Okefenokee Swamp

Today I went to the Okefenokee Wilderness Area. I went to the area just outside of Folkston, Georgia. I really like the few Ga. State parks I have been to. You have to sign out and then back in to let them know you are off the water. They always do a good job keeping the places nice. I usually pick up trash where ever I go. In fact I take a trash bag and my grabber thingy (Thanks Jeanette) Today I didn't come across one piece of trash. I paddled about 8 miles and nothing but good ole mother nature.

This first picture is of the canoe trail that runs parallel to the Suwannee Canal. It was pretty overgrown in some places but it was a nice little run. I paddled to Chesser Prairie.

This Heron waded up towards me while I was stopped for lunch. He came pretty close and walked all around. I was even able to move the canoe a few times so I could keep an eye on him. I took a lot of pictures. I paddled off after about 30 minutes of watching him. 

While watching the Heron the wind blew me over into the lilly pads. These things float real good. Every now and then the wind would blow a lilly pad up on it side. It would sail around a bit and then lay back down and drift back in place.  
Crocodiles, I saw an American Crocodile today. It was swimming along, I just drifted along with it for a while taking pictures. Then it turned around and swam back the other way. It was about 6 feet long. 
This is a picture of me in my boat. I borrowed my brothers water proof camera. I made an extension to take some pictures from outside the boat. I just set the self timer and stuck the camera out and waited. I tried one in the water but it was too dark. I need to borrow it again next time I go to a spring. 
It was a really nice day out in the swamp. The temps were in the low 70's (February) and there was some breeze. But there wasn't a cloud in the sky. And it has still been cool enough there were no biting insects. 

The new seat (see yesterday post) position worked out well I was able to get the boat up to 4.6 mph and keeping it at 3 mph is fairly easy. At one point today I looked down at the GPS and I was drifting side ways at .6 mph while I was standing up taking pictures. (Don't tell my Mom)