Phinizy Swamp - Equalization Pond Loop (Richmond County, Georgia)

As hot and humid as it is today, I debated on just heading home after my previous hike, but since I'm in the area, I decided to check out one more interesting place near Augusta. The Phinizy Swamp seems like a place that Snoop Dog might enjoy visiting, but today, it's me paying it a visit. This swamp is created by the confluence of the Savannah River and Butler Creek and is home to a variety of waterfowl and amphibians, including alligators.

Even getting out of my car, I'm second guessing my decision to hike further in this heat, but I'm here now and I've got to check it out. My plan was to hike about five miles around the facility. We'll see how far I get before heat exhaustion sets in. The trail starts easily enough and wanders through the swampy forest from the parking area to the visitors center, which only takes about five minutes to walk. Here a number of structures, picnic areas, and other facilities offer a variety of amenities to those brave enough to come to the swamp.

I head out towards the SunRise deck, which takes me over a winding boardwalk to a wooden platform built in the reeds and presumably which offers a view of the rising sun early in the morning. I bet it would be at least a little cooler at that time of day. Continuing on, I follow the trail, which is mostly boardwalk out to the ponds where the wildlife lives.

First, I walk along a long straight boardwalk northward to Equalization Pond. This pond is surrounded by a low fence, but the bottom is open, presumably allowing the critters to crawl in and out as they please. I make a lap of the small pond, which is covered with a thick green moss that provides lots of feeding areas for the waterfowl who seem to love being here. I also note that I'm not the only one observing the birds. In the center of the pond, I see two eyes and a snout just above the water's surface. A small alligator is watching for any opportunity to get some lunch.

Passing by part of the fence, I disturb fifteen or so birds of the same species (I'm really not sure what they were). It's not my intention to bother them, but I can't get past without walking by them and so, they soon fly off. As I continue around the backside of the lake, I'm really starting to feel this heat. I make sure to drink plenty of water as I continue, but I'm not sure it's enough. I feel like I'm starting to get the first signs of a heat-related problem. I continue the walk and head back across the long straight bridge intending to go back the way I came to the car. 

However, at the junction of this side trail and the one I entered on, I meet a group of three other visitors and they mention a large alligator just ahead and on the right (a different path than I had planned). Of course, I can't let that go and head they way they pointed. This path follows some kind of fenced canal in the center of the facility that goes on a long way. There's no place to cross over it and I'm forced to decide on one side or the other. Given my intention to leave, I stay on the interior path all the while searching for gators. 

I do eventually see one in the large open water area, but he's at quite a distance and I'm never able to get a great shot from here. When I reach the other side of this pond though, there is a family there and a man playing baby alligator grunts from his phone, which appears to attract this big guy. He swims fairly close to the shore. I would estimate he's about six feet long, but it's always hard to tell at a distance. While I don't think he would attack a full grown man, he might be tempted to after the small children here and there mother watches over them diligently just in case. I chat with the family for just a moment, take a couple of snapshots, and then head back towards the car. 

While I'm really enjoying this place and of course seeing the wildlife, I need to cool off. Back at my car, I hop in and turn the AC up full blast while I down more water. I only hiked about 3.8 miles here, which is still more than I thought I would get, but as long as there are no long term effects from the heat exhaustion, it was worth it the alligator encounter was worth it.