Twenty feet into the swamp, and every direction looks the same. By GPS, we slog in a generally eastern direction, a hidden lake about a quarter-mile away our destination. Bromeliads, air plants, moss, and orchids surround us. Trying to walk in knee-deep water and observe the vegetation is challenging. Tree roots, sunken logs, and vines tax our physical ability to keep from falling down. Several times we spill into the tea stained water. After about 100 feet, we observe our first orchid. Epi. rigidum, Epi. nocturnum, and Enc. cochleata would be found in clusters, growing on trees about 5 to 12 feet up. Only Epi. nocturnum and Enc. cochleata were observed in bloom.

Looking for the leafless orchids proved to be very difficult at first, but after a while, you could get the hang of it. Growing on the Pond Apple trees, Polyrrhiza lindenii , the Ghost Orchid, and Campylocentrum pachyrrhizum , another leafless orchid were observed. Without their blooms, one has to observe the trees very carefully, looking for their roots. These orchids survive only under high, constant humidity, typically found in swamps with standing water 9 months of the year. After about 3 hours, only 4-5 Ghost orchids were observed. They are extremely rare in their habitat, making them an endangered species. Such plants are best left and observed in the swamp, and shouldn't leave home to die in someone's orchid collection.

En-route to the lake, we came upon a dry "island", covered in thick, 6 foot tall ferns that made walking physically demanding. It was easier walking in the water. In the dryer parts, large oaks and mahoganies grew, putting many orchids out of our visible reach. We did observe several vanillas growing in this area, with one or two climbing up and out of sight on a very large mahogany tree.

At last we came to the "edge" of the lake. We could tell by the swamp water getting deeper. Many orchids were observed in this area along with a few small gators. The larger ones (gators), remained in the open water of the lake, however they were curious of our presence. After photographing the orchids, we started our journey back to the road. This time we avoided the fern pit, making better time sloshing in knee-deep water. By now, we became experts at visually picking out orchids competing with other vegetation covering the trees.

Once on dry land, we changed into dry clothes and headed into Everglades City for food and refreshments. After a beer and a nice meal, we realized just how tiring it is walking through the swamp. This enjoyable trip through a sliver of the Fakahatchee Swamp was made possible by the expertise and knowledge of Dr. Ruben Sauleda. His knowledge of orchids and the history of the area made this an unforgettable experience. Thank You, Ruben, from the participating members of East Everglades Orchid Society.