LULING, La. — "Dontae.. c'mon over here. C'mon Dontae," Captain Rodney Dufrene called.
About one-fifth of Luling is water, so you can get a great perspective of the 70070 ZIP code had to offer with Swamp Adventures. Their alligator tours are an hour and a half of exploring the Des Allemands swamp by airboat.
Dufrene is a tenth-generation Louisianian and enjoys teaching people about his heritage. He's been giving tours for 10 years, explaining the history of the Chinese Tallow trees or pointing out Apple Snails.
In Louisiana, we have the American alligator. We saw plenty, but it was a cool, windy day so they were not as active. In any given year there are 4 million or more gators in just the state alone.
Dufrene said many people think alligators are man-eaters. They're not," Dufrene said. "Alligators do not like the taste of human beings. So, I'm not saying they can't harm you, but they're not going to consume you."
That was (a little) comforting to know as we got up close and personal.
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WWL-TV reporter Leslie Spoon can be reached at lspoon@wwltv.com.