sOPHIE'S yAWN

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 and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "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

Double-crested Cormorants perched high above Billy's Lake in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 5, 2017.

Sunday, 6:14 PM - Nine hours on the canoe trails of the Okefenokee Swamp! Nine continuous hours in the canoe without a break to stretch our legs or use the bathroom. Nine hours of pulling on the paddles in the mid-day sun. Tiring, but I wouldn’t give up the experience for anything.

After a there-and-back-again paddle to the Sill, which included the treacherous navigation through the Narrows and our upstream struggle on Mixon’s Hammock, we made it back to Billy’s Lake toward evening. Back to calm waters and the serenity of roosting Cormorants, drumming Pileated Woodpeckers, and alligators attempting to soak in the last rays of the setting sun. The daylight was beginning to fade, the trolling motor battery was beginning to fade, and we were beginning to fade. But we arrived before dark. A full day on the blackwater swamp.​

Back at Stephen C Foster base camp, we cooked our hotdogs over the fire pit, we strolled the boardwalk, and visited a spell with Sophie. "Sophie" has been at the Stephen C Foster boat ramp every time we have visited. She's been there many years and has filled that channel with babies each year. My daughter and I typically end each day in the swamp by saying goodnight to "Sophie". While standing off to the side and admiring her for a few minutes, I caught her in a yawn. 
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Our yawns had caught up with us as well. We spent the last hours of the evening listening to the Barred Owls call beyond the reaches of light from our camp fire, and then retired after a full day of paddling. I love it here!