 Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Large American Alligator on a cypress log in an Okefenokee Swamp prairie; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. An excerpt from William Bartram's Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida. "I HAD now swamps and marshes on both sides of me, and evening coming on apace, I began to look out for high land to encamp on, but the extensive marshes seemed to have no bounds; and it was almost dark when I found a tolerable suitable place, and at last was constrained to take up on a narrow strip of high shelly bank, on the West side. Great numbers of crocodiles* were in sight on both shores: I ran my bark on shore at a perpendicular bank four or five feet above the water, just by the roots and under the spreading limbs of a great Live Oak: this appeared to have been an ancient camping place by Indians and strolling adventurers, from ash heaps and old rotten fire brands, and chunks, scattered about on the surface of the ground; but was now evidently the harbour and landing place of some sovereign alligator: there led up from it a deep beaten path or road, and was a convenient ascent." - Part II, Chapter V William Bartram was a botantist, artist, and nature writer that explored the southeastern United States around the time of the American Revolution (1773-1776). He was a scientist, creationist and Christian that gave glory to the Author for all the wonderful works he observed and documented in his book, Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida.
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Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Brown and white juvenile White Ibis foraging in wetlands in Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Stephen C Foster State Park. When the Okefenokee’s time for preservation had finally come, different government departments and environmental groups had varying visions for the swamp. Some wanted a National Park, like Yellowstone or Yosemite, to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” Others wanted a National Wilderness Area where “human activities are restricted to scientific study and non-mechanized recreation.” Still others wanted a waterfowl refuge managed for as licensed hunting grounds. But in the end, the Okefenokee was designated as a National Wildlife Refuge. Executive Order 7593 signed on March 30, 1937 stated the Okefenokee was to be “reserved and set apart… as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.” Literally, the Okefenokee was for the birds! While there are several miles of beautiful waterways that are maintained for ecotourism, the vast majority of the 400,000 is uncrossed by canoe trails, leaving thousands upon thousands of acres solely for the birds and wildlife. Truly, this is their refuge! Source: Constantino G and Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. 2006. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge: Comprehensive Conservation Plan Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Large American Alligator basking on a Cypress Log on Minnie's Lake in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 12, 2015 ©www.williamwisephoto.com A description of the American Alligator from an 1829 publication describing the wild animals in the zoos of London… "The voice of these animals is very loud and dreadful, and they have an unpleasant and powerful musky scent. M. Pagés says, that near one of the rivers in America, where the alligators were numerous, their effluvium was so strong as to impregnate his provisions, and even to give them the nauseous taste of rotten musk . This effluvium proceeds chiefly from four glands, two of which are situated in the groin , near each thigh, and the other two at the breast, one under each fore leg. Dampier informs us, that when his men killed an alligator, they generally took out these glands, and after having dried them , wore them in their hats by way of perfume." The Wonders of the Animal Kingdom; Exhibiting Delineations of the most distinguished Wild Animals in the Various Menageries of this Country. London, 1829. By Robert Huish Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Pod of baby American Alligators hiding under yellow bonnet lily pads in the Okefenokee Swamp. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia USA. March 12, 2015. A shadowed, meandering channel runs just north of Billy’s Lake in the Okefenokee. It is the Middle Fork of the Suwannee River. This narrow waterway is barely wide enough for the john boats to pass. If it weren’t for the refuge staff, it would soon close in, choked by floating Spatterdock, pickerelweed and tangled branches draped with Spanish Moss. The giant alligators tend to avoid these choked waters. So there isn’t much to see… or is there?
These denser, darker places devoid of larger gators make them the perfect place for a mother to raise her young (for a large alligator will actually eat the smaller gators). Only six to eight inches at birth, these tiny reptiles are hard to see. If the kayaker has keen enough eyes, they just might pick out bright yellow bands of a baby alligator’s tail amongst the green and yellow bonnet lilies. A patch of sunlight might pass through and reach the occasional fallen log prompting the juveniles to climb from the cool swamp waters into the warmth. But being so tiny, a stiff lily pad will serve as a suitable basking sight. All the while mom stays close by to protect her brood. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Large American Alligator swimming alongside our Canoe on the Suwannee Middle Fork (red trail); Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 2015. ©www.williamwisephoto.com. In 1875, The Atlanta Constitution published the dramatic headline: “We now announce to our readers, and the people of Georgia, that we are fitting up an expedition for a complete and thorough exploration of Okefinokee. The full details of the plan and expedition will be published soon – if they come out alive.” Over the next months, the paper released many exciting stories from the Okefenokee Swamp, like the following…
Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  American Alligator basking on a fallen cypress in an Okefenokee Swamp Prairie habitat. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 12, 2015. ©www.williamwisephoto.com. Within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, there are several habitats contained within one “swamp” ecosystem: lakes, prairies, hammocks and island forests. With such a variety, all day paddling does not become monotonous or boring. The open lakes leave one out in full sun with expansive views all around; then the lakes collapse into narrow channels bordered by tall Cypress with the curtains of Spanish Moss obscuring a view into the deeper reaches of the swamp; then opening again into large, grassy prairies with well-spaced, tall snags reaching into open sky.  The turns and curves of the canoe trails, further concealed by large Cypress buttresses and patches of vegetation, limit the oncoming view, and constantly renew that “what’s up ahead?” anticipation. The color contrasts of earth tones keep the senses awakened: medium browns of Cypress bark, swaying grays of Spanish Moss, floating rich greens of vegetation, dark liquid tannin swirling below, and blue heaven above. Colorful white, red and yellow stems of Neverwet emerge from the water adding flashes of vibrant, eye-catching color to the scene. A beautiful place of which the eye and mind never become weary.
Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  An American Alligator mother with several babies on her back. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. E.A. McIlhenny of the Tabasco Sauce family tells a story of nearly having an upset mother alligator nearly grab his head:
E.A. McIlhenny (1872 – 1949), of the McIlhenny Tabasco Sauce company, was a hunter, explorer and naturalist that established the Avery Island wildlife refuge on his family estate in Louisiana and wrote The Alligator's Life History in 1935. While some of his statements are criticized by modern science, he was one of the most knowledgeable alligator experts in the country at the time. His work contains valuable information and entertaining anecdotes. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Mother American Alligator with a pod of baby alligators in the lily pads; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Excerpt from William Bartram's Travels, Part II, Chapter V "The female, as I imagine, carefully watches her own nest of eggs until they are all hatched, or perhaps while she is attending her own brood, she takes under her care and protection, as many as the can get at one time, either from her own particular nest or others: but certain it is, that the young are not left to shift for themselves, having had frequent opportunities of seeing the female alligator, leading about the shores her train of young ones, just like a hen does her brood of chickens, and she is equally assiduous and courageous in defending the young, which are under their care, and providing for their subsistence; and when the is basking upon the warm banks, with her brood around her, you may hear the young ones continually whining and barking, like young puppies. I believe but few of a brood live to the years of full growth and magnitude, as the old feed on the young as long as they can make prey of them." William Bartram was a botantist, artist, and nature writer that explored the southeastern United States around the time of the American Revolution (1773-1776). He was a scientist, creationist and Christian that gave glory to the Author for all the wonderful works he observed and documented in his book, Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Baby American Alligator laying on a cypress log in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Middle Fork red canoe trail of the Suwannee River. March 12, 2015. On our first day in the Okefenokee, the number of huge gators lining the edges of Billy’s Lake was quite mind blowing. As our count climbed higher, we lost track of how many of the big swamp sentinels we saw. In some places, groupings of four to eight large alligators sunned in one spot; many of the same gators in the same exact spots we had seen them on the previous day’s guided boat tour. But after the initial shock of the giant gators was waning, we began to desire to see a colorful juvenile gator, or better yet, a pod of babies surrounding their mother.
Baby gators are something special. Their more distinct patterns, texture and coloration with bright yellow banded tails makes them more beautiful than the older, drab, bluish-black monsters. They have a lizardy – almost gecko-like look - with cute upturned smiles that border on a mischievous grin. And not to mention the chirp! It is hard to imagine this happy little chirp emanating from an animal that will one day emit a thunderous bellow and strike fear into any living creature. In 1997 I had come upon a mother gator and her babies in the Okefenokee. And only on a couple of occasions, another being in the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, had I heard baby gators chirp unseen from amongst the reeds. Perhaps today Amanda would hear that chirping up close for the first time. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Large American Alligator laying on a log along Billy's Lake in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 12, 2015. An excerpt from naturalist Bradford Torrey's 1894 book, A Florida Sketch-Book:
Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  A guardian mother American Alligator and her pod of babies in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 12, 2015. ©www.williamwisephoto.com. Thursday, 2:20 PM - Trying not to disturb the exhilarating, tense moment, I whispered to my daughter Amanda in a low voice, "Momma gator has to be here somewhere." Sure enough, in the midst of the dozen or more colorful babies, her eyes peered at us attentively from between the abundant swamp vegetation; her body completely submerged. We daringly pressed in a little closer. Cute little chirps arose from a few of the babies. Mom tolerated our approach for only about thirty seconds before swiftly swimming directly toward us and emitting a forceful release of air. Sitting in the front of the canoe just a few feet from this upset maternal guardian, I knew what was “safe”, and what was not. This was bordering on “unsafe”, and, in fact, a bit foolish. While most gators predictably retreat or submerge upon approach, a mother gator is quite courageous and assiduous in defending her young against onlookers. I let wisdom prevail and we backed out the canoe a bit, took a few more photos, and paddled onward.  A guardian mother American Alligator and her pod of babies in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 12, 2015. ©www.williamwisephoto.com.  A guardian mother American Alligator and her pod of babies in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 12, 2015. ©www.williamwisephoto.com. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  Okefenokee Middle Fork canoe trail sign toward Big Water and Minnies Lake. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. ©www.williamwisephoto.com. Thursday, 9:12 AM - The number of large basking gators quickly dwindled as we paddled up the narrower channel toward Minnie’s lake. Large lily pads crowded in toward the canoe on either side; Spanish moss hung overhead. After about a mile we came to the cove where we had spotted the juvenile gator on the boat tour the day before. He was in the same spot, on the same log. We turned the canoe in toward the cove and came to rest on the lily pads and thick floating vegetation. After about a minute of shooting him with different focal lengths, flash and without flash, I finally noticed an even smaller juvenile lying about five feet further down the log to the left. Glistening scales, bright yellow bands, a grinning look. We pushed even closer until the larger of the two flipped off the log into the water. We backed out and paddled further up the flowing channel.  Juvenile American Alligator on a floating log along the Middle Fork canoe trail; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. ©www.williamwisephoto.com. The first order of business is learning to steer. Amanda is now in the rear and in command of the direction of our canoe. She is trying to get a feel for alternating her paddling – left side, left side twice more, switch right, a few strokes – and trying to keep us in a more or less straight line. I am now poised in the bow, perfect for the close up shots of the reptilian inhabitants as we press into the vegetation. The big gators are just as numerous as the previous day.  Wood Duck in Cypress and Spanish Moss; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. The original photo wasn't very sharp, so I rendered it as more of a watercolor feel in post-processing. I couldn't bring myself to delete it as it seems to capture the beauty and mystery of a cypress swamp. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message In 1894, naturalist and ornithologist Bradford Torrey wrote of the Great Egret in his book, A Florida Sketch-Book.  Great Egret perched in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. “Incomparably the handsomest member of the heron family (I speak of such as I saw) was the great white egret. In truth, the epithet 'handsome' seems almost a vulgarism as applied to a creature so superb, so utterly and transcendently splendid. I saw it—in a way to be sure of it—only once. Two birds stood in the dead tops of low shrubby trees, fully exposed in the most favorable of lights, their long dorsal trains drooping behind them and swaying gently in the wind. I had never seen anything so magnificent. The reader should understand that this egret is between four and five feet in length, and measures nearly five feet from wing tip to wing tip, and that its plumage throughout is of spotless white. It is pitiful to think how constantly a bird of that size and color must be in danger of its life.”
Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  American Alligator on Minnie's Lake; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. March 12, 2015. ©www.williamwisephoto.com. Excerpt from The Last Remaining Indian in the Okefenokee Swamp, by Tommy Hartley.
In my search for anything Okefenokee, I came across a used copy of The Last Remaining Indian in the Okefenokee Swamp by Tommy Hartley (LAH Publishing Company, 2003). Hartley writes in the inside cover, “Both of my parents were raised as swampers in the late 1800’s... We were swampers and spoke swamper and now I enjoy speaking and writing swamper.” Hartley passes down entertaining swamp stories that were told to him by his mother. It appears the book may be out of print, but I recommend it for reading, especially if you enjoy southern culture and history. Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message  American Alligator in the marsh grasses of Billy's Lake; Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Excerpt from the 1926 History of the Okefenokee Swamp by AS McQueen and Hamp Mizell:
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