Smith State Park & Three Nights in Okefenokee
by TrailZen
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
02/26/2024
Entry & Exit Point:
Other
Number of Days:
5
Group Size:
2
Discuss Trip:
View Discussion Thread (5 messages)
Day 3 of 5
Wednesday, February 28, 2024, ONWR
As the sun rose, so did we. Birds were calling from every direction. We heard Sand Hill Cranes across the prairie, and were surprised to hear the response of a pair of Sandies just behind our platform. When they flew to join their friends, they were so close we could hear their wing beats. Soon after the Sandies flew past, we heard a Barred Owl in a tree across the way. The owl flew into a tree nearer our platform, where I was able to get a few nice photos. Another couple Barred Owls started hooting, then flew toward my photography subject to start what appeared to be a territory dispute.
Our breakfast was an experiment—Gallo Pinto, which we’d enjoyed on a Costa Rica visit, and have made lots of times at home, but had never tried dehydrating for canoe trips. The dried bean & rice dish rehydrated very well, and will be three of our nine breakfasts on this year’s Quetico trip.
We left Cedar Hammock around 9:00, and paddled toward Monkey Lake, the night’s destination. We frequently passed within feet of dozing ‘gators, many of which didn’t even open their eyes as we paddled by. We began hearing the steady drone of a diesel engine, then saw a big machine across the prairie spewing muddy water into the air. Later we learned that the ONWR “trail cutter”, which usually operates in the December or January, was working to keep one of the paddle trails open by cutting back the encroaching water lilies, grasses, and brush.
When we reached our turn for Monkey Lake, we encountered quartering winds. The next 5.5 miles were tough paddling, as Tia did almost as many draw or pry strokes as forward strokes. It was a great day for bird watching, though, with Great Egrets, Great Blue and Little Blue Herons, and ducks along our route through the prairie while Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures soared overhead. We heard more Sand Hill Cranes, and saw lots of Ibis flying in their ‘stealth bomber’ cruise. We passed a big ‘gator-in the 12’ range-sunning in a bed of sphagnum moss. It kept an eye on us, but didn’t move as we glided by. Last year’s Hooded Pitcher Plants were still on display, with new leaves coming up in the dried clusters. Hat Pins, Bladderworts, and Golden Club lined our paddle trail.
We reached the Monkey Lake shelter-a covered wooden platform surrounded by shallow water, low trees and understory brush-around 1:30 and broke out our lunch. We would have preferred an earlier lunch stop, but didn’t have a good place to exit the canoe while paddling through the prairie. After lunch we set up camp and checked out the area around the platform. Reading the visitors’ log suggested that some campers had problems with raccoons, so we planned to secure our food after dinner. Even though it had been an 11-mile day, we were interested in more exploration in the canoe, but weren’t interested in fighting the wind, so we stayed on the platform. Unlike our Quetico trips where we try to minimize weight, we were both carrying phones, tablets, and books, so we spent time looking at bird and flower apps, then reading. After dinner we lashed the cooler to the seat of the picnic table in case a ‘coon or two wandered by. We read more, played Farkle, then were serenaded to sleep by a mixed chorus of frogs. Our favorite was the Pig Frog.
As the sun rose, so did we. Birds were calling from every direction. We heard Sand Hill Cranes across the prairie, and were surprised to hear the response of a pair of Sandies just behind our platform. When they flew to join their friends, they were so close we could hear their wing beats. Soon after the Sandies flew past, we heard a Barred Owl in a tree across the way. The owl flew into a tree nearer our platform, where I was able to get a few nice photos. Another couple Barred Owls started hooting, then flew toward my photography subject to start what appeared to be a territory dispute.
Our breakfast was an experiment—Gallo Pinto, which we’d enjoyed on a Costa Rica visit, and have made lots of times at home, but had never tried dehydrating for canoe trips. The dried bean & rice dish rehydrated very well, and will be three of our nine breakfasts on this year’s Quetico trip.
We left Cedar Hammock around 9:00, and paddled toward Monkey Lake, the night’s destination. We frequently passed within feet of dozing ‘gators, many of which didn’t even open their eyes as we paddled by. We began hearing the steady drone of a diesel engine, then saw a big machine across the prairie spewing muddy water into the air. Later we learned that the ONWR “trail cutter”, which usually operates in the December or January, was working to keep one of the paddle trails open by cutting back the encroaching water lilies, grasses, and brush.
When we reached our turn for Monkey Lake, we encountered quartering winds. The next 5.5 miles were tough paddling, as Tia did almost as many draw or pry strokes as forward strokes. It was a great day for bird watching, though, with Great Egrets, Great Blue and Little Blue Herons, and ducks along our route through the prairie while Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures soared overhead. We heard more Sand Hill Cranes, and saw lots of Ibis flying in their ‘stealth bomber’ cruise. We passed a big ‘gator-in the 12’ range-sunning in a bed of sphagnum moss. It kept an eye on us, but didn’t move as we glided by. Last year’s Hooded Pitcher Plants were still on display, with new leaves coming up in the dried clusters. Hat Pins, Bladderworts, and Golden Club lined our paddle trail.
We reached the Monkey Lake shelter-a covered wooden platform surrounded by shallow water, low trees and understory brush-around 1:30 and broke out our lunch. We would have preferred an earlier lunch stop, but didn’t have a good place to exit the canoe while paddling through the prairie. After lunch we set up camp and checked out the area around the platform. Reading the visitors’ log suggested that some campers had problems with raccoons, so we planned to secure our food after dinner. Even though it had been an 11-mile day, we were interested in more exploration in the canoe, but weren’t interested in fighting the wind, so we stayed on the platform. Unlike our Quetico trips where we try to minimize weight, we were both carrying phones, tablets, and books, so we spent time looking at bird and flower apps, then reading. After dinner we lashed the cooler to the seat of the picnic table in case a ‘coon or two wandered by. We read more, played Farkle, then were serenaded to sleep by a mixed chorus of frogs. Our favorite was the Pig Frog.
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