Kayaking The Enchanted Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia

The Trip

At the southern extremity of Georgia lies the largest swamp in North America, where a world of fascination awaits those who enter upon its dark, life-rich waters. A moody paradise of approximately 700 square miles, it is called Okefenokee, which means “land of the trembling earth." This name comes from the floating islands of peat that are formed and the slowly colonized by grasses, shrubs, and trees. These peat islands tremble and quiver when a person walks upon them. Kayaking the Okefenokee in Georgia is an experience that you will remember for a lifetime.

As we glide along on the water and dip our paddles in and out, alligators often also glide nearby us through the same tea-colored water. Herons and egrets wade through tall grasses and water lilies, while Florida cooters (turtles) sun themselves on fallen logs, plopping into the water if we approach too closely. The magic does not end at night. Dawn and dusk are prime wildlife viewing times. “Night Magic” occurs in the dark, as we hear a symphony of frogs, barred owls, insects, and even bellowing alligators fill the night sky with a chorus of sound. Not to be outdone, dancing fireflies and alligators staring back at us with glowing red eyes provide us a visual spectacle as well!

Winding for 126 miles from its headwaters in the eastern Okefenokee Swamp, Pinhook Swamp, and Osceola National Forest, the St. Marys River enters into Cumberland Sound and then the Atlantic Ocean at the historical maritime town that bears the same name. Along its course, the St. Marys River forms a natural border between the states of Georgia and Florida.  Some have called this natural connection of the Okefenokee Swamp to the Atlantic Ocean the “Swamp to Sea Trail.” The famous Suwannee River runs for 246 miles from its headwaters in Okefenokee Swamp, and through mostly rural northern Florida, before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. We will kayak the headwaters and upper section of this river made famous in 1851 by Stephen C Foster in his iconic song “The Swanee River (Old Folks at Home).” We will spend an entire week exploring this magnificent area from many different angles.

This itinerary is subject to change due to weather, water levels, tides, permits, or other unforeseen factors. Safety is our top priority while kayaking in Georgia.

Day 1: We will provide pickup at Jacksonville Airport at 3 p.m. Following a short van ride to our lodging, we will assign cabins, make introductions, and enjoy a huge welcome dinner.

Day 2: After having a hearty breakfast, we will outfit everyone with a kayak and paddling gear for the week, give safety and paddle instruction, and then hit the water for our first amazing paddle trip! Our first trip will be on 3 mile long Billy’s Lake, the longest lake in the Okefenokee. Along the way, we will stop at Billy’s Island to hike and explore a nature trail and some historic logging ruins. 

Day 3: Today we paddle a scenic upriver section of the St. Marys River. We’ll search the shore for wildlife and wildflowers as we meander back and forth between the states of Florida and Georgia, as the St. Marys forms the border between the two states. We’ll keep an eye out for hawks, anhingas, and other wildlife. The relaxed pace of the river takes us back in time as we think back to the days that old-time mariners went out of their way to obtain the tea-colored water of the St. Marys.

Day 4: The Suwannee River drains most of the Okefenokee Swamp on its 246 mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico in Florida. We will kayak the Suwannee River Headwaters today, gliding past centuries old cypress trees and through the Suwannee River Sill, taking in the beauty and history of Okefenokee Swamp all along the way. 

Day 5: A national treasure, the vast and mysterious Okefenokee provides refuge for a large number of animals and plants that thrive in the solitude of the lakes, islands, wetlands, and uplands that make up the sanctuary. We will kayak the eastern part of Okefenokee, stop off at the visitor center, explore an old homestead, listen to a short ranger presentation, and enjoy this watery world of lily pads, alligators, and amazing bird life. After enjoying dinner, we'll head back into the swamp to take an evening/night boat tour of the swamp with a very knowledgeable local guide. As we shine our lights into the darkness, glowing red eyes look back at us!

Day 6: Today, we paddle to Minnie’s Lake, gliding past pond cypress trees, Spanish moss, spatterdock lily pads, and beautiful flooded cypress forests, along the way. Hopefully, we will be greeted by alligators, turtles, numerous birds, and other wildlife, all along the way. 

Day 7: After breakfast, we’ll pack up and bid farewell to new friends after enjoying an amazing week of exploring some of Georgia’s true gems. For those with extra time, historic downtown St. Marys offers a great way to spend it! You will be shuttled to and dropped off at Jacksonville Airport by noon.

Getting There

We will provide pickup and drop off at Jacksonville, Florida Airport as well as provide transport to daily activities. Those wishing to drive will be given directions to the lodging. Please do not make travel arrangements until the leader has confirmed you as a trip member.

Accommodations and Food

We will spend six nights in private cabins within Stephen C. Foster State Park. The cabins are surprisingly nice to most people and have many modern amenities, including: refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, dishwashers, televisions, showers, and flush toilets. Each cabin has two bedrooms with two double beds in each room. Participants coming alone will share rooms, two per room, and couples will room together. Participants will take turns helping to prepare meals and clean up. Most meals are included. We will go out to dinner once; these two dinners are not included in the trip price. There may also be an opportunity for an optional lunch.

Trip Difficulty

We will paddle intermediate routes, averaging 5-10 miles in distance and spending a total of 4-6 hours on the water (with breaks and lunch) on days that we are kayaking in Georgia You should be comfortable sitting in a kayak for up to 3-4 hours at a time. You need not be an expert paddler, but you should have some previous paddling experience. Basic paddling and safety instruction will be given on the first day of the outing. Each participant should understand that this is a group outing and that they will be required to stay with the group while we are on the water and trails. You should be flexible as plans and itineraries often change due to weather, group ability, or other unforeseen reasons. Optional hikes will be 1-5 miles on level terrain and/or beach.

Note: Alligators are a regular highlight in coastal Georgia waters. They are not interested in kayakers, but you should be aware of this and be comfortable paddling among the alligators.

Equipment and Clothing

We will provide rental kayaks, paddles, and pfds to each participant. We provide all cooking gear and dinner plates, utensils, etc. You will need a lunch container and water bottle(s). A gear list will be sent to all participants. A dry bag and day pack will be needed to carry your gear throughout the week.

References

• Lenz, Richard J., Georgia Coast and Okefenokee. RR Donnelley and Sons, 1999.
• Dilsaver, Lary M, Cumberland Island National Seashore: A History of Conservation Conflict. University of Virginia Press, 2004.
• Schoettle, Taylor, A Guide to a Georgia Barrier Island. Watermarks Publishing, 2001.
• Andrews, Larry F, Cumberland Island: A Treasury of Memories. World Publications, 2007.
• Nelson, Megan Kate, Trembling Earth: A Cultural History of the Okefenokee Swamp. University of Georgia Press, 2005.
• Schoettle, Tyalor, A Naturalist’s Guide to The Okefenokee Swamp. Darien Printing and Graphics, 2005.
• Witherington, Bill, Sea Turtles: An Extraordinary Natural History of Some Uncommon Turtles. Voyager Press, 2006.

Conservation

Okefenokee Swamp experiences a natural fire cycle, where fire consumes part of the swamp every so many years and the swamp experiences a regular “rebirth” after each fire burns through. One example of this are some pine tree species, whose cones can only germinate after being consumed by fire. Okefenokee experienced a massive fires in 2011 and 2017, which unfortunately also consumed many of the structures, boardwalk, etc near the east entrance visitor center, although the visitor center itself was spared. We will listen to a ranger presentation about the fire cycle of Okefenokee, as well as other environmental issues impacting the swamp. We will also get to see and utilize the new boardwalk and other structures that have been rebuilt since 2011.