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Let’s Go—Louisiana
Houseboating—Cajun Style

Photos and Story by Brady L. Kay

Following last year’s tragic hurricane season, we realized something we thought we already knew; Louisiana residents are some of the toughest people out there. What those people went through, and are continuing to go through today, is nothing short of amazing.

When I first heard the news of Hurricane Katrina my thoughts quickly went to my new friends in Morgan City. It was this small Louisiana town that I was fortunate enough to visit a few months prior to the infamous storm.

On my television and thousands of miles away, it looked like this city might have been washed off the map. I felt so disconnected and helpless as I watched from afar. After many attempts and a few weeks later, I was finally able to reach Anthony Brown, the owner of Cajun Houseboats & Rentals. Hurricanes were nothing new to this local, but he seemed very relieved to have survived this one.

He’s as tough as he is brave and he had no doubt that his business would be up and going again soon. Today, true to his word, his rental business is going stronger than ever.        

Before I first met Brown, I didn’t really know much about the Cajun culture. Basically all I really knew was that Cajun is a slang name for Acadians, the French speaking people who were expelled from Nova Scotia by the British, and settled in Louisiana in the 1700s. Of course I had heard all about Cajun cooking, but really it was Brown that introduced me to what it meant to actually be Cajun.

“Southern hospitality is not a myth,” repeated Brown several times when I first met him. “To us, a stranger is only a friend we have not met.”

I quickly learned that nothing quite beats the southern hospitality that Brown mentioned. The treatment from the natives in this part of the country really is something different and special. I had come to this area to see the bayou scene, but the real story was shaping up to be the great people who live in this beautiful area.

Once Brown’s neighbor Dan McCloy found out I was in town, he was quick to invite me over to his house to try his crawfish fettuccini. He didn’t invite me to dinner because I was with Houseboat magazine; he invited me because he’s a generous person that responds this way to everyone he meets. I guess it all goes back to that southern hospitality thing around here. McCloy helps Brown with his business in many ways, including cooking for the guests that come to Cajun Houseboats & Rentals.

“I’d do this for noth’n,” said McCloy with a smile. “What I really want is to show people the whole experience so they can create their own Cajun experience.”

The majority of the people that rent from Cajun Houseboats are there to relax, sight see and have a good time.

“We want to provide an up close experience with nature,” said Brown. “We’re always telling our guest to hurry up and come slow down with us.”

The whole business stared as more of a hobby. Brown paints and he wanted to have something to paint on. So nearly five years ago he purchased a 30 by 8 houseboat. The 16 by 8 cabin was just the right size for him to get out on the water and experience the surroundings. His partner David Webster helped turn his hobby into a business.

Now that same houseboat is available for rent and has earned the name Cajun Gypsy. The houseboat is ideal for dock side mooring in a scenic bayou or for getting out on the lakes and bayous for a real Cajun get-a-way. Many renters like to sleep out on the lake or in a bayou under those large cypress trees and look up at the stars. There is just something about watching the Spanish moss sway in the breeze, listening to the musical night sounds of the crickets, frogs and alligators that make this place so relaxing.

Brown and Webster also offer a custom 50 by 20, two-story houseboat for rent that has become the backbone of their business. The Cajun Sunset houseboat is arranged to accommodate from one person to three couples on up to eight individuals. Complete with central air conditioning, there are more home amenities on this houseboat that you’d ever expect.

Besides the houseboats, they also offer a bayou-side cabin. Most people who stay at the cabin end up on one of Brown’s lake and bayou cruises on his 28-foot Cajun Lady boat. The Tracker pontoon boat with a Mercury 90hp four-stroke has been given a Cajun makeover that includes a moss covered top and bench seating. The pontoon boat is a perfect platform to get to those secluded areas where baby turtles, birds and gators all like to hide.  

I tagged along with Brown as he took a couple out for a sunset cruise. This couple was renting the smaller houseboat for the weekend, but wanted to go out with Brown. His swamp tours have reached legendary status. Besides knowing where to find the best scenic areas, Brown also knows the history and always has a good story to tell. People from as far away as Australia have found their way to Brown’s location in Morgan City.

“We’ve had people from Germany, Austria, well just about everywhere,” says the owner. “And a lot of them are repeat customers.”

Hurricane Katrina didn’t dampen their spirits one bit. Brown and Webster are still going strong and doing something that they love, helping people relax. If you’ve never had a chance to experience some southern hospitality, there has never been a better time. The folks at Cajun Houseboats & Rentals are great people that are ready for you to hurry up and come relax with them. 

For information and prices for Cajun Houseboat & Rentals call 888-508-5031 or visit www.cajunhouseboats.com.

Southern Hospitality. Business partners David Webster and Anthony Brown have found a way to introduce people to what Cajun Country is all about.

Standing Tall. The 50 by 20, two-story Cajun Sunset houseboat has plenty of room for everyone. This custom built houseboat has become one of its most popular rentals.

Home Coming. If renting one of its houseboats doesn’t interest you, the bayou-side cabin just might. The "Mason Sha La Visites" offers the perfect home away from home setting, while still surrounding you with the best that this area has to offer.

Swamp Tour. The 28-foot Party Barge from Tracker Marine is the ideal platform for Anthony Brown who loves to give tours on the bayou.