When I woke up, I thought, "This is not the kind of day I would have picked as ideal." My husband and I had planned to go by boat from Madisonville to Beau Rivage on the Mississippi coast with our friends, Captain Elias Katsaros and his wife Veni.

It was cold. I was reluctant to pry myself from the warmth of my three blankets-if I left my bed, I would probably freeze solid if I stood still! The sub-zero temperature of my bathroom made getting dressed difficult. I paused for a brief moment to ask myself, "Where am I going?"

I really shouldn't have hesitated; I knew in the back of my mind that when Elias says, "Tomorrow is the day for our cruise," I should just smile and ask, "What time?" After all, "Captain" is not a mere nickname for our friend. Elias is and has been a captain for 25 years; he has navigated international waters with cargo vessels as large as cruise ships. So, we packed our bags (yes, we were spending the night), bundled ourselves up, and headed to the marina in Madisonville.

It was a glorious day! The light fog from the morning had receded and the boat was glistening in the sun. Elias' 52-foot Hatteras Sports Fisherman seemed ready to take us wherever we were headed and his wide smile seem to warm the air even more. The ride was dreamy. The boat moved gracefully through the water. We were able to spend the entire trip leisurely sitting on the top deck, with the enclosure keeping out the cold.

I rarely get the chance to travel around St. Tammany Parish by boat, and I could see so much from that unique perspective. Marshland and wildlife painted a picturesque landscape through which to view the world. My husband, Kevin, provided the historical tour of landmasses and every bridge we passed.

I marveled at the swing bridges. They open inch by inch, as if time were just an idea and not an actual necessity. I gazed at the copper guardhouse as we passed under the Hwy. 11 bridge. The man who built the bridge was a businessman who paid for its construction and charged a toll to passengers. The bridge was once illuminated by French Quarter lanterns along its entire length, but they are long gone. All that remains to make a statement are the guardhouses with their green patina after years in the lake air.

I was amazed at the traffic, that is, the lack of traffic, on our cruise. We hummed along for what was only a few hours, but seemed like the dream phase of a restful sleep. There is a special kind of beauty in traveling on the water. Without stoplights to slow you down or annoying noises to disturb your thoughts, the water offers the perfect means by which to travel leisurely and escape.
Once we had made our way to the coast, I realized that Captain Elias had been correct. It was a good day to travel. In fact, it was a memorable day!

-If this sounds like fun but you don't have a boat of your own, call David Burke of Moonlight Marine at 504-606-9029. - Lori