The Atchafalaya River Basin covers over a million square miles of southern Louisiana. The swamp is made up of coastal marsh, cypress swamps and bottomland hardwood forests. In spring, water floods most of the basin, while in fall water levels leave areas dry. The shallow water and areas of vegetation roots present special challenges for boats navigating this swamp. Cypress trees have large woody roots or knees that project out of the water, making navigation difficult. People of the Louisiana swamps have a long history of building and using boats adapted to this environment.
The early inhabitants of Louisiana were experienced boat builders. They fashioned canoe-like boats called pirogues from a single log, using scrapers made of shell or stones. The boats were large, 30 feet or more, and carried passengers and goods through the area. Europeans retained the design but made lighter boats equipped with sails. In the 1800s, new boat designs became more popular for carrying merchandise and smaller; pirogues made during this period were smaller, made for one person. The pirogue is still used in the bayous and swamps of Louisiana today. Although pirogues today are made from fiberglass and aluminum and are powered by motors as well as paddles, the basic design remains the same as the original. Pirogues are well-adapted to the shallower waters, and are easily carried when the swamps are drier. Pirogues can be "poled" or moved through the water by pushing a long pole against the river bottom.
Early European arrivals to Louisiana's swamps designed several small boats to navigate the waters between ships and the inland rivers and swamps. The French canot was one of those small boats. The canot had a rounded bottom, and a smaller fin underneath the boat that allowed it to go in shallower water. The boat could be rowed or rigged with a sail. Canots became popular fishing vessels and were eventually modified as oyster boats. In time, engines replaced sails and canots became known as the New Orleans Oyster Luggers, which still ply the shallow waters of Louisiana fishing for oysters.
Airboats are low, flat-bottom boats that are propelled across the water by a large fan perched on the stern. They are ideal for navigating through the swamps, shallow water and vegetation-filled water. Airboats are prone to capsizing and require an expert pilot. In the swamps of Louisiana, airboats are commonly used to conduct nature tours in the swamps where other boats might have difficulty navigating. Airboat tours offer high-speed thrills and close-up views of nature. Airboat tours go to parts of the swamp that are inaccessible to other boats.
