On this last trip to the Okefenokee Swamp, I was very limited in what I could do because of Mitzi. They don't allow dogs on the boardwalk because of the possibility an alligator could reach it and, of course, eat it. They also don't allow dogs in the visitor center and of course on the guided boat ride through the swamp. This is one of the aspects of traveling with Mitzi, that is difficult but if I really wanted to do some dog prohibited activity, I could board her for the day. Fortunately I visited the swamp in a previous visit to Georgia and will use my journal notes from late October, 2015. I entered the swamp on all three visits through the main entrance in Folkston.
October 28, 2015 - I have been to many places and have seen many beautiful natural environments but the Okefenokee was phenomenal - breathtaking. I was so fortunate to walk on the boardwalk to the observation tower and then be on the tower in the rain. The lack of sun, just popped the colors, especially the greens and the yellows of the Tickseed flowers in bloom - massive amounts of yellow.
I love the color green especially not washed out by the sun. The wind up on the very high tower was strong. I fortunately had remembered a plastic poncho (always take a poncho - the poncho is more to protect my camera than me). The poncho was blowing around like crazy. At times the Spanish moss was almost stretched out horizontal - I was alone up there - kind of scary.
On my return trip to the parking lot, I saw a HUGE alligator right next to the boardwalk. The tip of his tail was under the boardwalk - impressive. I read that sometimes the alligators are on the boardwalk and that is really SCARY!
October 29, 2015 - I was at the swamp by 7:00A which meant I left Crooked River at 5:45A. I decided to take the 4 hour boat tour through Okefenokee Adventures. The tour was so worth the $95. The owner of the business, Chip, was the guide. The boat is small and there were only two of us and the man with me was deaf and so basically I was Chip's audience. From the time we boarded the boat at 7:30A till we returned, Chip never stopped talking. He's like a book - stories, information and on and on. Sometimes I just shut off my listening as he would go so deep into a subject and very technical but most of the time I was fully engaged. The following are some of what I saw - Barred Owl, Roseate Spoonbill (not indigenous).
I also saw Great Egrets, Comorants, Bitterns, Turtles and Alligators - huge number of alligators of all sizes and most of them sunning themselves on the banks.
I was quite excited to see Pitcher Plants - they were about 2 feet tall. I think this was my first time seeing this plant. The swamp is a bog - many floating rafts of plants and also what looks like islands with fairly large trees. These trees aren't really connected to the floor of the swamp and Chip said these weren't islands but are called "houses". The boat trip was a real highlight of my Okefenokee adventures. I loved the whole Okefenokee experience and the time spent there will be treasured.
The brochure states, "The Okefenokee Swamp is a mystical and primeval place. Its 'wildness' is preserved by the National Wilderness Act. Nearly 354,000 of the refuge are designated as a National Wilderness Area. It provides outstanding opportunities for solitude and undisturbed recreation. Okefenokee is one of these rare and wild places where one can retreat from civilization and reconnect with the earth."
(Note - May 15, 2017 - the Okefenokee Swamp is under attack, as are all refuges, by this administration. We have to do what we can to protect it.)
No comments:
Post a Comment