The Legend of the Lady of Sioux Bayou

Her name was Katalina and she lived in the Gautier area around the early 1900s. It is said that during the hurricane of 1906 her husband abandoned her leaving her to die so he could steal her inheritance. Rumors state that he tied her up and threw her into the Sioux Bayou to die.

About twenty years later stories started to emerge of people disappearing while in the Sioux Bayou. On one such occasion all that was found was a boat with a message scribbled in blood “Beware of the Kat”.

In the mid 1940s a story emerged of a man, covered in blood, found in his boat floating in the bayou in a near catatonic state and repeating the phrase “The cat will kill you…” over and over.

He regained consciousness long enough to relay the following account:

“I was rowing my canoe through the Sioux Bayou doing some fishing when I heard a woman’s voice. I rowed in the direction of the voice and I saw what looked like a woman from afar off. I rowed towards her and saw a lady standing there, it appeared as if she was floating on the water. I figured she must be standing on something. She appeared to be in distress so I rowed closer asking her name. She replied, “It is Katalina, I need you.”. I was about 20 feet from her when she raised up her arm, pointed at me then wiggled her finger for me to come closer. I rowed over to her and…”

The man died of catastrophic heart failure before he could finish his account of events. To this day he is one of a few to survive long enough to report this deadly encounter. All have died as a result of this encounter even the survivors don’t last long and soon die after being found.

Over the years the occasional report of someone disappearing in the bayou would surface. Often only the boat was found covered in blood. Many locals attribute it to gator attacks but a few knew the truth, it was the Kat that got them.

The final account occurred in 1988 involving three friends, Richard, Marcus and Johnathan, who were on a fishing trip.

The friends went kayaking fishing one day in the bayou when a strange fog appeared and they found themselves separated from each other. All three were experts on the bayou and knew their way around better than most, yet they found themselves lost in the fog. All three carried walkie-talkies and began to communicate to each other. The following was overheard by a fisherman who was a few miles away.

Jonathan: Where you guys at?

Richard: No idea, I don’t recognize this part.

Marcus: Ditto, this is strange…what is that? I hear something.

Richard: I hear it too. Flash your light I think I see you. Yeah, yeah I see you, stay there. I can barely see in this fog!

Fisherman: Hey, you guys need assistance, I’m out here on the river and can come get you in my boat….what fog? It’s clear as can be today!

It is important to note that none of the men heard the fisherman.

Jonathan: You guys ok?

Richard: Yeah, I found Marcus and we’re alright, but we hear what sounds like a lady yelling for help. Gonna check it out.

Marcus: There! Over there! Floating…on…the water? She must be standing on something. She’s wiggling her finger for us to come over. Says she needs us. We’re gonna go help her out…

Richard: What the…!

Jonathan’s radio was filled with horrific screams from Richard and Marcus then followed by an eerie silence.

Jonathan: Guys! What he hell is going on! I’m coming! I can see your lights from here! Wait…who is that? What the…! Screams followed.

A bright light appeared out of nowhere followed by a loud rumbling noise. A strong arm reached down and pulled Jonathan out of his kayak. It was the fisherman! He was able to find Jonathan still alive, but Richard and Marcus were nowhere in sight. All that could be found was the blood soaked kayaks.

The Fisherman gave the following account:

I maneuvered by boat into the bayou and looked for the men. I found myself encountering a strange fog that immediately started to lift upon my arrival. I was then able to see the three kayaks in the remaining still thick fog, so I turned on my search light to see better and increased my speed. I saw a man, Jonathan, swinging in the air at nothing, as if defending himself, and I reached down and grabbed his arm and pulled him aboard. The man was covered in blood and was cut up pretty bad. He was barley conscious and shivering in terror. He regained consciousness long enough to tell me the following:

“I saw her, the lady! I saw my friends hands sink into the water and disappear. If you hear her call, do not go, for once she points at you and calls you to her, you are hers forever. Beware of the Kat!”
He died soon after. I sold my boat the next day and have never been back!

Authorities searched the bayou. No bodies were found.

If you go into the Sioux Bayou and hear a lady call, don’t go for you will never return. Beware of the Kat!