WHAT SWAMP BASE MEANS TO ME

My name is Ava Thibodeaux and for the past four summers, I've served as a trek guide for Swamp Base. 

I first heard about Swamp base in 2017. My brother, Ivy, saw an ad on Facebook that said, “Get Paid to Paddle!” and he decided to apply for a summer job. After each trek, he’d come home with these amazing stories of adventures detailing the Atchafalaya and the new friends from across the country that he met along the way. I remember asking him if “girls could work there too”. When he said "yes," I knew then and there I was going to be a trek guide one day. 

The summer after I graduated high school, I joined Swamp Base as a trek guide at 18 years old. My personality was one in which I was timid, quiet, and scared to make waves. I was always the kid who was a great team player, but I didn’t really prefer to be a leader and in the spotlight. Since serving on staff and being a part of this program, Swamp Base has transformed me into someone who is eager to volunteer and step up, someone who is excited to share my ideas, and the first one to lend a helping hand. 

Not only did I see these changes magnify within myself after each summer, but I also witnessed changes within the youth and adult participants that I led. The first day of trekking for Scouts and leaders is always the hardest. Everyone is trying to find a groove in their paddling. Blisters might start to form, they’re starting to feel the heat of the Louisiana summer, and worst of all... they’re uncomfortable. Sitting on a canoe seat for 8+ hours can be rough! The swamp is unforgiving. It might be sweltering sun or pouring rain, and everything in between. However, it never fails that these Scouts look beyond the struggles and grow to embrace their new environment. They acknowledge the fact that there is no “crawfishing out,” only paddling forward. 

I have seen enormous changes in many young adults. They arrive lacking confidence and dealing with feelings of uneasiness, all while being thrust into a completely foreign environment. But at the end of their trek, and on more than one occasion, I’ve seen parents and adult leaders in tears at the conclusion of their treks during our Departure Ceremonies. These tears are being brought upon, not because of sadness, but because of how grateful they are for the positive changes they now see in themselves or in that once shy or awkward youth. A youth that faced adversity, came out of their shell, and kept persevering no matter the circumstances. The confidence they gain from completing a trek will stay with them forever. These youth completely blossom into individuals who are now more persistent, determined, and outgoing in their daily lives, not just in Scouting. 

One particular story of triumph that I love to tell is when two Scouts received the National Award for Merit from Scouting America because of their actions at Swamp Base. A little background…. It was their fifth and final day of the trek. On the fifth day, we start early… and I mean early! We wake up at 2:30 AM. You know, the time other people my age are heading home from the clubs. On this day, the Scouts had the early wake-up and had already paddled a very rough 15 or so miles, traversed over the spillway levee, and through the challenging and muddy portage called the “Swamp Stomp.”  We were also fighting hard against the wind all day, and every mile was undoubtedly earned. 

As we were in sight of the finish line of their trek, and as their peers raced their canoes towards the shore, two young Scouts, Gavyn and Luke, noticed there was a boat with two elderly fishermen who had experienced a motor malfunction and were attempting to paddle their boat back to the launch with only one small canoe paddle. If you’ve been in a similar situation, you know how incredibly difficult it can be, and with the July sun shining on them, it can be dangerous too. Without hesitation, Gavyn and Luke paddled up to the gentlemen and tied their canoe to the men’s fishing boat. These two Scouts then paddled and towed the last mile of their trek, with the extra weight and significant drag of the boat, all while up against the choppy waters of Grand Lake. As the rest of the group were getting their items out of their canoes, Gavyn and Luke never left the fishermen's sides, as they ensured their boat was safely pushed back on their trailer. Knowing firsthand just how much those Scouts had endured throughout the week, and seeing them provide one last selfless act in the swamp was truly inspiring. It was the epitome of personal growth and sacrifice. No matter how tired they were, or how ready they were to complete their trek, they were Scouts first. They were Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, and… Brave.  Swamp Base gives Scouts the opportunity to strengthen their mental limits, expand on what it means to be a Scout, and appreciate an environment that is usually overlooked and forgotten. 

I’ll be the first to say that I overlooked our backyard environment for 18 years of my life. Sure, it was great growing up as a little Cajun kid, my parents cooked the best rice and gravy, and I learned how to hunt and fish. But it wasn’t until my first summer at Swamp Base that I really started to appreciate and understand the glory of the environment. During arrival and departure, participants are all asked, “What is one word that you would use to describe the swamp?” And more often than not, from my own experience, I hear all the same negative words mentioned. One of the most offensive to me was when someone said “disgusting.” That one hurt and felt a little personal. But witnessing that same person’s perceptions change over the week was so rewarding!

During my first summer in 2021, I struggled with my ‘one word.’ I can’t remember exactly what it was because I changed my mind each week to best fit the camaraderie of the group. I’m pretty sure it was something nice, but superficial like “beautiful" or "magical.” It wasn’t until after a great first summer, that I realized what the swamp meant to me. For the entirety of my second summer, my word evolved to be “Home,” because that’s what the swamp had become to me. “Home.” I was now confident in my abilities and knowledge, I had found my leadership style, tapped into a greater appreciation for this place and for my Cajun culture, that I had unfortunately not taken much pride in before. 

As I grew and changed as a person and in the Swamp Base program, my word evolved again in the 2023 season. And even today, it is now a word with such a great representation of my passion for the Swamp Base program, my role as a Louisiana citizen, the value of the Atchafalaya Basin, and my family heritage. And that word is “Legacy.” 

Promotion of the Cajun culture is one that has unfortunately declined over the decades as more traditions are lost, and as inaccurate representations are conveyed through the media. I made it a personal goal to ensure participants who cross my path know the true story of Cajun people. The resilient people who endured the Nova Scotia expulsion, and thrived in a foreign environment despite all odds. The hardworking culture of individuals who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and survived hard times, hurricanes, flooding, and discrimination from others around them, all while creating fantastic cuisine, original music, and intriguing folklore.

While sharing my favorite foods, songs, and childhood stories throughout the trek, I noticed a striking parallel between the experience of my ancestors and the Scout participants. Both groups of people found themselves in a new, seemingly unforgiving environment. The constant weather changes, wide array of animals, and the fear of the unknown makes for an uninviting first appearance. However, the deeper the Cajuns and the Scouts traversed into the swamp, the more beauty, understanding and appreciation they gained. Much like the Cajuns, Scouts have had to pull themselves out of the mud—sometimes literally—as they encountered new challenges and opportunities at every twist in the bayous. And just like my ancestors, these experiences will make them better people. They will leave their own legacy as they pass down stories of their adventures in the swamp to their children and grandchildren.

My Swamp Base legacy isn’t just another aspect that I bestow on participants, it’s something that they’ve helped me create. Each trek has been vastly unique, with every group bringing a new dynamic and experience. At the departure ceremony, I tell the participants that they now have the knowledge and experience to be ambassadors for the Atchafalaya. They’ve experienced the swamp firsthand, and have formed their own, unbiased opinions.

Swamp Base is an organization like no other. It actively breaks down the negative bias that has been stacked against this environment for generations. It provides Scouts, leaders, and even trek guides with phenomenal personal opportunities to grow, develop, and discover who they truly can be. Each person that completes a Swamp Base trek dives into a new world of appreciation for a location that has been neglected for far too long. Every day, I am thankful for a simple Facebook post my brother saw all those years ago. I was only expecting to “get paid to paddle”, and instead I received so much more. I received a chance to grow my personal character, the opportunity to share my legacy and home with 251 participants, and most importantly, the ability to make a difference in the lives of each one. Swamp Base provides a one in a million experience, and I am beyond blessed to be a part of it.