Facts:
The prairies of southwest Florida hold many secrets and these ancient swamps bear mute witness to the region’s deep and colorful history. The sense of danger exploring these swamps offer tickles the imagination of all who are itching for some extreme adventure. The swamps are a great draw in the Everglades, especially, the quagmires that are found deep within the swamps pose a challenge to the seasoned explorer who finds their way in the heart of the thick forests of the region. This creates a deep sense of connection with nature while at the same time posing a challenge to face the unknown in an epic literary Man versus Nature confrontation. Explore the thick forests and swampy marshes in the south Florida region just like the pioneers and the natives did a couple hundred years ago and you may discover an aspect of yourself that you thought was not there. And oh, watch out for the Skunk Ape.
History:
Basically, a quagmire or a bog or in some cases just mire is a wetland that is an accumulation of dead plants and other organic material like mosses and leaves and other partially decayed matter. This kind of surface area takes hundreds or even thousands of years to materialize and the land must be pretty close to a body of water like, in the case of southwest Florida, the Gulf of Mexico plus the heavy rainfall on an annual basis which creates this sort of environment. One important factor about this is that the land mass must be untouched by drastic human intervention such and major constructions and the like. Although there had been man-made constructions in the region over the past century or so, they had been minimal enough for the plants and animals to thrive, though that is not to say conservation efforts are being undermined. Protection of these trees and terrains that took thousands of years to form is the prime concern of the many environmental organizations in Naples area, both in the public and private sector.
Tips:
- Airboats are a safe way to navigate through the watery part of the swamps if you’re new in the area. An awesome chance to see the gators up close.
- If you want it safer, try using a seaplane if you can and see the majestic views of The Ten Thousand Islands and the wildlife preserves from a bird’s eye view.
- If you know what you’re doing, there are cases when you’re allowed to bring your rifle out in the woods, especially if you’re hunting for gators.
- The local name for the Big Foot in these parts is the Skunk Ape. People have led expeditions that they turned into tv shows about finding these supposedly elusive creatures but, of course, we still have nothing solid in our hands.
- If you are new in the area and you wish to do some hiking, it’s recommended to take a guided tour. Guided tours are led by people who have more the sufficient knowledge of the region.
