Elderhostel Photos of
Okefenokee Swamp Safari
(hosted by Georgia Southern University)
The western entrance is from Fargo, Georgia, in Stephen Foster State Park. You may hike the park's elevated boardwalk trail or take a motorized boat tour through Billy's Lake, and conditions permitting, out to Billy's Island where there was a village and later the timber operation. You can also canoe or kayak the entire length of the swamp following marked water trails.
The northern entrance was in the Okefenokee Swamp Park run by a private, a non-profit organization. Despite the chilly weather, we saw over a dozen alligators our first day. The weather turned even colder the next few days and we saw no more gators as they sought refuge in their underwater dens.
The East Entrance is run by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and offers access to Chesser Island and its refurbished cabin seen here in which the Chesser family lived. The structure has been furnished with period pieces and tools and gives a glimpse at life on the island back in the early 1900s.
We had wonderful accommodations, meeting room, and food at the Waycross, GA Holiday Inn. Here the entire group poses for our group shot.
on floor (l to r): Jeni and Barbara
seated: Jeanne, Mary Lou, Dorothy, Pat J., Pat. C., and Sylvia
standing row 1: Joyce, Dot, Ruth, and Jim P.
row 2: Roy (our host), June, John, Shirley, Marge, Bob, Del, Dorothy, and Norm
back row: Greg, Frank L., Henry, Robin, Don, Howie, and Bob C.
(not pictured: Dr. Don Berryhill, our incomparable interpreter, guide, and expert on all flora and fauna)
As a special treat, our host, Roy, arranged for us to visit the country's busiest railroad hump yard, the Rice Yard, and we talked with the superintendent and his assistant, toured the control tower, and watched as new trains were "built" using the hump yard.