Knee_Waves

Recently reflecting on the intriguing cypress knee, I searched my archives and found I had many photos of them that I really like.  You might like them as well, so I'm devoting this month's post to the Knees.  Cypress flourish in wetlands throughout Florida.  These trees don't all have knees coming up from their root system, and not all knees are the classic spires (as you'll see).  No one is certain of the function of cypress knees, but I am certain that they are a distinctively beautiful part of our wild Earth's majesty.  Here's a sampling of knees I've photographed.  (Wavy Knees, above, is a dramatic example of how crazy these cypress can get. Sopchoppy River.)

Fire_Water

Fire Water.  As this double-knee spires out of the tannic-red depths, it's growing crown (near the water's surface) glows like a red-hot poker in the sunshine. The "smoke" from this "submerged ember", is merely the dark water's surface reflecting the wispy clouds overhead.

Picasso-esque

Picasso-esque. This torso protrudes from the deep swamps of the Choctawhatchee River.

Three_Knees_7430-lg

Three Knees. Everglades National Park.

Cypress GargoyleDetail of a convoluted cypress knee. Sopchoppy River, FL

Holey Knee. Clinging to another knee with my left hand, trying to steady my kayak in the swift Sopchoppy current, it took multiple attempts to get a sharp shot and great effort to stay afloat.

Grazing Dragon

Grazing Dragon. I was stunned by the intricacy of this fancy face on a knee. Sculpting at its finest.  Lost Creek.

On_Knees_of_Sage_B&W

On Knees of the Sage. The wizened old knees appear to have been embraced by the wavy youngster.

Sopchoppy_Knees_2

Sopchoppy Knees. When the water is low, it is forced into swirls and braids by the obstacle course of knees.

Sunrise_Meadow_Knees

Sunrise Meadow Knees. Although this is a wet prairie, these knees stand in the midst of meadow wildflowers. Fisheating Creek.

Big_Gully_Knees

Reaching for the Sun. These unusually tall slender knees grew well over my head. Big Gully Creek. Manatee Spring

Manatee Springs. Cypress love all freshwater wetlands, from mucky swamps to pristine springs, flowing rivers to still ponds.

Hobgoblin

Hobgoblin.  Sopchoppy River, where spirits seem loosely entombed in the wildest cypress trees and knees I've seen.

Sopchoppy Knee Multitude 2

Cathedral of Knees. The light was beaming onto these steeples as I came around the bend in my kayak.

Hobbitland

Wakulla Family. With the early fog floating across the springbowl providing a clean backdrop, this quirky family of knees stood at water's edge. Wakulla Springs.

Sanctuary

Inside the Sanctuary. Squeezing through a small opening in the side of a giant cypress, I found myself amidst these silent worshippers in the cavernous sacred tree.  Choctawhatchee River. Photo by John Moran.

InnardsChoctawhatchee River near Hwy 20

The Knees Within. Here's my photo looking through the portal into the giant cypress in the last photo. The tree was hollow all the way up, letting a 60 foot shaft of light drop to the floor.

Anatomy_of_a_Cypress

Anatomy of a Cypress. In low water, you can see how complex the knee-system can be. And how massive! The paddler is dwarfed!

Kneedy Cypress

Classical Knees.  Why would this single horizontal cypress root send up all these knobby knees?

Triple-knee+Guzmania_7421-lg

Making a Stand in the Strand.  This triple-knee (cypress) popped up in between two tupelo trees, each adorned with a guzmania bromeliad.  Fakahatchee Strand.

Deadfall_Swamp

Deadfall. As if revering their fallen great-grandmother, the knees gather round her still-grand carcass. Florida Caverns State Park.

Napping_in_the_Knees_2

Napping in the Knees. This green treefrog has found refuge along the Sopchoppy River.

Canopy_Light

Canopy Light. Here's the "bigger picture" of the numerous potential photo-ops that line the banks of the Sopchoppy River. 

LightWave

Light Wave.  Suwannee River

Crazy_Knee

Ribbon Knee.  Sopchoppy.

On_Knees_In_Grass

Knee'ling in Grass. Fisheating Creek.

Ramshead_Knee

Ramshead.  Then there is the fun with reflections...  Lost Creek.

Knee Form

Eye of Knee

Eye of Knee.  Sopchoppy.

Three KneeTriple cypress knee. Fakahatchee Strand, FL

Quadruple-knee. Fakahatchee Strand.

Knee_Ridge

Creature from the Black Lagoon.  Sopchoppy.

Sopchoppy_Knees_Pano_v2Lg

Panoramic Knees.

Photos from plenty of adventures around Florida.  Ahhh, the stories I might one day tell my grandkids sitting on a knee.  Hope you enjoyed!  I love reading your comments below. Thanks for visiting.