L'Ouragan de la Cheniere Caminada de 1893

(The Hurricane of Cheniere Caminada of 1893)

by Marty Guidry

In August and September of this year two of the most devastating hurricanes ever to make landfall in Louisiana severely impacted the entire Gulf Coast destroying the coastal region of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and the upper coast of Texas. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (Categories 4 and 3 respectively at landfall) hit the far eastern and far western coasts of the state - severely damaging the entire coastal Acadian region of Louisiana.

Many of our Guidry family were displaced by these hurricanes and suffered significant property damage to their homes, automobiles and land. Fortunately, we have not learned of any that suffered injury or death. With modern technology, national and regional meteorologists observed the approach of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, accurately predicted the locations of landfall and encouraged folks in their paths to evacuate. Most did and hundreds of thousands of lives were saved including those of hundreds of Guidry's that live in the coastal region.

One hundred and twelve years ago another devastating hurricane visited the Louisiana Gulf Coast; however, at this time there was no way to know of its sinister approach. Even when the winds began gently blowing several hours before landfall, evacuation along the Louisiana coastal region was almost impossible.

Folks lived on coastal chenieres (“oak islands”; small areas of raised, sandy land surrounded by gulf and marshes). Usually there were no roads connecting the chenieres to the 'mainland' higher areas. Small boats were the vehicles of travel and of commerce. As the winds grew in intensity and rains began slamming into the small community, all folks could do was to gather together in the strongest homes and hunker down - hoping against hope that all would survive the storm.

Sunday, October 1, 1893 awakened as a most pleasant day at Caminadaville lying on a cheniere along Louisiana's southeastern coast - just across Caminada Pass from Grand Isle. The weather was cool and somewhat windy with no indication of a hurricane lumbering slowing toward the cheniere. Even the tide was low due to the north wind. By 5:00 pm on this day the tide rose and the first large waves began pelting the shoreline of this fragile community.

The residents of Caminadaville quickly realized their peril and took what action they could - bringing their boats close to their homes and gathering in the larger, sturdier structures. Caminadaville was a small coastal fishing community of 450 homes and nearly 1500 residents - many of whom were Cajun.

By 7:00 pm the water had risen to six feet in the community and was still rising when the giant wave hit the coast - filling the homes with water and reaching almost 16 feet in height. Houses collapsed, people grasped for anything near them for safety, mothers clung to their children, many were washed into the sea - screams could be heard throughout the night and the church bell tolled in the wind. Many expected all to perish that night, but the tolling of the bell gave those clinging to life something to focus on and they continued to fight to survive. Finally a lull occurred about 11 pm as the eye passed over Caminadaville, the quietness was eerie as the living assessed their situation and tried to find love ones.

But was the storm really over? Suddenly the winds shifted from the east-southeast to the west-southwest with even greater ferocity and the giant wave returned from the marsh rather than the gulf - devastating anything remaining, but the bell kept tolling and the survivors kept struggling. At 3:00 am on Monday, October 2nd it was over.

Quiet returned to Caminadaville - or what was left of this proud community of fishermen. Of the 450 homes standing the morning before - only four remained. Of the 1500 residents almost 800 perished - many never to be found. For the living the worse was yet to come.

Being isolated it would be four days before they would receive any help - medical, food or water. There were no telephones or radios in 1893 at Caminadaville and only one boat remained in serviceable condition. It was Wednesday before the Caminadaville lugger Good Mother limped to the dock in New Orleans and Captain Terrebonne reported the tragedy his people suffered. Relief efforts were quickly organized to save the survivors, bury the dead and aid the community.

Today little remains of Caminadaville - once a proud and growing cheniere fishing community. The land still supports fishing; however, it is camps, not homes, that stand there.

The Curole Home, having sheltered more than 80 survivors, was moved 15 miles up Bayou Lafourche after the hurricane and still stands today at the small community of Cote Blanche. Cote Blanche, meaning 'White Coast' after the new, white-washed homes, sprang up shortly after 1893 to house the relocating survivors of the hurricane - including one Guedry family. The bell of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church that tolled continually through the night and gave the survivors the courage to keep struggling today hangs just outside Lady of the Isle Catholic Church in neighboring Grand Isle - calling its parishioners to mass.

Residing at Caminadaville on October 1, 1893 were four Guedry families:

Joseph Theophile (Theophile) Guedry (born 25 December 1829), son of Joseph Leandre Guedry and Marcelite Suzanne Terrebonne, fisherman; his wife Melicere Azema (Azee) Theriot

Leopold Guedry (born 25 February 1857), son of Theophile Guedry and Azema Theriot, fisherman; his wife Celestine Terrebonne and their three children

Theophile Blanchard (Blanchard) Guedry (born 10 March 1864), son of Theophile Guedry and Azema Theriot, fisherman; his wife Armina Pizani.

Louis Guedry, his wife and their four children. [Louis Guedry may be Joseph Ulysse (Ulysse) Guedry (born 13 April 1853), son of Theophile Guedry and Azema Theriot, fisherman; his wife Lise Albertine Pizani, son Eusebe Guidry (born 14 August 1875), daughter Ulysia Guidry (born 10 March 1877) and their two younger children]

In Leopold Guedry's home gathered seventy-five people. All, but two, perished that fateful day. One of the two survivors was carried almost six miles offshore by water and returned the next day famished for want of food and water.

Theophile Guedry and his wife Azee Theriot perished.

All five of Leopold Guedry's family perished.

All six of Louis Guedry's family perished.

Blanchard Guedry and his wife Armina Pizani survived the hurricane and probably resettled at Cote Blanche, LA.

Fifteen Guedrys lived at Caminadaville as Sunday, October 1, 1893 dawned. Only two remained when the sun set on Monday, October 2, 1893.