Okefenokee Swamp

Waves, Swamps, & Bayous: Southeastern Waters - Part 3

Monday, 12 November 2018

It’s been a long time, but we’ve been to the Okefenokee before. This is the first time we got “up close and personal” in a kayak. We entered the Okefenokee through the National Wildlife Refuge on the eastern side of the swamp. Fortunately, this time of year, the mosquitoes are not bad!

The main canal on the east side of the Okefenokee.

A cypress draped in Spanish moss.

Yaupon hollies were common in the swamp.

We saw a number of ‘gators,

Sue in her kayak as we started the last leg of our tour

The canoe/kayak trails are well-marked. There are back-country campsites on platforms for travelers who want to spend a night (or two or three) in the Okefenokee.

Insectivorous Plants

A number of “carnivorous” plants live in the Okefenokee. They digest insects to supplement the food they make with photosynthesis.

The flower of a bladderwort (Utricularia spp.). This plant catches insects in submerged bladders.

The sundew (Drosera spp) traps insects on its sticky leaves.

Pitcher plants (Sarracenia spp) collect insects in their tubes.

Birds

We saw lots of birds in the swamp. Here are two of the easier-to-photograph.

Red-shouldered hawk

Anhinga

Upland Areas

After our kayak tour, we also drove the Swamp Island Drive and walked the boardwalk to the observation tower.

Panoramic view from the observation tower.

Much of the “uplands” are managed for longleaf pine and red-cockaded woodpeckers. Trees with holes for potential woodpecker nests are marked with white paint bands.