Now we were in a different world altogether, as the trees and bushes closed in overhead.  In some places it was like paddling through a green tunnel.  The land surrounding us now wasn't quite a swamp, but it wasn't quite dry land either, being just firm enough to support larger trees.  Our watery trail had narrowed and snaked back and forth - there were no long sweeping curves but lots of hairpin bends.

Here in this section the alligators reappeared.  We saw a number of them stretched out on logs near the water or even over the water, basking in spots of sun like turtles do.  Rick and Tracey once again took up their efforts at touching a gator by the tail, and finally one was found that didn't seem to mind, indeed, it seemed unperturbed even by repeated nudges from a canoe paddle.  At any rate, I was glad the lads had gotten that out of their system (never mind that I had tried the very same thing years ago).

This was a different kind of canoeing - lots of constant maneuvering as the trail twisted to and fro.  The poor guy all alone in the pack canoe had his work cut out for him!  One thing about Oke is, if you weren't very experienced with a canoe before you went in, you certainly were when you came back out.

On and on we went, wondering how far we had come, and how far we had to go.  We passed clumps of beautiful ferns and stands of neverwets (golden club); anoles clambered around on fetterbush and water oak, and skinks sometimes crossed over our heads on the tree trunks that leaned over our canoes.  Every once in a while a bullfrog would sound off from somewhere nearby, and once we startled a young deer in the thick brush nearby.  We noticed the waterway was getting wider and straighter as we entered what was once an old logging canal.

The shadows were getting long when we came up against an obstacle that threatened to block us from our destination.  A large sycamore tree had fallen over across the trail right behind an old log already blocking most of the way. A very recent fall, from the looks of it.  It completely blocked our path.  We looked to either side of the bank for a way to portage around, but the trees were thick, and it looked like a doubtful enterprise.