{"id":10046,"date":"2024-02-20T06:34:27","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T11:34:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/?p=10046"},"modified":"2024-02-22T13:13:43","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T18:13:43","slug":"okefenokee-canoe-trip-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/2024\/okefenokee-canoe-trip-2024","title":{"rendered":"Okefenokee Canoe Trip 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!-- Okefenokee Canoe Trip 2024 --><\/p>\n<p><!-- paste the html code below directly into wordpress --><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> After doing the <em>Green Trail<\/em> to <a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/2021\/okefenokee-canoe-trip-2021\" target=\"Bluff Lake and Round Top\">Bluff Lake and Round Top<\/a> three years ago\u2014this year we set out to retrace <a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/travel\/okefenokee04\/\" target=\"My First Trip in 2004\">My First Trip in 2004<\/a> on the <em>Red Trail<\/em> and cut back via <em>Floyds Island<\/em>. My old friend <em>Peter<\/em> from Minnesota and youngest brother <em>Bruce<\/em> from Wisconsin joined me. [<a href=\"https:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/travel\/okefenokee24\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gallery<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-1.jpg\" alt=\"Okefenokee Route Map 2024 [source:fws.gov]\"\/><figcaption><em>Okefenokee Route Map 2024 [source:fws.gov]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Okefenokee Canoe Trip 2024\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hCaCQa3F1Lo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption><em>Paddling Video with Music<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day 1 &#8211; Maul Hammock (12 Miles)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nWe parked at the <em>Suwannee Canal Entrance<\/em> and got shuttled up to <em>Kingfisher Landing<\/em>. Since there were three of us I used my <a href=\"https:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/2022\/inflatable-kayak-review\" target=\"Inflatable Kayak\" rel=\"noopener\">Inflatable Kayak<\/a> for the first time on an overnight trip.\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-2.jpg\" alt=\"Starting Out at Kingfisher Landing\"\/><figcaption><em>Starting Out at Kingfisher Landing<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nWe got started in the late AM knowing there would be weather blowing in by nightfall. It rained lightly in the afternoon and then <em>poured for about an hour<\/em>. We got to the <em>Maul Hammock Chickee<\/em> an hour before dark.\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-3.jpg\" alt=\"Packed Canoe on the Red Trail\"\/><figcaption><em>Packed Canoe on the Red Trail<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nIt became <em>very windy<\/em> but fortunately most of the rain was over. We had a raucous night with the rainflies flapping in the <em>gusts over 25mph!<\/em> Amazingly, nothing broke and nothing blew away that we couldn&#8217;t retrieve!\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-4.jpg\" alt=\"Morning After a Windy Night\"\/><figcaption><em>Morning After a Windy Night<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day 2 &#8211; Big Water (~10 Miles)<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-5.jpg\" alt=\"Red Route Sign\"\/><figcaption><em>Red Route Sign<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> The second day was much easier\u2014shorter by about two miles and paddling with the current. (This is the actual start of the <em>Suwannee River<\/em> that flows to the Gulf of Mexico.) The trail narrows as it crosses one or more &#8220;sills&#8221; that divide up the wetlands. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-6.jpg\" alt=\"Cypress Swamp Trail Pano\"\/><figcaption><em>Cypress Swamp Trail Pano<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nWe made it to the <em>Big Water Chickee<\/em> without much difficulty and had a leisurely dinner of beans, rice, and beer!\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-7.jpg\" alt=\"Big Water Chickee\"\/><figcaption><em>Big Water Chickee<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-8.jpg\" alt=\"Beer with Dinner!\"\/><figcaption><em>Beer with Dinner!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nIt was a cold night (38\u00b0) but much less windy.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day 3 &#8211; Floyds Island (~9 Miles)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> The next day was new territory for all of us. Just below Big Water we passed through an area that <em>burned in the early 2000s<\/em>\u2014acres and acres of standing dead cypress trees. While this was sad to see, the swamp does go through periodic droughts and fire is a part of the ecology. [<a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-fires.jpg\" target=\"Fire Map\">Fire Map<\/a>] <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-9a.jpg\" alt=\"Burned Area\"\/><figcaption><em>Burned Area<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-9.jpg\" alt=\"Golden Club - Orontium aquaticum\"\/><figcaption><em>Golden Club &#8211; Orontium aquaticum<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nWe turned onto the <em>Green Trail<\/em> and paddled against a slight current up a narrow (but very pleasant) trail through the cypress. This ended at an embankment and higher ground covered with large pines, oaks, and magnolia trees.\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-10.jpg\" alt=\"Campsite and Cabin\"\/><figcaption><em>Campsite and Cabin<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nThe campsite sits in front of a <em>three-room cabin<\/em> built about a hundred years ago. It is flanked by two huge oak trees, one of which is encroaching on the porch. There are several moldering documents on the wall (one of which is reproduced here). There is also a fascinating registry book dating back to 2021 completely filled with stories, poems, and drawings.\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-11.jpg\" alt=\"Cabin Main Room\"\/><figcaption><em>Cabin Main Room<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-11a.jpg\" alt=\"Cabin Plaque\"\/><figcaption><em>Cabin Plaque<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-13.jpg\" alt=\"Big Oak Trees\"\/><figcaption><em>Big Oak Trees<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nThis article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.georgiaencyclopedia.org\/articles\/geography-environment\/human-history-of-the-okefenokee-swamp\/\" target=\"Human History of the Okefenokee Swamp\" rel=\"noopener\">Human History of the Okefenokee Swamp<\/a> makes interesting reading!\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day 4 &#8211; Back to the Suwannee Canal (15 Miles)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nOur last day began with <em>portaging boats and equipment<\/em> to the opposite side of the island (0.2 mile). (There is a convenient <em>cart<\/em> at the site to assist with this!)\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-12.jpg\" alt=\"Pulling the Portage Cart\"\/><figcaption><em>Pulling the Portage Cart<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-14.jpg\" alt=\"Eastern Portage Put-In\"\/><figcaption><em>Eastern Portage Put-In<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nI&#8217;ll mention that we saw numerous <a href=\"https:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/tag\/pitcher-plants\" target=\"Pitcher Plants\" rel=\"noopener\">Pitcher Plants<\/a> on this trip, most of which were dried and left over from last season.\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-15.jpg\" alt=\"Hooded Pitcher Plants\"\/><figcaption><em>Hooded Pitcher Plants<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\nThis was a long day but worth it given the time we had. We pulled into the take-out about an hour after dark. The Suwannee Canal facility is setup for after hours arrivals with an on-demand street light over the boat ramp and an automatic gate to let us out.\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/okefenokee-2024-16.jpg\" alt=\"Trail's End After Dark\"\/><figcaption><em>Trail&#8217;s End After Dark<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/travel\/okefenokee24\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">More Photos&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After doing the Green Trail to Bluff Lake and Round Top three years ago\u2014this year we set out to retrace My First Trip in 2004 on the Red Trail and cut back via Floyds Island. My old friend Peter from Minnesota and youngest brother Bruce from Wisconsin joined me. [Gallery] Day 1 &#8211; Maul Hammock &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/2024\/okefenokee-canoe-trip-2024\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Okefenokee Canoe Trip 2024&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[268,27,14,10,30],"tags":[504,235,400,456],"class_list":["post-10046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-camping","category-critters","category-photography","category-travel","category-video","tag-canoe","tag-kayak","tag-pitcher-plants","tag-river-otters"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10046"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10046\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10056,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10046\/revisions\/10056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}