Someone recently told me to take a hike, in the nicest way possible. The person offered me an opportunity to go on a Swamp Walk outside of Clyde Butcher’s photo gallery in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Naturally, I jumped at the offer. It’s not like I haven’t hiked through a few swamps in my lifetime, but I did want to see what a Clyde Butcher-branded swamp walk was all about. It didn’t disappoint.
The walk was for two people, so my wife came along. She had to overcome a fear of frogs to join me, but she didn’t want to miss the walk. Our guide was Scott Randolph, a certified Florida Master Naturalist, who clearly had studied the life in the swamp, both plant and animal. He was particularly knowledgeable about making medicines from the plants. Big Cypress Swamp offers myriad indigenous plants and Scott made sure we didn’t miss anything, from the tiniest orchids to the most voracious swamp plants. The freshwater trail was clear and cool, helping my wife relax and forget about her fear of swamp creatures.
We were the only two people on the swamp walk that day, so Scott tailored it to our interests. I wanted to take photos and that means the pace is sure to be slow. He pointed out great areas for photos and stood back while I took the lead on the walk to get the photo I wanted without disturbing the water. He would let us stray off the path a bit to see interesting swampscapes. All the while, he told us the story of the Big Cypress Swamp and his relationship with the Everglades.
I mentioned Scott is a naturalist, but he’s also a photographer. He knows what it’s like to set up a shot and to take the time to get the perfect angle and lighting. He also was happy to talk about photography and places outside of the swamp walk to get photos. I asked Scott where I might be able to see a Snail Kite. I have been hunting for one for nearly two years. Scott admitted he had never seen one, but suggested a spot to look.
At sunrise the day after the swamp walk my wife and I trekked to the spot he suggested and within an hour, we spotted a raptor. I didn't believe it would be the Snail Kite, but in the 10-second fly by, I took as many photos as I could. Sure enough, I had seen a female Snail Kite. I wish I could say the swamp walk was the highlight of the trip. It was close, but because of that walk and our guide who pointed us in the right direction, I celebrated a highlight for the year.
