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Expedition Okefenokee Swamp - 7/11-12/2009
Surviving the Okefenokee Part I
This expedition was focused more on wildlife viewing. The next one, which will take place for three days in September, will focus on the study of survival (edibles, tools used, etc.). So stay tuned for another write up in the coming months. Animal behavior and observation has a lot to do with our survival. Through animal observation we can learn, in some cases, to find food (don’t eat everything an animal eats). The perfect example would be where black bear find their grubs. Also we can learn how to survive an attack and use the animals themselves as a food source.
Mid summer on the Okefenokee was surprisingly cool the first day with no bugs swarming. Everything was still.
Ten minutes into the expedition I encountered a six to seven foot alligator on the Suwanee Canal. Most of my alligator encounters were with females who were quick to protect their newly hatched young. As I neared old nests I could here the newborn alligators calling from the nearest water. Mother wasn’t very far away. The alligators motherly instinct was amazing to watch. It was something any mother would most certainly understand.
Suwanee Canal
Young Alligator
Nest
The water was high (five to six feet) and black, giving the surface a mirror finish. I can’t say that I liked the idea of not being able to see what was under my canoe. That is how black the water was. Truly majestic. The black water is caused by dead and decaying brush, plants and leaves. Think about making tea. It’s the same reaction. Because of this the water is high in acidity which upon soaking a wound in this water will greatly fight bacteria and infection. But, you just might come out with a whole ‘nother wound
.
How many people can say they were nearly four feet away from a ten foot long alligator? He watched every move I made as I snapped pictures (I backed away to take pics because I wanted to be able to see his every move in my peripheral vision) and I knowing their speed was fast even on land. One whip from his tale could have broken both of my legs. The ratio the locals use is for every one alligator you see there are ten you don’t see.
The Ten Footer
Gopher Tortoise - The best way to eat these is to jam your knife into the front of the shell where the head comes out, killing the turtle that way and throw him on the fire still in the shell. When you can chip away the shell easily with a stone or knife then he's ready.
No snakes! I was disappointed. They were there, I’m sure. I didn’t see them. They saw me though.
Black Bear were not as active as they are in the fall. Though there were some sightings, the bear were very timid and ran the opposite direction.
The most feared animal that I encountered were not the alligators, but the wild hogs. They came out of nowhere most of the time and were very aggressive/territorial. I didn’t stick around to get pics. The most I encountered, which surprised me, were one or two at a time.
Alligator tail is real tasty too.
I look forward to giving you my next article on surviving the Okefenokee in September. I hope you gained from this and if you care to venture the swamp, please remember, don’t feed the gators.
Surviving the Okefenokee Part I
This expedition was focused more on wildlife viewing. The next one, which will take place for three days in September, will focus on the study of survival (edibles, tools used, etc.). So stay tuned for another write up in the coming months. Animal behavior and observation has a lot to do with our survival. Through animal observation we can learn, in some cases, to find food (don’t eat everything an animal eats). The perfect example would be where black bear find their grubs. Also we can learn how to survive an attack and use the animals themselves as a food source.
Mid summer on the Okefenokee was surprisingly cool the first day with no bugs swarming. Everything was still.
Ten minutes into the expedition I encountered a six to seven foot alligator on the Suwanee Canal. Most of my alligator encounters were with females who were quick to protect their newly hatched young. As I neared old nests I could here the newborn alligators calling from the nearest water. Mother wasn’t very far away. The alligators motherly instinct was amazing to watch. It was something any mother would most certainly understand.
Suwanee Canal
Young Alligator
Nest
The water was high (five to six feet) and black, giving the surface a mirror finish. I can’t say that I liked the idea of not being able to see what was under my canoe. That is how black the water was. Truly majestic. The black water is caused by dead and decaying brush, plants and leaves. Think about making tea. It’s the same reaction. Because of this the water is high in acidity which upon soaking a wound in this water will greatly fight bacteria and infection. But, you just might come out with a whole ‘nother wound
.
How many people can say they were nearly four feet away from a ten foot long alligator? He watched every move I made as I snapped pictures (I backed away to take pics because I wanted to be able to see his every move in my peripheral vision) and I knowing their speed was fast even on land. One whip from his tale could have broken both of my legs. The ratio the locals use is for every one alligator you see there are ten you don’t see.
The Ten Footer
Gopher Tortoise - The best way to eat these is to jam your knife into the front of the shell where the head comes out, killing the turtle that way and throw him on the fire still in the shell. When you can chip away the shell easily with a stone or knife then he's ready.
No snakes! I was disappointed. They were there, I’m sure. I didn’t see them. They saw me though.
Black Bear were not as active as they are in the fall. Though there were some sightings, the bear were very timid and ran the opposite direction.
The most feared animal that I encountered were not the alligators, but the wild hogs. They came out of nowhere most of the time and were very aggressive/territorial. I didn’t stick around to get pics. The most I encountered, which surprised me, were one or two at a time.
Alligator tail is real tasty too.
I look forward to giving you my next article on surviving the Okefenokee in September. I hope you gained from this and if you care to venture the swamp, please remember, don’t feed the gators.
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Just to give you a taste. A fire steel, a knife and how to survive the swamp. Wish I had a video camera, but I'll have to make do with pics the best I can.
