My daughter, Linda, wanted to go to the mall today. I told her I had a better idea, go to the swamp! This was her first trip to Okeefenokee. We took the road to the old Chesser homestead, the last holdout when the gov't made it a National Wildlife Refuge. He was a swamper who lived off the game and fish in the swamp. Folks back then kept the yards raked and swept to offer a fire break and better see snakes.


Then we went on a long walk in 96 degree heat to the tower for a view of the swamp.




A bumble bee kept chasing her around the tower. Never wear perfume of after shave in the swamp!

Here is the old man catching my breath after the climb in the heat.

It was too hot to see the big gators out in the sun, but I spied this one from my Jeep on the way to the boat docks.


And we saw this one from the tour boat, but it was into the sun.
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The swamp is a beautiful place, to me.
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Here's a gator I spotted that the guide missed.
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Back to the visitor's center. Not a a terribly rugged outing, but in this heat, tough enough for the fat old man.
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