A return to the Okefenokee Swamp...

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. ©www.williamwisephoto.com

Large bull gator, teeth, American Alligator and lily pads, Billys Lake, Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Stephen C Foster State Park, Georgia

My daughter and I are back in the Okefenokee for four days of paddling! The timing didn’t quite work out for us to make a return trip to the Okefenokee in 2016, but the postponement was quite beneficial as we were able to better equip the expedition.

Since the last trip, we bought our own canoe, which meant no fees and no required return times as with the State Park rental canoe. We had also purchased a trolling motor allowing us to cover more area and explore deeper than before. ​The Saturday prior to leaving for the Okefenokee, we took the canoe and trolling motor to Lake Rutledge at Hard Labor Creek State Park for a trial run. Amanda quickly became proficient with navigating from the rear while I sat in the bow with a ready camera. I built a small camera shelf to mount to the front of the canoe for shooting.

​And the most exciting piece of new equipment was for my camera. On the Monday prior to leaving, I opened a box shipped from BH Photo containing a Sigma 150-600mm super-telephoto lens! Much longer than my 300mm than I'd been using up to now. 

The photographer relaxing and shooting from the bow of the canoe.

A year’s delay also meant more time for planning. By chance, I came across a Falcon Guide, Paddling Okefenokee NWR, for twenty-five cents at a thrift store. I had plenty of time to read and re-read the small book. I also pulled out a Georgia Wildlife Federation book on the swamp I had purchased many years ago.

In the weeks leading up to our planned March journey, I called the National Park Service hotline several times for details about canoe trails and overnight permits. I had desired to spend at least one night camped in the swamp, either at the Big Water shelter, Cravens Hammock, or Floyd’s Island, but because of low water levels, none of these options were open. The only overnight shelter open was the platform on Minnie’s Lake, normally a day-use only platform. Since that was only 5 miles from Stephen C Foster State Park, we decided to camp all three nights in the campground and make out-and-back trips each day. I spent a few hours tediously entering GPS coordinates for islands, trail junctions, platforms and other landmarks. ​

By the end of our trip, I maxed out five SD cards with over 5,800 photos. My initial cull of blurred or flawed photos brought it down to about 1,600 photos.