I had been chatting with Mike Nomic during the time I got a couple of late season sessions in.
It had been suggested that I have a midnight wallow / session just because it'd be nice.
So, I did. While I was not going to have any photos due to it being dark out I will say it was fun and if you haven't tried it, do it.

I had been having a series of muddy sessions to enjoy some time alone and the end of the outdoor season. Earlier in the day I had managed I truly enjoyable session in my secondary mud location. This was a good wallow and I got some decent video of that. But due to how long it took to get to the area and generally frustrating weather I was unable at the time to get any additional sessions in before dark. So packing up everything I hiked all my gear back to the canoe and went back to the cabin.
Chatting on the UMD with Mike he'd mentioned having midnight romps in his past and that there was some fun available when one is not encumbered with additional equipment. Just having a walk in the dark where mud was bound to happen. I decided to salvage the remaining time, despite not managing any photos of the session, I did post a pic of me before heading out.

I headed out wearing my pair of shiny renfair boots. This would be their first outdoor session. I kept them turned up because you never know how deep water might be with the soft ground underneath. I wouldn't want to flood them. I took a flashlight (torch) with me so I wouldn't kill myself by falling over something unexpected. Not having a phone or other photographic equipment allowed me to pick up a walking stick to give some balance when traipsing through the swampy ground.

I start by using the old footpaths that had been dug up to allow a canoe or kayak to easily get to our property. I take my first steps into the water, my feet staying dry as my boot disappears under the water making contact with the soft mud at the bottom and sinking a small bit further. The total depth started at about mid calf with plenty or room to spare without overwhelming my boots. I continued walking checking the depths with my walking stick, allowing good footing as some areas have rocks which are enough to stand on sometimes they hide a truly deep spot right next door which at the moment I was avoiding.

I was able to explore a bunch of the surrounding swamp reaching all the way out to the main stream and to more hidden areas that suprised even me. Amongst the bushes and reeds there are open areas that span a large area with nothing to hold onto. Staying by the edges I could manage my depth and still extricate myself if things got too deep.

These lagoons tended to have deep and shallow areas and I was glad I had a sturdy and tall walking stick. This came in handy when trying to traverse the lagoon. Each step was different, some shallow only reaching my knee and well below my boot tops other steps were deeper pressing my boots against my thighs threatening to swallow them under, my walking stick was my friend keeping the balance.

One such lagoon area had some vegetation in the middle but the entrance had a much deeper entrance. I took some steps through the rushes but I could feel that the bottom was too deep to step without flooding so I located a sturdier perch that left my boots only inches from their tops allowing me to probe the swamp with my walking stick.

I like to do this type of exploring so I have a reference for the future as to where the really deep places are.

I turned around and made my way back to the main canal where the water and mud are only just over knee deep. Walking out towards the stream and using my walking stick for assistance I relish in the threat of stepping too deeply. Walking along I do take a step where I can feel the back of my thigh just breach the surface and pull back before any water trickles in. I stand there a moment prodding with my walking stick and attempting to step without having a wet foot. I decide it is easier to step out of the canal and walk around the shrub grass to an area where the water isn't as deep approaching the main part of the stream.

Stepping back off the embankment into the canal I can see in the glimmer of the water the deep area and turning around the stream ahead. I proceed towards the stream, the sand and silt causing me to walk up hill as the canal becomes shallower and shallower. Standing about shin deep I take a look around at the stream as it spreads out in front of me, the quiet lapping of the water at my feet.

Knowing the stream is more than deep enough to go wading into I have never been in that area of the stream before other than in a canoe and knowing the stumps and logs that are there I decide to turn back to another more predictable location rather than chance an injury in the dark. Turning around I walk back over the underwater berm before returning back to the place I had circled past. Approaching in the canal the water crept up my boots until it begged to enter. I held my position maintaining my balance with my walking stick. I stand there feeling the pressure pressing on my legs knowing the anticipation of the impending cool down. I take a step farther up the canal this time not meeting any resistance as I place my foot down. I tip my toes and find purchase before the water reaches the tops of my boots and rather than flood them I do a quick tip toe past the small deep area and make it back to just over knee deep water. I small trickle found its way down the backs of both boots when I moved and the cooling effect of that trickle gives me a change of direction for the evening.

I come to a diverting path from the canal which opens up into a wide flooded space. Walking closer, the depth of the water recedes, I continue to sink into the mud below the surface. As the shrubs give way the glimmer of the water masks the depth of the footing. I make my way with my walking stick probing for depth and staying vertical. The bottom is soft and welcoming, The