean somewhere in New England. The water was too choppy to stay out long, but for the short time the waters lapped around my rubber boots, it was exhilarating. This day was sans mosquitoes, but somehow two of them ended up in the car. :/ A malevolent force in the universe is determined to give me malaria.

In 1834 Congress approved $5,000 for construction of this lighthouse to guide vessels across Lake Pontchartrain
to the mouth of the Tchfuncte River. The 36' tall brick tower was completed in 1837. It has been damaged by the Civil War
and numerous hurricanes, including last year's Isaac. The town of Madisonville took ownership in 1999 and a group of
volunteers rallied to restore it. Hurricanes Rita and Katrina interrupted initial efforts but restoration resumed in 2007.
On June 25, 2008, Phase 1 of the restoration concluded.
Processed with a texture by Anna Lenabem on Flickr.

An abandoned tugboat near the shore. I believe the wording said, ST. JAMES TRANSPORTATION CO.

Forster's Terns keeping watch at their posts as the boats whiz past.

A toilet somehow made its way onto the tugboat. Um, pretty sure this isn't original to the vessel. 

The sun set right between the tugboat and the lighthouse. I was hoping it would set behind one or the other.
Thankfully, the glow spread behind the boat as the sun lowered.

The afterglow extended the entire length of the horizon. Boy, I wish I had a super wide angle lens.

I'm glad this turned out as a silhouette so you can't see all the debris. Hurricane Isaac created a huge mess out there.
Looks like they're working on clean-up, but the wheels of government turn ever so slowly--especially here.

"The charm, hospitality and history make picturesque Madisonville a wonderful destination for a day, a week, or a lifetime." From Madisonville Official Web Site.