Hidden deep in the
Louisiana swamps surrounding Lake Verret, there sits a Camp with the name
of Da Red Poule D Eau. Originally conceived as a logical step to increase
the amount of time spent water skiing and fishing on the Lake, the Camp
has developed into much more. During the spring of 1980, Andre
Olivier and Chris Landry were both preparing to graduate High School while
also looking for every opportunity to spend time at Lake Verret. As is
typical during that time of year in South Louisiana, hot afternoons often bring rain showers. This would force boaters off the water in search for
some sort of overhead protection. In most cases, the result was a shorten
trip to the Lake. The two would dream of building a place that they could
seek cover while affording them the chance to increase their lake
experience. Eager to turn dreams into reality, planning for the
construction of a camp began. Over time, several other owners were added
to include Jeff Landry, Brian Smith, Mark Roy, Keith Rodrigue, and Kevin
Rodrigue. The four current owners are Andre, Chris, Jeff, and Brian.
THE BUILDING OF THE CAMP
The first step in the development process was to find the perfect
location. This was no easy task but after numerous conversations with
locals combined with boat rides searching for possible spots, it was
determined that Bayou Magazille was just the spot. Next, Andre went to
work to secure a lease. Surprisingly, this step was not that difficult. Basically, Andre did a great job convincing the
Land Owners to lease the property to a bunch of 18 year olds.
Efforts now turned toward drawing up plans and finding building materials.
The initial design was to construct a one room flat roof structure that
could accommodate a small sleeping area, dinning room, and kitchen.
Additionally, a porch and a wharf would be built to facilitate the
expected numerous outdoor activities. Since limited finances were available, getting the biggest bang for the
buck was critical. The search for the best deal reached out to just about
every lumber yard within a 50 mile radius. Additionally, several
individuals such as Pat Hopkins, Dr Mark Roy, and Thompson Construction
Company donated more than a few building materials and equipment. Friends and family members also started to volunteer their time and talents. Soon
construction began.
But without a name, the project just seemed to be missing something. Then
one day while sitting around a table discussing the camp name, Brian
"Whitty" Gros jokingly shouted out "What about Da Red Poule
D Eau?" Well, the name stuck. Basically, the it represents the common
ties between the two original owners; Chris and Andre. At the time,
Chris' nickname was Da while Andre' was Red. The second part of the camp
name, Poule D Eau, is the Cajun name for Coot. A Poule D Eau is a slow
flying black bird with a white beak that is about the size of a small duck. At the age of 15, Chris and
Andre were out on their first duck hunting trip together. As the sun rose
and the ducks began to fly, the shooting started. Proudly, the two dropped
more than a few birds all of which they assumed to be highly sought after
Mallards. What a day for two 15 year olds! Well, once the birds were
recovered from the pond, they realized that these funny looking black
birds were not Mallards but the undesirable Poule D Eau. On subsequent
hunting trips, when their shooting was poor, the joke of the day became
"You can't even hit a Poule D Eau."
By the time high school graduation had passed, the structure for the camp
had begun. Pilings were laid on the muddy property and framing for the
floor started to take shape. At the same time, the walls were being prefabricated back in Thibodaux. Using Andre's home as a construction
and material storage site, windows and doors were quickly attached to what
would soon be the outer walls of the camp. Without the extreme 
patience
and support of Mrs Olivier, this phase would have never been possible. The
next challenge was to get the walls and building supplies to
the lake. This was largely accomplished by the use of a flatbed
construction truck provided by Thompson Construction Co. The gravel road behind the camp was utilized, but since no dry route
through the swamp was
available to carry the materials directly to the raised flooring, a
flotation method was required to transit the small bayou on the side of
the property. Large 4' blocks of styrofoam that were purchased from a local pipeline company were found to
work just fine. Strapped together, these blocks easily supported the
weight necessary. Soon, the the camp started to take shape. 
During the construction, physical labor from friends become critical. Finding help normally wasn't difficult; however, when it was, Andre attempted to entice help by offering free beer and lunch. What Andre failed to tell them was that the beer was warm and the lunch was a small serving of peanut butter and bread. Obviously, this trick didn't last long and new methods became necessary.
By the end of the summer, the initial layout and construction was completed and Da Red Poule D Eau was officially a camp. The dream of having a place of their own was now reality.
Andre and Jeff enjoying a few cold ones
Ben on one of his first trips to the lake with Papa Jeff
Jeff, Smitty, and Shark doing a little repairs on the place
Andre cookin up the "CrawDads"
(The Early Days) Notice the flat roof and the smaller wharf
Smitty and Chris
The Construction Crew at work
Chris and Cathleen preparing for a trip with "Andre the Tour Guide"
A good picture of the original camp layout. We had to BBQ outdoors since there was no stove inside the camp
A view from the water
The early days!
Another picture of original construction
A Cool Dude
Last updated: 03/06/01