Into the Swamp

04 May 2021

Waking up at Trader’s Hill Campground, we found a message from, friend and fine bass, Joe Simpson letting us know that the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was just down the road. Two of his former co-workers run Okefenokee Adventures so Joe encouraged us to stop by and say “hey” from for him. Always up for new adventures, we added the refuge to our route.

Thirty minutes later I was looking at these skins and skulls of former refuge
residents while Beth checked out the various tour options. We met Joy Campbell, one of the founders of Okefenokee Adventures, who recommended a guided skiff tour based on our time constraints. They also have kayak and canoe rentals for folks interested in exploring at a more leisurely pace.

Fortunately, there was room for us on the next departure. The 1.5 hour guided boat tour was $28.

It wasn’t long before we proceeded down the canal and entered the National Wildlife Refuge. One needs up-to-date charts or a local guide to stay oriented inside the 700 square miles of wilderness.

Movement in the tree canopy revealed a hawk leaping into the air.

That hawk was a parent leaving their nest. Sharp eyes picked out the chick watching us through the branches. Judging from the feathers, it won’t be long before there is another hawk soaring over the swamp.

Traffic jams exist everywhere, even in the Okefenokee. A scout troupe headed back to the dock parted to let us proceed deeper into the swamp.

Chip Campbell, the other founder of Okefenokee Adventures, guided the boy scouts on their voyage home.

Occasional signposts point the way to named sections of the swamp. Prairies here are marshes or ponds, named to distinguish them from lakes.

Grand Prairie has a reflective beauty on this perfect spring day.

Concerned about mosquitoes, we were pleasantly surprised to not be
bothered. Our guide told us sunlight and breezes keep them at bay during the day, but the situation changes dramatically at sunset.

Water lilies, sedges, and grasses were abundant.

The swamp is the source for two rivers. Ten percent drains to the Atlantic through the St Marys while the majority flows to the Gulf of Mexico through the Suwannee.

An alligator seemed unconcerned as we motored along.

Our guide beached the skiff and pulled up this little bit of plant. Did you know that bladderwort is the world’s fastest carnivorous plant? Click the link to Science magazine for a video.

He is a sixth generation local and told us his wife’s family has been here for seven generations.

Another carnivore, pitcher plant, was abundant on the prairie. We had seen these flowering near home a few weeks ago at the UNC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill, NC. Native to North Carolina and Georgia, they are endangered and protected in our home state.

One more alligator watched as we left the prairie. I wonder how many unseen eyes observe visitors to the Okefenokee.

The hour and a half tour flew by. It seemed like we had just begun to get a flavor of the swamp when we were passing another boat loaded with visitors on their way to an adventure.

Heading out early was a good choice as the temperature was at ninety-five by the time we returned to the dock.

After going ashore we fixed lunch in the parking lot. Unfortunately, the visitor’s center was not open, so we will have to come back again to get our log book stamped from this National Wildlife Refuge. We would stay at Trader’s Hill Campground again for convenient access and very reasonable rates.

There is lots more to do here, including hikes and a driving tour. We
will definitely return, but today we need to get to Lakeland Florida for
an appointment with Truma first thing tomorrow morning. We’ve been testing Truma’s Aventa rooftop air conditioner and they are going to trade-out our first generation prototype for a revised version.

Update: One of our friends has created a new YouTube channel called “The Last Great Places.” Here’s a link to his interesting segment on the Okefenokee.

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