Canoeing in Okefenokee Swamp

I had a few comments yesterday about the Okefenokee (don't you just love that word?!) Swamp canoeing trip Daniel and I did in March of 2008. So, I thought I'd post a few more pictures and a couple of videos.

Now, those of you who've been reading my blog for a while know that I am pretty much a chicken (no offense to chickens everywhere). I grew up in a country where people are very cautious and in a family that was more than cautious. Which means that I am not only a worry wart, but also have the uncanny ability to always imagine the worst possible scenario, which can make me very fearful.
So, who knows what possessed me when Daniel suggested we canoe in the Okefenokee Swamp to see the alligators...
What struck me most was the calm and quiet of the dark waters. It made for incredible reflections, which I took pictures of at every turn.
We saw many alligators sunning themselves, all of them very docile and some of them coming quite close. This next one was so close that my hand was shaking a bit while taking his picture. He couldn't have cared less.
It was the perfect season to be canoeing there - still cool, but sunny, no mosquitoes yet, but hundreds and hundreds of butterflies. It was magical!
Now, at first I seemed to have trouble with the paddling. In my nervousness I mixed up how to paddle to turn right or left. So we landed in the bushes a few times, until Daniel figured out what I was doing. After that it was smooth sailing...
We did see lots of frogs, dragonflies and alligators, but only one tiny snake. I was imagining snakes hanging from the branches in bundles, so I was a little disappointed!

I loved the big and tall cypress trees!

Here a couple of videos for you. This first one is just the quiet of the little canal we were paddling on. It was so peaceful.

And in this next video you can actually see a gator swimming for a bit before it quietly disappears under the surface.

Even though I was nervous at first, I relaxed a ways into the trip and ended up really enjoying the six hours we spent on the water. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life!

And - in a weak moment - I committed to going again! (As I was just looking online about camping in the swamp, I came across a great article in the New York Times about just that. Click here to read it.)

I've had a busy couple of days and not as much time to check on your blogs as I'd like! I will be back soon and can't wait to read what's new with you! In the meantime, thank you so much for all your wonderful comments! You make me smile every day!!