Enchanted or bewitched?

We left the out-of-use palmetto trail bridge where we spent the night and paddled the last 10 miles of the Wateree river. We joined the Congaree river and immediately noted transition in plants and animals that continued every few miles through the day. 

Congree left, wateree right. 

First the muddy banks went away to be replaced by tangled root banks. The number of cypress tree increased as did the number of alligators. This is a strange river inside a swamp inside a lake.

Satellite image of river in the swamp

 Later we added big tall (10 foot) grasses and then lily pads and duck weed. I have the extreme treat of seeing a bear climbing up a tree in the last if the river canal. 

Lunch. Inspired by Marshal 

A mysterious green lagoon on the river side. 

Late in the day the craziest thing happened. The river path ended and we were dumped in to one of the 50 largest lakes in USA (173 acres) But instead of seeing a sea of water we saw a sea of water and standing trees. It was like something out of a Grimm fairy tale. It was hard to wrap your mind around so much water all of a sudden but then also individual, groups of and rows of trees that were bordered by green plants. It was like a landscape that invited you to walk out into it but with seemingly dire consequences. Joseph says the wind blew him onto a mass of green and he became stuck. While trying to get unstuck he saw 2 alligators coming for him. It is a wild and perhaps bewitched place out there folks. 

The water and trees went on as far as we could see. 

Trees in a line in the middle if the sea. 

A sea with trees. 

Given our difficult camping options we did the miles to make it to the Santee state camp group where we are sleeping in luxury. Drank water with abandon tonight. They have it on tap here! 

Miles day 31. Trip 314