We camped in the STEPHEN C. FOSTER STATE PARK deep in the heart of the marshy swamp. Our site was a muddy mess which required 4-wheel drive to park the 5th wheel. Other campers who didn't sunk their vehicles to the axles.
This swamp is much more interesting than the Everglades as the erie moods are ever changing from the early morning fog to sunshine to building afternoon thunderstorms to beautiful sunsets.
THE BIG KAYAK ADVENTURE
The day before we took a guided cruise of the area just to familiarize ourselves and get a little more comfortable with just how things operate in the swamps (WAY different than the desert!). JoAnn finally agreed to attempt her first ever kayak trip. NO pressure as there was a mama alligator swimming around the boat dock 20 yards away as she shakily climbed into the kayak and quickly learned how to maneuver in the water.
Our learning curve was quick as we paddle out into the wide windy BILLY'S LAKE channel and head upstream where we encounter more BIG alligators (up close and personal) than we could count! JoAnn paddled up to one particularly HUGE alligator, misjudged the strong current and suddenly found herself closer (5 feet) than expected as the gator rolled off his log perch in a loud splash rocking her kayak as she furiously paddled backwards! I could hear her heart pounding through her shaky voice for the next 10 minutes.
Once recovered from our too close encounter we continue on with a weary eye on the alligators swimming across the channel by our kayaks and give a little wider berth to the gators sunning themselves on the shore. Next destination is the narrow channel into MINNIES LAKE where we must navigate the kayaks through huge cypress trees and thick paddle grabbing Lilly pads.
After all the excitement of kayaking the most relaxing way to enjoy viewing this swamp is the 1/2 mile board walk on TREMBLING EARTH NATURE TRAIL. We walked this morning, noon and sunset just to feel the ever changing moods and view critters of this most enchanting area.
The pretty tame looking yellow flowers in the center photo are BUTTERWORTS - carnivorous insect eating plants. NOTHING is tame in the swamp and unfortunately they did not eat enough mosquitoes no see ums to keep us from getting eaten alive.
Our favorite time was sunset when we would sit at the end of the boardwalk, watch the sunset, watch the full moon rise and listen to the sounds of all the swamp critters around us. The big bass croak of the bull frogs and the high pitch wine of a thousand fluttering wings of the swarming dragon flies as they flew around us eating their dinner snack of mosquitoes.
The bright spot in the left picture is not swamp gas but the full moon reflecting off the swamp water. One final word of CAUTION. If you see an innocent pile of sand while walking around, do NOT step on it!!! JoAnn did and the look on her face from the aftermath was PRICELESS.
REMEMBER YOU ARE SAFE FROM NOTHING IN THE SWAMP!!! By the end of our stay JoAnn had become the QUEEN of alligator spotters as she could find them in the tall grass, camouflaged on logs, swimming in the water and even in the dark!
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