Gators Floating By

The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge was originally a rice plantation but is now a great way to see swamp life while still staying cool in your car.  Right at the beginning we considered walking on a few paths.  Then we felt how hot and humid it was and saw how big the bugs are.  I never knew that grasshoppers could be this big.  This one is 4-5” long!!

Luckily there is a four mile drive where you can stay inside your air conditioned vehicle while looking at birds and the occasional alligator.  What a great concept to see a swamp without the bug bites!

We saw egrets and other birds.  Our bird identification is still weak! 

At one point we stopped to see a mud flat when the tide had gone out.  I thought there were stones or clams lying across the bottom but then they started moving.  It was dozens of crabs (fiddler crabs, I think).  I felt I was in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie where the stones started moving!

 

We saw 4-5 alligators.  It’s a range since we thought we saw eyes swimming past, but it could have been a piece of wood or weed.  I wanted to go to this refuge just to see the alligators so I’m glad we were able to find them without hiking near them.  I may be a wimp, but I like having all my arms and legs.