Protecting Florida's Swamps Saves Rich Resources and Amazing Biodiversity

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.

Extra Eyes Always Appreciated

Recently a friend of mine called to tell me the Caroline C had sunk in the Manatee River. As a sailor, I knew exactly what they were talking about and where it was. I also learned that SeaTow was working to get the boat floating so that it could be moved out of the river. As a photographer, I knew the effort could make a great photo story.

I hopped on the sailboat with my wife well before sunset and we motored over to the Caroline C. When we arrived, SeaTow was already there preparing to raise the 90-foot trawler. She was still on her side, the barnacles thick on her bottom and possibly the thing that held her together for so long before the rusted-out ship finally gave way to the river.

The opportunity for photos was everything I had hoped. I was able to shoot photos of the ship on her side and as she was being raised. I was even able to get video on my phone of SeaTow pulling Caroline C up off the river bottom. The sun set right after SeaTow got her out of the water, so I used the light to my advantage to get some gorgeous images of a rusty old boat. I shared the video and images with Duke Overstreet, SeaTow’s owner, and he edited them into this video.

I was able to get all of this because someone let me know what was going on that afternoon. When I was working at the newspaper, we frequently got tips and we would gather information from public sources. Now that I am on my own, I depend on folks in the area alerting me to what they see. I can’t always make it out immediately, but knowing what’s out there allows me to make choices about where I should be.

People have alerted me to where plovers are nesting and great places to see a variety of birds. All of that information is valuable to me in finding and sharing my photos. It also helps me gather and convey information on conservation and related issues important to Florida. So if you see something you think I need to photograph, please don’t hesitate to call or text me at 941-773-8558. If you have suggestions on a great place to see wildlife on any given day, you can also leave them in the comments below. And if you can help me find a Snail Kite, I’d be eternally grateful!!!