Bayou Teche is enjoying a new identity as an outdoorsman’s destination.
Bayou Teche is a meandering bayou that originates in Port Barre, heads south through the western portion of St. Martin Parish past Arnaudville, Breaux Bridge, and St. Martinville, and eventually empties into the Atchafalaya River. The path of the Teche was etched out by the Mississippi River several thousand years ago and constituted the Mississippi's main course at that time. Later, the Teche was the primary route—and the site of many settlements—during the Acadian migration.
The waterway lost much of its relevance when other forms of transportation took precedence over river travel; but in the past few years, the Teche has enjoyed increased attention thanks to outdoorsmen and women who understood its value, both as a feature of natural beauty and a spot for outdoor recreation.
According to Dona Degatur Richard, director of the St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission, much of the Teche's resurgence can be traced back to the origins of The TECHE Project, an organization established in 2009 to promote the history, ecology, and culture of Bayou Teche. Its founders saw the Teche's potential as a recreational waterway, but knew that the pollution and litter problem needed desperate attention first.
What began as a small group of people pulling debris out of the waterway has mushroomed into an organization that educates on a broad variety of issues that speak to preserving the Teche from pollution by litter, sewage, and runoff. Last month alone, the group pulled three to four tons of trash from the bayou.
Thanks to these sorts of efforts, the Teche now hosts a variety of events, both in the river and along its banks. One of the most popular is the Tour du Teche, an annual canoe race that runs the full 135-mile length of the bayou from Port Barre to Morgan City. The event, the brainchild of long-time editor of the Teche News Ken Grissom, was first held in 2010. The three-day competition, held each October, constitutes the largest paddling event under Tour du Teche's umbrella; however, there are several smaller events held during different times of the year including Top of the Teche, a 7.7-mile paddle in April; the Great Bayou Teche Dog Paddle held in May; a summer Paddling Camp; and the Petite Tour du Teche, with multiple one-mile races, in August. Details can be found at tourduteche.com.
If you just want a quiet paddle on your own, there are quite a few canoe and kayak outfitters who've established their services in the area thanks to the work done to establish Bayou Teche as a paddler's destination. Bayou Teche Experience, owned by a transplanted Californian, is one such outfit. Kayak/Canoe Rentals can be found in Henderson, Breaux Bridge, and Lake Martin. Visit cajuncountry.org for more information.
