New Orleans is known for its jazz music and relaxed attitude to life. Recently, it witnessed an event that had both locals and visitors in stitches. The locals wanted to fix the problem quickly, so they turned a flooded street that had a sinkhole into a pool party.
On a seemingly normal Saturday afternoon, Dr. Brobson Lutz set out to attend a dinner. He couldn’t believe what he saw as he drove down Esplanade Avenue at 5:30 pm. In the middle of the street was a group of people having a great time in a sinkhole the size of a hot-tub.
Dressed for the occasion, the young man and the two women had transformed the pit of water into their own oasis. The man was dressed in a headband with hippie beads and a maroon swimsuit, while the woman wore an Audrey Hepburn-style sunhat and a maroon two-piece bikini. The other woman wore a sleek black two-piece bathing suit. They reclined on wooden planks, which framed their makeshift swimming pool. It was as if they were in a luxury spa.
The yellow caution flags and road hazards barrels that were used as makeshift lifeguards made the scene more amusing. The water was crystal clear, Dr. Lutz said, and you could tell that it was city water flowing out. Below the water’s transparency, brick streetwork was visible, giving the oasis a mysterious air.
Lutz claims that a passerby informed him earlier this year that police had visited the beach and warned the bathers of possible tickets for creating an obstruction. Instead of complying with the NOPD, the bathers suggested, in a humorous manner, that they ticket the person responsible for turning the street from a swimming pool.
The unusual spectacle was spread by wildfire. The Times-Picayune covered the funny incident and photos of other people who jumped into the pool began to circulate on social media. Esplanade Avenue was transformed into an urban spa for the day.
New Orleans is known for its adventurous and daring residents, but this was a new level. The videos posted on Instagram showed how close these bathers were to cars passing by, highlighting the absurdity.
The bathers’ social media fame, whether intentional or not, made it clear that either Esplanade Avenue should be declared a destination spa, or the sinkhole needed to be addressed immediately.
Grace Birch confirmed on Monday evening that water had been drained out of the hole and repairs were in progress. The utility already had the leak at Esplanade Avenue & Marais Street on their list of repairs in mid-June.
Eluna.ai is the featured photo credit.
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