Unfiltered Lowcountry: Altamaha River trip offers an older world

Your paddle dips into swiftly flowing water that is colored with the leaves of a thousand trees and the soil of foothills two hundred miles away. Overhead, the deep green canopy of trees drips downward with flowered vines and Spanish moss. A knob-skinned alligator slides off a sand bar and woodpecker chatters loudly as it changes trees with your passing.

In deep water, a large splash: is it a fish or an oddity of the current? Since you are paddling the wild and mysterious Altamaha River in Georgia it could be either – or possibly even something more elusive as tales of legend abound of a strange creature or sea monster beneath its waves.

As your imagination takes hold, it is easy to feel as if this freshwater jungle is only missing a jaguar or a few monkeys to make this a trip on the Amazon – only much closer to home.

The Altamaha River flows across the state of Georgia unvexed for 137 miles the sea. From the confluence of two mighty rivers it winds through deep southern forests miles from habitation and easily provides one of the most remote, yet accessible local outdoor experiences. The Altamaha River has been recognized as a biosphere of incredible wealth that provides home for thousands of bird and wildlife species.

Rare and unique plants and trees may be found there and indeed renowned botanist William Bartram discovered a rare magnolia on one of its bluffs in 1765.

Perhaps the most incredible feature of this river is in the miles of deep floodplain swamp that shroud the waterway along almost its entire length. To venture into them is to invite a jungle-like experience, and if the water is high enough, you can paddle for hours beneath the treetops and never need to seek the river.

Now and then a sandy bluff appears and here Native American settlements and colonial forts were established as man for centuries has attempted to make his mark. At the point where the Altamaha River reaches the coast, it splits into several channels, emptying itself out in a lace of marsh and sea islands with a passing glance at the old fishing village of Darien. It is in this region that the monster of ancient legend has been claimed to appear. The “Altamaha-ha” in Native American stories may make its home in the channels and swamps of the river. True or not, the legend is proof that the Altamaha River will captivate your mind and exert its wonders upon you as it has done to visitors for ages.

Recently, I kayaked the Altamaha River with a group of friends. We enjoyed a bright spring day paddling the river, exploring swamps and spotting wildlife. At the midpoint of our journey, we stopped at Fort Barrington Park, the site of a Native American village, ancient river ford and a British fort. Bleached oyster shells and Indian pottery slid into the river from the sandy bluff and concrete picnic tables stood in ankle deep water touched by the river in spring freshet.

This was a journey into another world, but one that was never too far from home.

We took out at Altamaha Regional Park where an old railroad trestle still stands but now a bustling riverside campground thrives among fishermen and boaters drawn to the river’s promise.

The Altamaha River is a wild, wonderful place that simply must be experienced to be believed.

This story was originally published April 4, 2016 at 6:05 AM with the headline "Unfiltered Lowcountry: Altamaha River trip offers an older world."