Land of The Trembling Earth -
Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp
Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp
An alligator patrols the blackwater of
the Okefenokee Swamp. While
canoing the Okefenokee, one
particularly large gator surfaced a few
feet in front of us. It then proceeded to
be our guide for nearly a mile before
disappearing beneath the murky
waters, not to be seen again.
Platforms in the swamp permit
camping in the midst of the wilderness.
At night, you can hear the alligators
under you as their tails bump against
the platform's wooden legs.
the Okefenokee Swamp. While
canoing the Okefenokee, one
particularly large gator surfaced a few
feet in front of us. It then proceeded to
be our guide for nearly a mile before
disappearing beneath the murky
waters, not to be seen again.
Platforms in the swamp permit
camping in the midst of the wilderness.
At night, you can hear the alligators
under you as their tails bump against
the platform's wooden legs.
Insects beautiful and fearsome are abundant in the Okefenokee Swamp. From
the elegant black-yellow orb weavers that build their webs across the canoe
trails, to the aggressive horseflies that'll bite your arm off, the Okefenokee hums
with insect chatter day and night. When a horsefly lands on your arm or leg, the
best option is to smash it before it sinks its mandibles into your meat. A mess of
green-yellow horsefly guts on you is better than losing a limb.
the elegant black-yellow orb weavers that build their webs across the canoe
trails, to the aggressive horseflies that'll bite your arm off, the Okefenokee hums
with insect chatter day and night. When a horsefly lands on your arm or leg, the
best option is to smash it before it sinks its mandibles into your meat. A mess of
green-yellow horsefly guts on you is better than losing a limb.
The Okefenokee Swamp's dark
waters are infused with tannic acid
which, as the Seminole Indians knew,
makes its deep brown water perfectly
potable. It also keeps the mosquito
and bacteria population fairly low.
While canoing, I dipped my cup often
into the swamp for a sip of its
lukewarm brew. I suffered no ill effects.
In fact, it tasted better than many
municipal tap waters I've sampled.
waters are infused with tannic acid
which, as the Seminole Indians knew,
makes its deep brown water perfectly
potable. It also keeps the mosquito
and bacteria population fairly low.
While canoing, I dipped my cup often
into the swamp for a sip of its
lukewarm brew. I suffered no ill effects.
In fact, it tasted better than many
municipal tap waters I've sampled.
More pictures . . .
Spider resting on the fragrant
water lily Nymphaea odorata.
water lily Nymphaea odorata.
Okefenokee - from the older Ecunfinocaw, Eckenfinooka, and Ouaqua-phenogaw - is
Native American for 'trembling earth'. This refers to the batteries of peat that come to the
surface in blow-ups, and then float around in the basin which forms this half-million acre
wetland. The swamp is the source of both the St. Marys and the Suwannee rivers.
Native American for 'trembling earth'. This refers to the batteries of peat that come to the
surface in blow-ups, and then float around in the basin which forms this half-million acre
wetland. The swamp is the source of both the St. Marys and the Suwannee rivers.
The Okefenokee is only 7,000 years old per the age
of pollen grains in the oldest peats which sit beneath
the swamp's acidic blackwater. The fires which
occasionally sweep through during periods of
dryness clear out new paths for water to flow. Then,
as new plant growth resumes, the water channels
and lakes shrink. Without fire, the swamp would've
disappeared into woodland long ago. One day,
growth may yet win out and this enchanted place will
be no more. As it is, only ghosts of the ivory-billed
woodpecker and panther now haunt the noble stands
of pine and pondcypress.
of pollen grains in the oldest peats which sit beneath
the swamp's acidic blackwater. The fires which
occasionally sweep through during periods of
dryness clear out new paths for water to flow. Then,
as new plant growth resumes, the water channels
and lakes shrink. Without fire, the swamp would've
disappeared into woodland long ago. One day,
growth may yet win out and this enchanted place will
be no more. As it is, only ghosts of the ivory-billed
woodpecker and panther now haunt the noble stands
of pine and pondcypress.
Stands of mature pondcypress Nutans
taxodium distichum
taxodium distichum
A gang of unruly wood stork, or wood
ibis, family Threskiornithidae, atop
the remnants of a dead pine draped
in old man's beard.
ibis, family Threskiornithidae, atop
the remnants of a dead pine draped
in old man's beard.
Wolf spider, family
Lycosidae, imitates a
water spider. Their
lonely howls fill the
swamp with a
strangely beautiful
melancholy.
Lycosidae, imitates a
water spider. Their
lonely howls fill the
swamp with a
strangely beautiful
melancholy.
Bibliography
Okefenokee, Lucian Niemeyer and George W. Folkerts.
University of Mississippi. 2002.
Georgia Bird Watching: A Year Round Guide, Bill Thompson, III.
Cool Springs Press. 2004
Okefenokee, Lucian Niemeyer and George W. Folkerts.
University of Mississippi. 2002.
Georgia Bird Watching: A Year Round Guide, Bill Thompson, III.
Cool Springs Press. 2004
Ibises live in wetlands as far
north as the Virginia coast, and
south along the coast through
Texas, Mexico, and on to South
America. Generally found in
large flocks, they range widely in
search of crustaceans and other
prey. The female ibis lays
between two or three eggs,
which are incubated by both
parents for roughly three weeks.
The largest population of ibises
once nested in the Everglades.
But as canals and agriculture
altered the flow of water, their
numbers there declined.
north as the Virginia coast, and
south along the coast through
Texas, Mexico, and on to South
America. Generally found in
large flocks, they range widely in
search of crustaceans and other
prey. The female ibis lays
between two or three eggs,
which are incubated by both
parents for roughly three weeks.
The largest population of ibises
once nested in the Everglades.
But as canals and agriculture
altered the flow of water, their
numbers there declined.