​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! 

​It’s time for a fall trip to my favorite destination: the Okefenokee Swamp! It’s been a long, busy summer so I’m happy to get away for a few days of absolute peace. I’ll be making a solo trip and hitting a few of the canoe trails that I haven’t covered yet. 

I plan to leave around 4 AM and make the drive down to arrive at the Stephen C Foster State Park and launch by 10 AM. I have a wilderness permit reserved for the Canal Run platorm the first night. I’ll be able to hit a section of the orange trail I haven’t yet explored (between Floyd's Island and the Suwannee Canal).
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After a night in the swamp, I’ll paddle back to Stephen C Foster State Park, load up and drive around the swamp to the eastern entrance at the Suwannee Canal Recreation area where I have a cabin rented at Okefenokee Pastimes for two nights. I’ll spend the next two days paddling an out-and-back down the pink trail to Monkey lake and then the green trail from Kingfisher Landing to Bluff Lake and back.

​My current species count (see https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/www-okefenokee-photography-by-william-wise) within the refuge stands at 266. It will be difficult to increase that count too much, but I’ll certainly be able to reach over 2,000 photographed observations within the great Okefenokee on this trip. Looking forward to it! 

The last leg of our three-day Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge paddling adventure was back down the Suwannee Canal (orange trail) from the canal run junction to the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area where our  vehicle was parked. 

​Paddling and camping the Okefenokee Swamp is truly a wilderness experience. Everything you will need must be brought with you... and it all must fit it in the confines of a canoe and without capsizing it! Gear must be kept to a minimum.  
Of course, we have the essentials - oars and lifejackets are a must, and I never neglect my small Rx pouch of bandaids, allergy medicine, ibuprofen and a bee sting pen (which my daughter actually needed on our last paddle). Yes, there are toilets at the overnight platforms, and sometimes there is toilet paper, but I strongly recommend bringing some extra TP along with you!

All of our snacks and meals must be able to be kept at air temperature, as there is no refrigerator on the canoe! An assortment of protein bars, trail mix, crackers and squirtable "cheese", peanut butter, bananas and a few other items fill our food bag. We bring a small propane stove to prepare our freeze-dried eggs and coffee for breakfast, and heat our camping meal each evening. Never forget trash bags to bring out all your refuse. 

Clothing is kept to a minimum (but nobody else is out there to catch our odor anyway!). Although I bring a toothbrush and deodorant, I gladly leave behind my razor. Needless to say, one can look like a true "Swamp Thing" when emerging from the Okefenokee after a few days. 
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The camping platforms are spacious, but you may have difficulty fitting several large tents on them. We bring a smaller 7' by 7' tent and our sleeping bags and tiny camping pillows. The only "unnecessary" comforts brought along are the canoe chairs and the thin camping pads to be used under our sleeping bags. 
Since photography is one of the primary purposes of my Okefenokee adventures, I have to keep room for that equipment. But that breakdown is an entirely separate blog. Even with the limited gear, the canoe can sit pretty low in the water. ​

Our final day came all too quickly. Thankfully the storms passed in the pre-dawn hours and the clouds dissipated as the sun rose. A cold front had passed through and the temperatures dropped and the wind increased as we paddled. The first leg of the journey back to civilization was along the short Blue Trail, just over two miles, that heads south from Floyd's Island until it meets with the Suwannee Canal (orange trail) that heads back to the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area where our vehicle was parked.

After struggling out of the narrower trail just south of Floyd's Island, the blue trail comes into the open along the edge of Chase Prairie. The sun reflected across this beautiful prairie illuminating the bouquets of Golden Club and White Water Lily. I had to stop a few times to catch photos of the beautiful Southern Blue Flag Iris blooms. The alligators were also out enjoying the warmth of the rising sun, which hadn't shined for the last few days.

The second day of our three-day overnight canoe paddle through the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge started with occasional rain and drizzle on Chase Prairie. We left Round Top shelter paddling towards Floyd's Island along the purple trail. 

After a rainy paddle across Chase Prairie on day two of our Okefenokee excursion, we crossed the intersection toward Bluff Lake and headed toward Floyd's Island, where we would be spending our second night. 

After leaving the prairie, the channel closed in around us with a wall of shrubs and thickets on the left and right, and overhead stood a moderately tall forest of  cypress, pine and bay. The waterway became so shallow, our oars often hit the peat in the blackwater, while the bottom of the canoe scraped over debris and fallen vegetation. 

The Green Trail was certainly green. Fresh spring growth on the trees and shrubs was made an even glossier green by the light rain. The thick floating carpets of sphagnum moss had a vibrant, viridescent glow. Emerald White Water Lily pads and Water Shield floated by on either side of our canoe. Here was a lush, green, living swampland! 

Just past 2 PM on the second day of our Okefenokee Swamp paddling adventure, we arrived at the bank of Floyd's Island. After setting up camp on the patio (it was bit too musty to sleep inside), we walked the island hoping to find some reptiles. But, alas, it was a bit too cool and rainy. However, we did find many other natural details of interest to post to iNaturalist. 

Obtaining permits to paddle the interior of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a privilege. Because there are often many people seeking permits, and only one party is allowed at a time at each platform, the permits are often hard to come by. And because you have to call in advance to reserve your permit, this means the anticipation grows exponentially in the weeks prior to the trip. 

My daughter and I booked our three-day trip in early January 2022. Finally, on March 17, our launch day arrived! We checked in at the Okefenokee Adventures and put our canoe laden with camping gear into the waters of the Suwannee Canal on the eastern side of the Swamp. I can't fully express the elation I feel each time I push off solid ground and the canoe finally glides onto the smooth blackwater of the Okefenokee. I'm saturated with a calming satisfaction that I experience on very few other occasions. 

​Some may wonder why I have made so many trips to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. I'm in love. That's the simple answer. I'm in love with this great Swamp; in love with prairie landscapes, in love with the Cypress forests, in love with the jungle of vegetation, in love with the reptiles (even the dangerous ones!), and in love with the solitude of wilderness. As a conservation photographer, it is my goal to document the habitats and inhabitants in this place that I love so much.

In March of 2022 my daughter and I made a three-day, two-night paddle from the Suwannee Canal entrance, to the Round Top shelter, to Floyd's Island and back. All along the way I tried to photograph as many of the Okefenokee's inhabitants as possible. It is always my desire to photograph a species that I haven't yet documented. And things started off well on this particular trip with the awkward call and photograph of a Fish Crow. 

The fish crow (Corvus ossifragus) is a species of crow found in the wetlands of the southeastern United States. Before I became a birder, I didn't even realize there were different species of crows. I just thought every black bird was a "crow". Just like the American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) the Fish Crow is a heavy-billed, large black bird. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology states that the best way to distinguish the two species is by their call. "American Crows give full-throated "caw" notes in pairs, while Fish Crows are more nasal sounding, often giving short notes in pairs" (www.allaboutbirds.org). Most birders describe the Fish Crow's call as the negative exclamation "nuh uh". 
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Although I don't think I can distinguish them 100%, I have American Crows around my house all year round. When the groups of Fish Crows show up, I can hear the difference in their calls. And this black beauty that sounded off during our launch in the Okefenokee sounded just like that stereotypical Fish Crow. So I was happy to get a photo of what many would say was "just another crow", and add the Fish Crow to my Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge checklist.

As my daughter and I paddled away from the Suwannee Canal launch area for our three-day overnight excursion into the Okefenokee Swamp in March 2022, our eyes scanned the banks for our first alligator spot of the day. Not too far up the channel we came across a fairly large gator half submerged among the Maidencane. But what caught my attention most was the bright red tag attached to its tail labelled “136”. This had to be an individual from a UGA research project!
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There is a lot of exciting research that has been going on for several years within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the Okefenokee Swamp Park. Researchers from the University of Georgia have been capturing and tagging alligators and fitting some with satellite trackers. More and more on my recent trips to the Okefenokee, I have been excited to photograph one of the individuals involved in their studies. Spotting these tagged gators brings back memories of the trip that sparked my own alligator fascination back in the 1900’s! ​

The tracking information is used to plot the alligators’ movements through the swamp and provide ideas about range sizes, the wanderings of males, the nesting habits of females, spatial ecology and habitat preference. You can even watch real-time tracks of these gators online! (https://www.ocearch.org/tracker/)

The organic samples are also brought back to the lab for genetic and toxicology studies (https://www.facebook.com/UGACoastalEcologyLab/posts/356449716494430). 
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To learn more about UGA’s studies or sponsor an alligator satellite tracker, see https://gail.uga.edu/giving/ecol/alligator-research-and-education ​

The primitive conditions of the Okefenokee Swamp alone make it a challenging endeavor for a multi-night excursion. And if photography is one of your goals, advance planning is even more important. 
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The watery environment of the Okefenokee requires extra precaution. Since blackwater swamps are slow and still, flipping your canoe or kayak in the Okefenokee isn't a threat to equipment. But a popup thunderstorm, especially in the spring, is always a high probability. My photo gear is kept in a rugged, watertight case. I always put my camera into the case when getting into, or out of the canoe. When out of its case, the camera strap is always around my neck while paddling, or attached to the canoe seat by a carabiner (I do the same for my binoculars and GPS). 

Obviously, there are no power outlets in the midst of the swamp to recharge those spent batteries and there are no camera stores to purchase extra memory cards. I bring 5 fully charged batteries on an extended trip. The less you use the LCD screen to view your photos, the longer the batteries last. So wait until you get home to go through the photos (they'll also be more of a surprise if you wait!). I also turn off the Bluetooth connection with my phone for geotagging the photos. Not only is the reception horrible in the swamp and cause incorrect tagging, but it is a huge drain on the batteries. 
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In addition to the camera and lenses, I keep some lens wipes, the rain cover, and polarizing filters in the case. I keep a spot empty for my binoculars and a backup battery for my iPhone. Some plastic bags and a small towel are also handy during light rainstorms. But if the rain is hard enough, just put the camera away and try to enjoy the landscapes without worrying over your camera! ​

The first night of our three-day paddling excursion brought us to the Round Top Shelter. After paddling just over 8 miles on the Suwannee Canal, the junction of the purple canoe trail went off to our right and onto Chase Prairie. As we turned, the scene opened up onto a wide, beautiful prairie. The skies that had been overcast the entire day also opened up to a bright blue dome and an orange glowing sun lowering toward the horizon. 

In March 2022 my daughter and I made a three-day, two-night paddle from the Suwannee Canal entrance, to the Round Top shelter, to Floyd's Island and back. All along the way I tried to photograph as many of the Okefenokee's inhabitants as possible.

​​The only campground within the Okefenokee Swamp is at the Stephen C Foster State Park on the western side of the swamp. But if you want a wilderness camping experience within the interior of the Okefenokee, you’ll need a Wilderness Camping Permit. And during peak seasons, they can be a challenge to obtain.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service maintains a permit hotline to book overnight reservations. It may seem a bit primitive in our modern times to call on a telephone and speak to an actual person rather than book online, but the complexity warrants the current procedure. There are several overnight shelters within the refuge, and a few routes to reach each one. Availability is based on the number of nights you wish to paddle, the availability of overnight platforms, and the route you wish to take (i.e. point-to-point or out-and-back).  Having a human being answer the phone truly helps schedule the best available routes. 
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Exactly two months to the day prior to our March 2022 trip, I started ringing the line to the Okefenokee NWR permit hotline promptly at 7:00 AM. After a couple tries, the phone was answered by a cheery staff member! I told her our range of dates and basic plan. She then suggested one night on Round Top, and a second on Floyd's Island. I was quite excited to get that two-night permit and thankful to the staff member who helped arrange it. Just remember, call first thing in the morning and exactly two months prior to your planned trip.