Early drive to the Okeefenokee swamp Park near Waycross Georgia after a quick chat with Great Nanny Wales. We were some of the first people there and so we had a quick look at the nature center and then off to the boat ride through the swamp.
We saw lots of alligators from Babies through to full grown males.
The swamp itself was very interesting with all sorts of plants and wildlife. This plant digests bugs in its flutes.
There are also just a lot of really pretty water lilies and other water based plants. The guide recommended hiring a boat and doing the swamp from Fargo in April when all the plants are at their best.
Much to Alana’s amusement I nearly walked into the Web of a banana spider, and we saw a lot of other spiders, all about the size of Alana’s hand!
After the boat ride we took a small train ride around the park, we stopped at a recreated pioneers homestead. There was a blacksmith there making knives out of railway ties
The engineer also allowed Alana to blow the whistle on the train.
Next came the talk at the nature center, the guide talked about the various snakes and turtles that they had there. Alana was allowed to hold Bumper a young male about a year old. These will grow as big as dinner plates over time and can live longer than a 100 years.
Before touching the snake she had to wash her hands to make sure she did not smell like food!
We then went outside with the guide to see the black bear, they have 4, mum dad and two youngsters. They reckon there are about 7000 living wild in the swamp. This is dad, he is about 15 years old.
Once we finished at the park, we started our drive to St Agustine. After checking into the hotel Alana went into the pool and of course made friends with some other kids.
Off into the town for dinner and a walk along the shoreline, we also booked our adventure for tomorrow but you will have to wait to hear what that one is 😀
