I  did a little photo shoot of Pool's Bluff in dryer times. It is where I found so much litter. High water has taken much of that downstream. To look at that page CLICK HERE. 
Pool's Bluff is located at the source end of the Pearl River Canal. It is a straight line canal that reconnects to the Pearl River about where Teal Road comes off of La.41.
    I guess you'd call the next one the Pearl River Swamp. To the west of the canal, Duck Pond  can be seen. It is actually a lake or bay that reaches westward to La.21 where it is visible.
  Still working my way south from Bogalusa on La. 21, I stopped by two of the places I will go back to again. They are neat places which provide a look into a secretive place.
    From Pool's Bluff I rode down to the next Canal Installation., Lock No. 3. It is one of the three locks on the  Pearl Canal. Swamps are different in this part of Louisiana. I guess, to me, it's the inclusion of pines in the vistas. Pines grow in sandy soil. The rivers run through those woods and bring the seed southward and pines end up growing in the swamp. The same deal happens in far west Louisiana, but not to the degree it does here in east La. My observation and not fact, Fred.
   The island across the Canal is a part of the Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge. (I'm reading from the sign) There are no roads on the island, so I've been told. It is named for the awing river that runs out of Mississippi and empties into the Pearl south of here.
    I was looking for the hidden gate to the other side of the lock. I found it and had no idea I'd get to do this, first confirming that I was not physically a child as they are not allowed out on this thing without an adult.
    I have never walked across the operating gates of a lock. I will bet you haven't either. That is just what you get to do if you go to Lock No.3. Take the kids, it is perfectly safe if you don't let the little darlings climb over the fence. It would be a huge educational outing which can be combined with camping on the other side. I may even do that with my grandkids. About time I turned this lonesome roaming around into something positive. It can be found across the intersection of La.16 and La.21, Lock No. 3 Road. Follow it east to the river.
            How impressive do you think that would be to a six year old?
It's not the Suez or the Panama Canal, but it's  a great model to use in teaching.
Arriving on the other side, Katrina's footprints are deep.
That one cut tree was the only work that has been done on the "trail".
I hope our little friends are still out there. Nature survives somehow.
  Coming back across the lock gates, I couldn't resist one more shot. I think it came out pretty good. It was taken looking south.
   One of my newest favorite best utility roads is La.16 from Sun to Enon. There was a great shot of the Sun behind the Sun water tower, but it will have to wait. I felt uneasy about stopping where the shot would have been best taken. Second best shot came as I left La.16 at Isobel and crossed the Bogue Chitto River, previously mentioned, Fred, and went through the Isobel Swamp. I love these roads. You never know what is coming out of that glowing sunful dust.
  I reflect on my little rides, be them successes or partial successes, such as this one. That reflection helps me get through this, I-10 between Baton Rouge and Henderson. This is a weekly occurrance. You are taking your life in your hands traveling this road. I urge everyone to look to the backroads for safer travel as often as possible.  Interstates are where you mix up too many driving "styles" and they don't coexist well at 80 mph.
Hope you've enjoyed this little outing. See ya down the road or at the locks.