A Visit with Mr. Charlie
Virgil Allen loves his job. Every morning he rises ready to lead tours of Mr. Charlie, an authentic offshore drilling rig moored in the Atchafalaya River close to downtown Morgan City—purportedly the only place in the world where the public can walk onto an oil platform. Part of the International Petroleum Museum & Exposition, Mr. Charlie is a valuable piece of oil industry history more than a half-century old. The first open-seas portable, self-contained rig, Mr. Charlie operated from 1954 to 1986, drilling hundreds of offshore wells in Gulf waters up to forty feet deep.
Allen has the stats ready to go for his 10 am and 2 pm tours: Mr. Charlie’s barge is 220 feet long and seventy-four feet wide; beneath the living quarters, which could accommodate a crew of fifty-eight, the rig’s pontoons extend 136 feet in width; the barge itself is fourteen feet deep, with a four-foot skirt extending beneath the bottom on both port and starboard sides.
Today, this formerly self-sufficient facility serves as a living museum, in which men and women train before going offshore. Visitors can stroll through the living quarters, where they’re sure to see clothes, personal items, and even an unmade bed or two. The galley is often a much-anticipated tour stop, where a cook might be hard at work preparing lunch or supper. When active, students could be present, too, attending classroom lessons, or participating in hands-on training above deck.
Allen, for his part, says the tour can range anywhere from an hour and fifteen minutes to three hours. It depends on the questions people come with and how long the discussion continues. People love to see the sheer size of the rig, which always impresses when they’re reminded that Mr. Charlie is small compared with the rigs of today. Since opening to the public during the 1995 Shrimp and Petroleum festival, Mr. Charlie has remained open for tours—a tradition Allen proudly continues. For information about visiting Mr. Charlie and other historic sites and museums on the Cajun Coast, visit cajuncoast.com/historic-sites-museums/
On deck at Mr. Charlie, an oil rig and part of the International Petroleum Museum & Exposition
Front and Center
Morgan City’s historic Main Street area—aptly named “Front Street”—features a variety of places to shop, eat, and stroll. Swing by Rita Mae's Kitchen for traditional, homestyle Southern cooking, or Bay City Bistro for regional classics with a bit of Italian flair. Cafe JoJo's has much of the same, with the added novelty of operating out of what was once a bank. After you eat, browse Wildflower Boutique for unique style options, or wander through Everett Street Art Gallery.
Beyond the good eats and ample opportunities to indulge in some retail therapy, the folks in Morgan City know how to throw a party most nights of the week. Don’t miss the Rockin’ the Dock live music series at Front Street Dock, held on Fridays in April (except Easter weekend). This April’s lineup includes favorites like Swampland Revival, Lowdown, Dejavu, and South 70. Or, head to the dock for Sunset at the View on select Wednesdays to catch the glorious twilight colors over the Atchafalaya River while enjoying music and a bite.
Then there’s Basin Brew Fest—perhaps Morgan City’s biggest event this spring—celebrating the ever-growing craft beer scene with Louisiana-based breweries and tasting portions from a slew of local restaurants.
Communing with Mother Nature
John Burke—Captain Caviar himself—knows what people are looking for when they sign up for one of his swamp tours out of Patterson. After three decades heading up the Cajun Caviar company, he understands that people want the unexpected—like when he decided to pioneer the production of caviar from choupique roe. The people wanted a taste of something different, and Captain Caviar was happy to provide!
His three-hour tour is an eco-friendly wildlife extravaganza, while remaining careful about leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible. With Captain Caviar at the helm, the tour heads deep into Louisiana cypress swamp, winding through the bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin and River delta.
Burke is fond of reminding people that with him, “We see whatever Mother Nature wants you to see.” On any given day, those might include alligators, birds, turtles, black bears, wild hogs, nutria, river otters, and the occasional bald eagle, among other swamp-dwellers.
Alongside the nature sightings, Burke regales his audience with ghost and pirate stories, local Civil War history, and facts about the area’s indigenous species. A born educator and evangelist for the Atchafalaya Swamp and its marvels, Burke begins each tour with a goal of helping his guests better appreciate Louisiana’s ecological heritage, ensuring that they step off his boat with renewed ecological, historical, and cultural perspective.
To learn more about paddling and swamp tours on the Cajun Coast, visit cajuncoast.com/paddling-swamp-tours/
