 Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  American Alligator swimming submerged in dark blackwater swamp. Wildlife herping photography on canoe paddling excursion on Billy`s Lake in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Alligator mississippiensis is a large crocodilian reptile native to the Southeastern United States. October 26, 2022. Is it safe to paddle the Okefenokee alone? I suppose that depends on many factors. I have made most of my trips through the swamp with my daughter or my friends, mostly to share the experience. But in addition to a few day trips, I also made a solo overnight excursion to the Canal Run shelter in October, 2022. While it is probably safer to have a partner, I believe a solo trip can be completed safely if you know where you’re going.  Long before overnight paddling by myself, I had made many paddles through the Refuge with partners. I could probably navigate many of the runs off Billy’s Lake without a map, but I would never be foolish enough to go without a map. I always bring an Okefenokee NWR map that shows all the canoe trails and mile markers. Even in this age of technology, an old-fashioned trail map printed on paper is essential. If you forget one, the Refuge always has them available at the various launch points in the Refuge.
I also bring my handheld GPS that has many of the mile-markers and platforms marked as waypoints. The canoe trails are all marked and most of the side trails are too choked with water lilies to navigate, but if you happened to take a side run, it would be quite easy to get lost. I use a battery operated, handheld GPS and ensure I have extra batteries. Don’t rely on your phone for GPS navigation because it won’t last long.
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Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Paddling a section of the East Fork Suwannee River (orange canoe trail) between mile markers 10 and 13 on my way to the Canal Run overnight shelter in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.  Resurrection Fern, Pleopeltis polypodioides, on a log along the orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA.  Resurrection Fern, Pleopeltis polypodioides, on a log along the orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA.  Large American Alligator swimming in dark swamp, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Herping wildlife photography along the orange canoe trail to Canal Run  American White Ibis bird, Eudocimus albus, perched in a tree along the orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Wilderness area canoe kayak trail directional sign. Permit Required Beyond This Point, No Motors. Along the orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. To go where one has not gone before is the call of every adventurer's heart. Many times my daughter and I had paddled eastward just past Billy's Island only to stop and stare at "permit required beyond this point" sign and wonder what lies down that channel. I was going to find out on my October 2022 solo trip. Obtaining the permit for this section of trail that leads to the Canal Run shelter was quite easy, being a one-night trip. The platform availabilities and paddling routes are now on a website. No longer do you have spend time on the phone with Refuge staff to list the available routes. You can simply look up your desired dates and routes, and then call to book them. I booked this one night stay at the Canal Run Shelter so I could explore a short portion of canoe trail that runs between the Stephen C Foster State Park Launch and the Suwannee Canal. I would paddle the five mile 'permit only' portion of the East Fork Suwannee River, camp overnight at the platform, and backtrack the following day while taking photographic observations along the way. Being a relatively narrow and closed-in portion of the trail, the conditions weren't the best for photography, but great for exploration. In the close quarters, I used my cellphone camera more than my DSLR and long lens. It was hard to pinpoint the small birds and lizards that scurried among the thick, tangled vegetation.  Close up of American Alligator vertically elliptical eye in dark blackwater swamp. Wildlife herping photography on canoe paddling excursion on Middle Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Alligator mississippiensis is a large crocodilian reptile native to the Southeastern United States. October 26, 2022.  Big Six-spotted Fishing Spider, Dolomedes triton, Okefenokee swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Wildlife photography along East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail  Close up of American Alligator`s eye as it lies hidden in the blackwater swamp. Wildlife herping photography on canoe paddling excursion on Middle Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Alligator mississippiensis is a large crocodilian reptile native to the Southeastern United States. October 26, 2022.  Small Carolina Green Anole lizard climbing a branch in the Okefenokee swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Wildlife herping photography along East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail  Juvenile American Alligator on log along the East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  A pod of juvenile baby American Alligators on cypress knees and sphagnum moss along the East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. A group of young alligators and their mother along the East Fork Suwannee River near Canal Run in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.  Large female American Alligator near pod of juvenile alligators, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Herping wildlife photography along the orange canoe trail to Canal Run  A pod of juvenile baby American Alligators on cypress knees and sphagnum moss along the East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA.  Baby American Alligators on cypress knees and sphagnum moss along the East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA.  Baby American Alligators on cypress knees and sphagnum moss along the East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA.  Baby American Alligators on cypress knees and sphagnum moss along the East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA.  Baby American Alligators on cypress knees and sphagnum moss along the East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA.  Baby American Alligators on cypress knees and sphagnum moss along the East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA.  Baby American Alligators on cypress knees and sphagnum moss along the East Fork Suwannee River orange canoe trail headed to the Canal Run overnight shelter platform. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  White-tailed Deer; Stephen C Foster State Park, Georgia. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. A short morning walk on the trails in the Stephen C Foster State Park within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge before heading out on the canoe. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Upland trail in Stephen C Foster State Park. October 26, 2022. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Red-shouldered Hawk raptor bird of prey spreading its wings to dry on a wet morning in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. Birding photography on canoe paddling excursion. Wednesday, 9:47 AM - The first leg of my journey to my overnight camping in the Okefenokee Swamp takes me across Billy’s Lake. Billy’s Lake, especially first thing in the morning, is always a moving experience. You leave the bustle of the Stephen C Foster campground and come upon a large, open lake that is often smooth as glass in the morning. If there are no john boat motors running, the tranquility is tangible… I sometimes feel the splashing of my paddle is too loud! A boisterous Red-shouldered Hawk’s screams echo across the entire lake. A heron’s croak is clearly heard, although the bird itself is hidden in the Spatterdock and Maidencane. The flap of a cormorant’s wings can be heard a quarter mile across the water. I just want to sit and float, but the current lead’s me away from this day’s journey to the Canal Run platform. I must break the silence of mind and surroundings and push my paddle into the water toward’s Billy’s Island. Paddling Billy's Lake from Stephen C Foster State Park launch to Billy's Island. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. October 26, 2022. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Large American Alligator basking in the sun along the Suwannee River Sill Recreation canal in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. October 25, 2022 ©www.williamwisephoto.com Please do not use without permission An excerpt from the journal of Howell C. Jackson describing the beautiful Suwannee River and its reptile inhabitants as he surveyed the Okefenokee Swamp in 1890…
Trowell, C.T.. The Suwannee Canal Company in the Okefenokee Swamp. South Georgia College, 1984. Page 130. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  American Alligator laying on bank of Suwannee River in Okefenokee Swamp at sunset in the fall. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. October 2022. Seeing the extremely low waters of the Suwannee River Sill, I began to fear this trip might not be as productive as I had hoped. I took four days off work to make this five-day visit. But would I even be able to get my canoe through the low water to the areas I had hoped to explore? But, as usual, the Okefenokee never disappoints. Low waters caused by drought in the Okefenokee might make paddling difficult and some areas inaccessible, but it isn't totally a bad thing. When water levels are higher, the critters can spread out over the Refuge’s 400,000 acres. But as the swamp dries out, the alligators and other critters tend to congregate in the deeper areas such as the lakes and channels that still contain water. Being a manmade channel controlled by a dam, the Suwannee River Sill on the western side of the swamp typically maintains a decent level of water, even during a drought. And when the water levels are low, the alligators all become visible. Shallow waters and a warm, fall afternoon means a high concentration of big gators along the banks of The Sill! I certainly wasn’t disappointed on this fall trip. There are enough large alligators along the Suwanee River Sill Recreation Area to rival any Florida destination.  American Alligator laying on bank of Suwannee River in Okefenokee Swamp at sunset in the fall. Huge lazy bull gator. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. October 2022.  American Alligator laying on bank of Suwannee River in Okefenokee Swamp. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Snowy Egret, Egretta thula, and three American White Ibis, Eudocimus albus, water birds foraging on the Suwannee River in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. October 25, 2022. When I arrived in the Okefenokee on October 25, 2022, I knew the lack of rainfall through the spring and summer would make the swamp waters low... and they certainly were! Walking to the edge of the Suwannee River Sill to launch my canoe into the water, I marveled that I could actually see the bottom! The layer of peat, leaves and muck are typically hidden through the dark, tannin-stained blackwater. Sliding my canoe onto the swamp, the water couldn’t have been more than a foot deep and the bottom of my canoe was scraping the bottom of the channel. I paddled a few feet, then had to use my oar as a push-pole to dislodge from the peat-covered bottom. A few hundred feet of struggling and I realized I just wasn’t going to be able to paddle up the Sill. Bummer. Now what? Thankfully, there was another route to explore without loading up my gear and canoe to travel elsewhere. I headed eastward up the Suwannee River on the brown canoe trail.  Large American Alligator basking in the sun along the Suwannee River in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. The Suwannee River begins within, and flows through, the Okefenokee. Upon exiting Billy’s Lake it flows through The Narrows and Mixon's Hammock until it intersects with the dam along The Sill. The Suwannee then continues westward out of the swamp, eventually meandering to the Gulf Coast of Florida. The waters appeared to be flowing steadily from the brown canoe trail eastward up the Suwannee River. Being a main river exiting the swamp, I found the Suwannee’s water was deep enough for paddling. Since I wasn’t getting anywhere on the Sill canal, I’d try going eastward up the brown trail. The landscape of the brown trail between The Sill and The Narrows is mostly open sky and the canal is lined by tall Maidencane grasses. Large stumps hint at the giant Cypress that stood in this area a century ago. Only a few young, slender Cypress point skyward now. The channel of the Suwannee is fairly narrow as it passes through Mixon’s Hammock and the current is very strong, especially in times of low water. I was thankful that the swift water kept the canal dug out deep enough to use my trolling motor, for paddling alone would have been exhausting.  White Ibis birds foraging in blackwater swamp. Suwannee River canal in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Eudocimus albus native to North America and common in Florida and along the coasts. I made it quite slowly three-miles upriver against the current before turning around just before The Narrows, a constricted tunnel of vegetation that leads to Billy’s Lake. Upon turning around and going with the current, the motor was no longer needed, and paddling was at a minimum just to keep my canoe steered in the right direction. I love the feeling of a lazy Okefenokee afternoon drift downstream. This is the life! Five days of paddling in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. October 25-29, 2022. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  White Ibis along the Suwannee River Sill Recreation canal in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Since the fall days were shortening, I wanted to be sure to get back to the boat launch before it got too dark. After packing my gear back into my vehicle and loading the canoe on the trailer, I still had an hour or so of beautiful golden hour sunset, so I decided to take a walk along the Suwannee River Sill. Being a Tuesday evening, I was the only visitor aside from the wildlife. Just below the dam, a small group of White Ibis were foraging the banks of the Suwannee River and a cautious gator swam submerged in the mirror-like blackwater that reflected the October fall colors. A bit further northward up the grassy embankment, a young White-tailed Deer buck snapped to attention when he caught my scent. The same Snowy Egret that I had photographed from my canoe an hour earlier was still searching the water while a small Killdeer ran along the canal. And a few big alligators still lay out on the banks to take in the last bit of warmth before dragging themselves into the cooler waters for the night.  Warning Sign Feeding or Harassing Alligators is a violation of State/Federal law, illegal. Wildlife laws, poaching. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA.  American Alligator swimming in swamp with fall sunset colors. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA.  Snow Egret along the Suwannee River Sill Recreation canal in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA.  Adult Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias, wading in the Suwannee River in the fall at sunset. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA.  Snowy Egret, Egretta thula, wading in the Suwannee River in the fall at sunset. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA.  American Alligator swimming in blackwater Suwannee River in Okefenokee Swamp at sunset in the Fall. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. October 2022.  White Ibis bird, Eudocimus albus, wading in the Suwannee River in the fall. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA.  American Alligator submerged in the blackwater Okefenokee Swamp with eyes and nose showing above the water. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Adult Black-crowned Night Heron in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. October 25, 2022 along the Suwannee River (brown trail) between Billy's Lake and The Sill. There are several year-round resident birds within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. But some of those “common” birds are much easier to find than others. No matter when you visit, I can guarantee you are going to see several dozen Eastern Phoebes. Also year round, but more heard than seen, is the Gray Catbird. Red-shouldered Hawks and Pileated Woodpeckers always seem to be screaming from the tall cypresses any time of the year. And there is always an opportunity to see some of the larger wading birds in the Okefenokee. One of the more elusive Okefenokee year-round birds is the Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax. Although I had photographed them in other locations, it wasn’t until March 2019 that I spotted my first within the refuge boundaries. Just like the name might imply, I found my first Black-crowned Night Heron at night along the Suwannee River Sill and a photo wasn’t possible. I got another opportunity to photography one at dusk while camping at the Okefenokee Round Top shelter.  Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron perched on a cypress stump along the Suwannee River Sill Recreation canal in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Nycticorax nycticorax is found in Europe, Asia, and North and South America Black-crowned Night Herons are described as stockier and more compact than the other herons and egrets. They don’t extend their necks too often and sit more “hunchbacked”. They also have shorter and thicker bills than the other long-legged waders of the swamp. Adults are easy to discern from their cousins, the Yellow-crowned Night Heron, because of the different color caps. But some skill and familiarity is needed to distinguish the juveniles of the two species.  BCNH frequency chart in the Okefenokee NWR (source: eBird) My October 2022 Okefenokee paddling trip was my lucky break for a Black-crowned Night Heron photograph. As I turned my canoe off the Suwannee River Sill to head up-current along the Suwannee River (brown trail), a juvenile sat perfectly posed out in the open fishing from an old, wooden pylon. And not too much further up the canoe trail, two adults flushed from the scrub that lined the channel. One stopped long enough for a good photograph as well. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. October 25, 2022. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Snowy egret bird fishing in swamp water. Birding photography at Suwannee River Sill Recreation canal in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. Egretta thula is a small white heron native to North, Central and South America. Some critters are more accustomed to the presence of people than others. But it always amazes me when I come across an oddly acclimated bird within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. On my Fall 2022 paddling excursion, a curious Snowy Egret played leapfrog with my canoe for almost a mile! It was a relaxing drift downstream along the Suwannee River heading from Mixon’s Hammock toward the Suwannee River Sill. A little way ahead I first spotted this fishing egret. Thinking it would fly off as soon as it spotted my canoe, I got a few shots from a distance. But surprisingly it stayed in place until I came quite close. Then it lifted off and flew about 100 feet ahead, again waiting for me. It did this leapfrogging several times and followed me nearly a mile back to The Sill. All the while it pretended to fish, but also kept a curious eye on me, giving me several great photographic opportunities. I suppose some birds have no reason to fear people. Perhaps others have migrated from a place where humans are a more common sight. I don’t know this Snowy’s story, but it certainly wanted to learn mine! Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Wood Stork, Mycteria americana, along the Suwannee River in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. One of my goals is to photograph as many different species as I can within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. When threats come against the sanctity of the Okefenokee, such as the current nearby mining efforts, I want my photographs to be a part in showing how many different species rely upon the Refuge.
So through all of my explorations to the Okefenokee, I have kept a species checklist and I’m always hoping to grab a new critter observation on each trip. But even after more than ten trips, some of the “easy” birds still evade my lens. Birds I commonly see everywhere else, such as Canada Geese and Blue Jays, just don’t show up when I’m within Refuge boundaries (although I hear those pesky Jays calling, they don’t come close enough for a photograph). The Wood Stork, a signature bird of the swamp, had also become a nemesis bird for me within the Okefenokee boundaries. I’ve paddle miles and miles of canoe trails; I’ve taken several guided boat tours, I’ve what the trails and drove the wildlife drives, but no Wood Storks! But this was my trip! Before I even launched my canoe from the parking area of the Suwannee River Sill Recreation area, a Wood Stork sat regally perched atop a tall Cypress. All those excursions deep into the Okefenokee in years past only to find my first Wood Stork within the Refuge near a parking lot! I also caught a second Stork photograph a little bit up the Suwannee River towards Mixon’s Hammock. I finally got my Stork! Now where are those Jays! Lol Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  White-tailed Deer crosses the low waters of The Sill; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. A few weeks before my October 2022 trip, I was told by a fellow iNaturalist user that the water levels were low in the Okefenokee, but I wasn’t prepared for what I found! When I arrived on in the Refuge on October 25, 2022, my first outing was to be on The Sill Recreation Area on the western side of the swamp just before the Stephen C Foster State Park campground. As soon as I turned the corner and the channel came in sight, I could see the waters were very low. The canal is typically deep and wide, but not now. Normally it’s a short walk with my canoe from the parking lot to the water’s edge. There are even times where the lower parking lot is totally submerged. But today I had to drag my canoe about eighty feet just to reach the water’s edge! I had a feeling that paddling was going to be difficult and my trolling motor was out of the question in the low waters.  The low waters in the Okefenokee Swamp reveal the old pylons of the logging railroads that ran through the swamp in the early 1900's. The low water exposed some of the cypress stumps and debris usually concealed by the dark, tannin-stained blackwaters. I a few places, the pylons of the railroad tracks that once crossed areas of the swamp during the logging days of the early 1900’s were visible. My biggest hope upon seeing the low water was that the alligators and birds weren’t spread out through the swamp like they are in times of high water, but would be more concentrated along the lakes and canals for some prime photography. This was certainly the case. I shot twenty gators, a Great Blue Heron and Wood Stork along the Sill before even getting out of my vehicle! Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  American Alligator laying on bank of Suwannee River Sill in the Okefenokee Swamp. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, USA. October 25, 2022. ©www.williamwisephoto.com My friends at church ask how I could dare to paddle the Okefenokee - especially alone! - with so many "monstrous alligators" lurking about. In my machismo, I'd love to feed the impressions of danger and dread by those not familiar with gators; fantasies conjured by dramatic YouTube videos and sensational news stories. But the truth is, those alligators don't really pose that big a threat! Thousands upon thousands of alligators live at peace alongside people. The American Alligator can be found in ten states. Kent A. Vliet writes, "In fact, the alligator's range includes four of the top ten most populous states in the United States." Yes, they do congregate in our wildlife refuges and parks, but they can also be found without incident in neighborhood water retention ponds, roadside ditches and at times seem to be quite fond of golf courses! For those who live within the range of the alligator, they aren't the sharp-toothed predators lurking in the dark waters always ready to kill. They are simply another part of the landscape and get about as much notice as a local park Mallard. So while I'd love to tell folks some heart-pounding stories of my adventures through the Okefenokee Swamp while being assailed by fierce crocodilians, that just has never been the case. Most of the time, if they are brave enough to even stay in sight, they simply watch me drift by as I watch them. But that doesn't make a good story! Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. October 25, 2022. |
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In December 1993 I came to know the Designer and Creator of this wonderful planet and its creatures: Jesus Christ.
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