Maybe I should explain this a little bit more… When I was in Louisiana, I was dying to see some gators.  We don’t get to see them in CA and I feel like it’s such a Southern thing to go see Gators on the Bayou.  Of course you can sign up for Gator Tours at various places so my friend, Lauren, and I picked this tour based on the fact that we’d get to hold a gator on this specific tour.  Major win.  Why we would want to do this?  I don’t know except that I think it’s awesome!  We could not have guessed that they feed the gators what they call “swamp crack” which really means marshmallows… So does this mean I love swamp crack????  I guess so.  Anyway, they also eat fish and were fed chicken necks.  It’s a wide variety on the gator menu.

(Our tour was on an air boat!  It wasn’t as fast or exciting as I thought but none the less I still enjoyed it)

(The first sighting was actually a crane, not a gator which I don’t believe are a threat to these beautiful birds because they were everywhere)

(Then we started slinking back into the smaller channels to see what we could find..)

(The guide threw some swamp crack in the water and BOOM!  They started slinking out)

(The guide also pulled out some chicken necks to feed the gators and that’s when they really got cray.  Although the guide was very respectful and the gators were happy to have some fresh food they didn’t have to work for.)

(Yes, he kissed a wild gator)

(Ruh Roh, who’s going to win?)

(Ding, ding, ding!  The further away gator stole the swamp crack out from right under the other gator’s nose!  No fight necessary)

(So pleased with him or herself.  Look at that smile)

(More action!)

(Then Todd the two year old gator came out.  I can’t believe how small they are at two years old)

(Ohhh yeah, then I held the gator Todd.  Anti-climatic?)

(Once the sun started setting, I felt the peacefulness of the Louisiana bayou.  It’s really a beautiful, amazing place)

This gator farm tour was awesome and I’d do it again given the chance.  That’s a wrap for this episode of Breaking Bayou but you can bet your bottom dollar it won’t be the last.  Maybe not always on a bayou but if it’s unique and telling of an area, I’ll be there for the experience.  Anyone else up for some swamp crack?!