Floating Bog

My niece L (I can call her that as she calls me Auntie) came over today and offered to take me to the floating bog. How could I refuse?

The floating bog is essentially an island mat of sphagnum moss held together by the roots of tamerack (larch) trees - those are the trees in the picture - and presumably the roots of other plants t00. It's a unique ecosystem. Our particular floating bog is perhaps about 50 yards long and 25 yards across. When you walk on the bog, you are literally walking on water. It feels that way too, as L says, like a giant waterbed.

As you might imagine, it's quite dangerous, so Mr. Lightwave insisted on coming too. We slapped on DEET40 (I thought 22% was the maximum, live and learn) and I wore mosquito netting over my face. The log in the picture is the one that we had to wobble across - as better shot would have had a balancing human being on it, but I think you'll agree that that adds undue stress. The water was surprisingly deep - I tested it with a six foot pole and I couldn't reach the bottom.

We were trying to find pitcher plants, and find them we did. They were everywhere, sometimes buried in the moss right up to the lip.