Search the Community

I had the opportunity to tour the okefenokee swamp with my good friends Damon Collinsworth and Axel Bostrom of California Carnivores, and it was an adventure I probably won't ever do again, haha! For those of you who are brave enough to take on this endeavour, let me warn you the swamp is a lot bigger than it looks on a map! We had to kayak more than 2 miles to find the plants (motor boats weren't available, and even if they were, these sites are only accessible by canoe or kayak), and it was very confusing and difficult to find them. Since you're very low to the ground, it's difficult to spot them in the distance, so you really have to know where you're going. There's also a constant sense of danger in this swamp because there's a lot of alligators, and due to my heightened alertness, I didn't end up taking as many pictures as I wanted to. We learned it's best not to mess with them, and they won't mess with you! We were informed that people have tried to fight them with their paddles, but humans are no challenge to a 1 ton beast that can swim very fast and can end you in a heartbeat! Typically, you'll see their heads pop out of the water, and when you come close to them, they will go under water. Are they heading for you, or will they just swim away? It feels incredibly vulnerable in a kayak that can easily tip over! Fortunately, if you get too close to the beasts, they will make a hissing noise to warn you to get away. These creatures, like humans, are very curious, and they mostly just want to check you out... in general, they're not there to bite or eat you (unless you startle them, charge them, or do something crazy!). The okefenokee swamp is a maze, and the maps they give you are overly simplified. There are a lot more trails than what's labeled, and it seems these may change from year to year depending on how the vegetation grows. It's not like land where there are defined trails-the swamp is very dyamic and forever changing. We were lost for hours, and our arms were tired from paddling, but we kept going. Surprisingly enough, it didn't rain the whole time, and the sun was beating down on us. It was 92F (33C) with close to 100% humidity, and we were constantly drenched in sweat. Normally, the mosquitos are savages, especially in the swamp, but we lucked out that day and only had a bite or two here and there. The environment out there isn't even close to friendly, but the landscape is incredibly beautiful. For those who are brave enough to take the voyage, I highly recommend checking it out! My recommendation is to make sure you're in good shape before going out there. From what we saw, it didn't seem like S. minor var. okefenokeensis was "everywhere" and they weren't gigantic as you see in photographs online (ie. from Barry's adventure (http://www.sarraceni...ga012003.html��). I think the drought of 2011 took a huge toll on these plants, but fortunately, I did see a lot of baby plantlets, so the population will likely recover in the future should the weather continue to be favorable. In the middle of the swamp, there are these huge sphagnum islands, and the plants grow on them. It's not recommended to walk on these islands because the alligators like to sunbath in these, and since you're at ground level, you won't seem them until it's too late! Anyhow, here are some photos of plants in situ from Charlton Co, GA. Photos taken 9/6/2013. First picture is of Damon Collinsworth. Note the orange attire: even if you're a good swimmer, it's always best to play it safe: Check out the red windows on this plant! There were several plants that were solid red: