My initial focus upon entering the cypress swamp was primarily on the feeling of wet shoes, then water seeping into my socks, and eventually, my thigh-high submersion into the dark, cool, (and bacteria-filled!) swamp water. After adjusting to the physical feeling of the new environment, I was then able to recognize the special opportunity this walk had afforded me, which was the ability to be at one with nature via the elimination of any man-made barriers which would otherwise limit me as an outsider looking in at the habitat.
For instance, I mentioned in my previoius entry that I have walked Six Mile Cypress Slough on multiple occasions, and have enjoyed experiencing the cypress swamp from the luxury of a boardwalk. The experience on the FGCU Campus walk, however, took the experience to a new level, in that there was no barrier, allowing me to view the cypress swamp from the inside, which in a sense, took me from an observer of nature to an actual participant. It was quite special to be completely surrounded by the cypress trees, experiencing the swamp from the perspective of one of its inhabitants. The experience seemed to remove me from the "human world," for lack of a better term, and place me directly back into the state of nature, which is something I always find peaceful. I definitely have a new found respect for the campus.
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