We came to this part of Louisiana because it is the location of Louisiana's one, and only, geo-site - a Jurassic Period salt intrusion. Located on Avery Island, about 45 minutes from our campground, we knew from Dickas' book (101 American Geo-Sites You've Gotta See) that the salt was on private land but we also learned that the Tabasco bottling operations were located on Avery Island and Mr. Spock could enjoy the factory tour even if he couldn't go down into the salt mines.
Arriving at the Tabasco bottling plant. Mr. Spock thought this would be an interesting substitute for the salt mines.
We're all familiar with this famous red bottle.
Waiting for the tour to begin.
Tabasco is sent to over 130 countries and the labels are printed in 23 different languages.
The sauce that is being bottled today is going to Brazil.
We took this picture because the sauce expires on Peter's birthday.
A dozen bottles being packed into boxes.
At the end of the tour is the sampling bar. There is a bowl of stick pretzels behind the bottles. You take a pretzel stick, dip it into the desired Tabasco sauce, and sample the taste. There was also pepper jelly, chili samples, and samples of hot pepper ice cream. We bought a bottle of the special "reserve" blend that is only available on Avery Island and is made from peppers that are grown on Avery Island. The other sauces are made from peppers that come from seeds that are grown in Avery Island but are grown on farms in Central and South America.
Out in the parking lot Frederick noticed this car from Rhode Island. We waited a while to see if the folks connected to the car would show up, but then we moved on.
The salt pillar under Avery Island dates from the Jurassic period when the youthful Gulf of Mexico, created by the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea, was periodically isolated from the open ocean. The evaporation of ponded saline waters produced the 1,500 -to- 12,000-foot-thick bed of salt. This bed of salt was subsequently covered by numerous layers of Mississippi River sediment that is daily deposited into the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, more than 1 million tons of sediment are deposited daily. A well in downtown New Orleans would have to be 40,000 feet deep to reach the base of this geologically young pile of sand and mud.
As the salt was buried deeper, it began to flow upward in a plastic fashion. Less dense than the overlying sedimentary rock, and pressurized by the sedimentary overburden, it rose until it reached density parity, when its density matched the overlying and surrounding sediments. Many of these domes appear like tall mounds or columns. The most famous of these salt domes is Avery Island. Here, a 45,000-foot-tall shaft -- nearly 8.5 miles high -- of 99.1 percent pure salt penetrates to within 8 feet of the island's domed surface. Industrial-grade salt has been mined since 1898 and currently miners are extracting salt from the 1,600-foot level of this 1.5-to-2-mile-diameter structure, estimated to contain 150 billion tons of salt. (I wonder if any of this salt is transported to Rhode Island to be used in treating the roads this winter?)
Avery Island salt is used at the Tabasco plant to cover the tops of the barrels (purchased from Jack Daniels) where the pepper seeds are fermented for two years. The salt creates a water-proof seal on the tops of the barrels.
Graphic of the salt dome under Avery Island.
This is as close as Mr. Spock could get to the salt mine.
Historic photo of work in the mine.
Avery Island is also home to one of the world's most beautifully preserved nature sanctuaries. The McIlhenny family, which owns the McIlhenny Tabasco Company, also owns a large part of the Island and Edward McIlhenny developed the Jungle Gardens of Avery Island. We decided that we would walk the 3.5 mile long trail through the Gardens. You can also drive the route.
Southern Live Oaks are the prominent trees in the Gardens.
This is the off-shoot Marsh Trail that you can only walk on.
Lagoons within the Gardens are home to American Alligators. We also saw lots of turtles, which are very shy.
These man made lagoons are planned after the water gardens of Venice.
A room within a stand of bamboo.
This Live Oak tree is named for Grover Cleveland. He visited the McIlhenny family and this tree around 1891. This tree is over 300-years-old.
A row of holly shrubs planted in the 1920's.
This bamboo is over 20 feet tall.
A Magnolia Tree just beginning to bloom.
Bridge over the lagoon at the Buddha Temple.
Temple building.
The Buddha was a gift to E.A. McIlhenny in 1936. Created for the Shonfa Temple during the reign of Emperor Hui-Tsung some 900 years ago.
A Torii Gate.
As we were walking along, the truck with Rhode Island plates came up behind us. We met Jay and Vivian from Ashaway, RI. It turns out that they are full-time RVers and have a 20' Airstream. They are also members of the '44 Club! We had a great conversation and have a number of shared experiences. I hope we can keep in touch with such pleasant people!
Even though we were a month early, there were still a few egrets and herons at "Bird City". Someone from the area that was there said that in a month there will be thousands of water birds here.
"Knees" surrounding a small cypress grove. I believe that this is the way the tree roots, which are in water, receive air.
A Live Oak branch from the trunk on the right and extending beyond the "prop" on the far left.
Imported from China, Timber Bamboo grows a foot or more a day and in 65 days is fully grown.
Following are some of the camellias in the Gardens. Jungle Gardens is home to one of the largest collection of Camellias in the nation.
Some of the maintenance workers who do upkeep of the Gardens.
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