Working outside in Louisiana: tips, tricks, clothing for managing humidity

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Wapiti

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Sep 25, 1999
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I am going to be doing some work along the coast of Louisiana, along the Atchafalaya Basin and Bayou Lacombe areas, specifically, at the end of this month.
All of the work will be outside, in the swamp, some from watercraft, some from shore, some at night, studying amphibians and reptiles.

I will only have about a week but I am very excited about this trip. A region I have never visited but always wanted to.

I have recreated/worked in many climates and weather, but most of it in the Pacific Northwest. I feel very confident about my outdoor gear/clothing/food choices in the PNW, but could use any info on suggestions/experiences from those who live there or have visited concerning managing the humidity that I have heard about. I know it sounds kind of silly, but I feel I am guessing at what to pack!

Any other thoughts or things to keep in mind (esp. food I should not miss!) are also welcome.

Looking forward to it.

Thanks,
Brome
 
Humidity shouldn't be too bad this time of year.

I am a big fan of crawfish boils. Beer, crawfish, corn and sausage.

Chad
 
I spent a winter (jan. Feb. Mar.) South east of baton rouge. Three of the coldest months ive ever spent anywhere. 35 degrees and 90% humidity sucked. If i had it to do again no cotton. Night time was bad days were nice tho. Rain gear and make sure you have dry clothes and wool sox. Daytime is nice this time of year tho.
 
The good news is that the temps should be pretty moderate while you're there(about like July in Albany, OR, after a look at the weather charts). The humidity level, while high all year, is very much like parts of the PNW, so it shouldn't be a big deal. Have fun, and try not to get snakebit or et by the gators!;)
 
I live here and do everything that time of year in t shirt and jeans. Or cargo shorts on warmer days. Should be pleasant. Invest in good rain gear if you'll be outside. It can get quite rainy this time of year.

Be prepared for high water. If they open the Morganza flood gates, depending on very very many variables, the basin could flood.

Nothing special here. A 357 magnum with rat shot isn't a bad idea for snakes and nuisance animals.

For food, stay out of New Orleans. Some good places but 99% tourist traps. There lots of mom and pop places all around where you'll be. Sure, everyone is going to say boiled crawfish. Cliche. A good gumbo, jambalaya, fried shrimp poboy, and any number of plates are good. Different areas cook differently and even from place to place and house to house. There are no rules, and few recipes. Ask anyone local and you'll get a list of places as long as your arm. And don't miss the chance to partake if invited to someone's home for a meal.
 
My limited suggestions: Wear a tea shirt (cotton) beneath a long sleeved shirt (also probably cotton). If it gets hot, you can always take off the long sleeved shirt. But it will provide protection from both sun and insects. I would suggest long pants for protection and of course have some shorts available.

Snakes will probably be out, pay attention to Water Moccasins. They are very aggressive snakes and will sometimes fall into you boat from a tree above. They will bite you if disturbed and sometimes just for the hell of it.

I'd wear shoes that will dry out. Wear waders when necessary. Rubber boots like the LaCrosse un-insulated boots would be a good choice for general wear. Will also provide some protection from snakes. The knee high ones that fit close to your ankles are my favorite boots for work that do not require hard toes.

Wear a hat. Keep a spare just in case you loose one. You need to keep the sun off your face minimally. Sun screen of course. The swamps should be wide awake in April from a nature point of view.
 
SVTFreak said:
I live here and do everything that time of year in t shirt and jeans. Or cargo shorts on warmer days. Should be pleasant. Invest in good rain gear if you'll be outside. It can get quite rainy this time of year.

Be prepared for high water. If they open the Morganza flood gates, depending on very very many variables, the basin could flood.

Nothing special here. A 357 magnum with rat shot isn't a bad idea for snakes and nuisance animals.

For food, stay out of New Orleans. Some good places but 99% tourist traps. There lots of mom and pop places all around where you'll be. Sure, everyone is going to say boiled crawfish. Cliche. A good gumbo, jambalaya, fried shrimp poboy, and any number of plates are good. Different areas cook differently and even from place to place and house to house. There are no rules, and few recipes. Ask anyone local and you'll get a list of places as long as your arm. And don't miss the chance to partake if invited to someone's home for a meal.
Click to expand...

Heeeeyyyyyy, I didn't know you were on Bladeforums!

Ain't no tellin' what the weather will be like at the end of the month. I was wearing flip flops last Saturday, my softshell jacket on Monday, and I have a rain jacket on today lol.

Pack a light jacket, a thin hoodie would suffice. Like SVT said, it shouldn't get too hot this time of year, but bring some short sleeve shirts just in case. You won't need to break out the shorts until mid to late Summer.
 
If you haven't already, get in shape. Your best defense, along with the clothing and sunscreen, is to be in very good shape. I spent a summer in Alabama in 1983, mostly outdoors. Being in good shape made it a LOT easier.
 
Oh yes, good insect repellant! And lots of it. Deet is definitely hands down the best. Deep woods off works well also. It's been wet so mosquitoes are rampant right now.

Don't worry. We ain't backwoods. We just act like it. If you need anything, a Walmart is never too far away.

Sure am, Dave. Besides cars and guns, I love knives also lol
 
Thanks to everyone who pitched in their thoughts and experiences. Very helpful.

I am unsure about taking knives, as I will be flying and am always insecure about my knives in checked luggage. Just hear too many bad stories. Sad, cause I have several new blades just out of my heat treat oven I would love to test out down there.

This is kind of a grail trip for me, as I have always wanted to check this area out, just wish I could spend a few months (years?) but it is all good. I can always come back.

Excellent point about being in shape.
Not sure how I measure up, but I have been a field ecologist for over 18 years. The last 15 of which I have basically lived aprox 9 months of the year (do come home on the weekends) in the field at various locations in the Pacific Northwest, as I train and supervise our seasonal field crews in the completion of our research. Although I do drive a lot, most days of the week, regardless of the weather, I am hiking or backpacking into and then around lakes, marshes and ponds. I pretty much walk about 8 hrs a day (often more), in not the most gentle conditions. So far so good.

I have found, while most folks I know might get outside on the weekend, I am blessed to get to do it almost everyday of the week.

Did I mention I love my job? Job, what job?

Enjoy.
 
Wapiti said:
Not sure how I measure up, but I have been a field ecologist for over 18 years. The last 15 of which I have basically lived aprox 9 months of the year (do come home on the weekends) in the field at various locations in the Pacific Northwest, as I train and supervise our seasonal field crews in the completion of our research. Although I do drive a lot, most days of the week, regardless of the weather, I am hiking or backpacking into and then around lakes, marshes and ponds. I pretty much walk about 8 hrs a day (often more), in not the most gentle conditions. So far so good.
Click to expand...
No doubt you'll be more than fine. Probably in better shape than 90+% of "outdoorsmen".

I'm headed to LA week after next to meet up with a friend and hike the Wild Azalea Trail in the Kisatchie National Forest.
Guess we're hiking, unless she wants to mountain bike. Our timetable isn't very flexible, but the dogwoods are already hitting around here, so hopefully things will be blooming.
Not sure how bad the bugs are there, and we won't be near the coast, but I'm bringing DEET, a cap and maybe a Columbia Bora Bora boonie hat to wear with a headnet, long nylon outerwear top and bottom with polyester T and boxer briefs underneath. Standard fare for warm weather in the South.
One thing I'm definitely not bringing is anything made of cotton...
 
Some folks love cotton, others hate it, but after many years of dismissing "wicking" materials as just a marketing gimmick, I started replacing my all-cotton gym clothes with either cotton/polyester blends or ditching cotton altogether and couldn't be happier. Most of the clothes sold to the outdoors crowd as base layers is the same as is used in workout clothes, in varying thicknesses. No need to buy name brand stuff like Under Armour or Nike either, as the cheaper brands work just as well. I have some Army surplus t-shirts (100% poly) that I wear for summer yard work, and highly recommend them if you can find them.

Layering with wicking materials works well, too, especially if you're going to be exerting yourself in cool but humid conditions. That's what I wear on hikes that start out early when it's cold, knowing that at some point it's going to get warmer and I'll be more inclined to sweat.
 
I don't know if you made it here yet, but if you don't like the weather here, just wait a minute. We've had 30F+ temp swings in a day. It just depends on where you are. Bring a jacket.... bring a light rain jacket or poncho. Knives are fine (autos are illegal).

I love wicking materials for base layer. Humidity is very different than most places in the West. You can drink the air here. It makes wicking material less attractive, but still better than soggy socks and underwear. Long sleeves are good, you probably want bug dope and/or a thermacell.

PM me if you have other questions.
 
As others have said, weather varies widly. It was 80* yesterday and 40* this morning.
The mosquitos are alive and well, and the snakes are starting to move. Ive killed two cottonmouths already this year that were a lil too close to the homestead.
Its been raining here a lot, so the ground is saturated and the humidity is on the rise.
 
Just though id share this here. I went for a walk in the woods this weekend. It was nice walk, not too hot, had the dog with me.
I didn't spray any bug-b-gone since I was just around the house, not a long trek.
I found a wild onion patch with the bulbs just about ready to bloom.
I bent down and picked a few to eat.

As I was looking over the onion patch I noticed tiny, almost invisible bugs crawling up my boot.
I looked a little closer and realized they were baby ticks!
I then noticed the suckers all over my hand! Slowly crawling up inside my long sleeve shirt.

These things were so small I could barely see them.
So, needless to say, I was kinda freaked out because I had eaten one or two of the onion bulbs; and I figured they were now all over my face.

I rushed back to the house; stripped my clothes off outside and went buck naked through the house straight to the shower.
I soaped down and soaked in near scolding hot water for a good long while.

The ticks were so small that ill have to wait a couple of weeks before I actually find out if any stuck with me.
I just hope none are inside my ear or up my nose; or I end up with lime disease.

Lesson: IF ITS WILD AND EDIBLE, CHANCES ARE TICKS LAID EGGS ON IT.

Edit: Its worth its own thread.
 
Yeah, I'm wrecking the forms on my shop slab right now. Mosquitoes are rampant and I have wild chives growing back there. I'm staying doused with repellant.
 
Hang real close to the fire with jackets and hoodies@ 6;30 [7;00 is work time] 2-3 hrs later, most guys are shirtless, except me [I cannot stand the feeling of swet running down my back] sun burn during the day and temp in the 30s at night. This is in Slidell La, about 12 miles East of Lacombe.
Btw, Bayou Lacombe and Parkea Is some of the best fishing I have ever seen. keep a keen eye and be careful then you will make it fine. Jerry
 
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