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WATERSKI Magazine“… silky slalom and barefooting”
In the heart of Cajun country flows a river with a spelling that looks like it fell directly out of the Scrabble box. The river splices, tunnel-like, through huge cypress and pine trees for about 11 miles before emptying into Lake Pontchartrain, which borders the north shore of New Orleans. No, it's not the mighty Miss'. The Tchefuncte River (pronounced “che-funk-tuh”) is more tame than its neighboring waterway, short on whirlpool currents and long on silky slalom and barefooting.
Disregard any preconceived notions about Louisiana rivers pressing through cattails and mud. That would be more descriptive of the bayous, or tributaries, that empty into the larger rivers like the Tchefuncte, which is about 500-600 feet wide in some spots and curvy from head to toe. It's considered by most skiers in southern Louisiana to have the most picturesque banks in the region. Grand waterfront homes indicate high society has fallen for the river too.
Skiing starts at Tchefuncte's north end near Abita Springs, but the best drop-in is at Salty's Marina in Madisonville. Skiers heading back up-river from there will find a cove about a mile away, where boaters tend to rest and congregate. The river then takes a serpentine path for the remaining 9 miles. Along the way slalom worshipers might spot a portable slalom course, and wakeboarders can hang near the yachts that occasionally come through, kicking up huge ramps. Barefooters often come out to test their endurance on the long, flat terrain. Pro slalom skier Ben Favret got his start in barefooting and once trained for the Barefoot Nationals on the Tchefuncte with Barefoot Worlds veteran Willie Farrell.
“We used to barefoot on about a 6-mile stretch north of Madisonville because it was crowdless,” says Favret. “And because of the cypress and pines, I have never once seen a day that was too windy to ski.”
Which would give incoming skiers 365 possible travel dates.
Other attractions:
* The Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans is rated the best aquarium in the country.
* Mardi Gras Day in New Orleans is February 11.
Where to unpack:
* Rent a house along the river through Madisonville Town Hall (504-845-7311).
*Magnolia House is a block from the river in Madisonville (504-845-4922).
Where to eat:
* Old River Brew House on the river in Madisonville serves its own microbrew and Louisiana cuisine.
* Morton's in Madisonville is a frequent hangout for skiers to recuperate.
Something you have to bring:
* Your feedbag. Visitors who return for an encore are usually drawn back by their taste buds. The food lives up to its billing.
In case you forgot:
* Bennett's Pro Shop (800-869-7297), an hour northwest in Zachary, has one of the most complete stocks of gear in the entire Southeast.
How to get here:
* From I-55, take I-12 east to the Covington-Mandeville exit and head south to 22. Take 22 west to Salty's.
For more information:
* St. Tammany Parish Tourist Commission (504-892-0520).
* St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce (504-892-3216).
