Expedition: Kissimmee River may be over, but the stories and memories from the 12-day trip will live on.

A News 13 and Bright House Networks documentary crew went to see how the $578 million restoration project is progressing.

Nearly two weeks and over 100 miles on the Kissimmee River and you are bound to encounter wildlife. Scientists say it is a telltale sign of restoration. The Kissimmee River did not disappoint.

"We were in Lake Toho, and we stopped at this island, Makinson Island, the first night," said Expedition host Virginia Johnson. "Nobody told me that they had wild boars on the island. So, we set up camp in the middle of the night, I just hear this scratching and this honk, snort, snort, snort and I wake up and I'm like that's a wild boar man, but I don't know what to do and I was too afraid to call for help cause I thought it would bring him to me. So, I just laid there and I tried not to breathe for like two hours."

Sound mixer Josh Harris said: "I never knew that we had the largest collection of non-migratory bald eagles in the country.  I have friends that have gone to Alaska and they say ‘We saw some bald eagles.’  I've seen more bald eagles on this trip than most people will see in their whole life and I had never seen one up to this point."

The wildlife especially kept videographer Jeff Cook on his toes. He had to be ready to roll 24/7.

"We actually saw one thing which we didn't use," Cook said. "It was a rabbit that crossed the river that I was shooting out there and unfortunately an alligator got him, but it was something to witness as it happened and everybody was kind of like ‘wow’."

Cook says they would see groups of large alligators, some as big as 18 feet long. That surprised him.

The trip was grueling, each day they spent hours just breaking down camp, including a six-person tent for all their equipment.

It was tough, but it was a trip they will never forget.

The Kissimmee River was first channelized in the 1960s to prevent flooding.

The restoration project began in the 1990s and should be complete by 2011.

You can learn more about Expedition: Kissimmee River on our Web site, just click on the Expedition: Kissimmee River link in the left side menu bar. You will find all of our stories, as well as a history of the river, and the project. 

In addition, you can watch all of our Expedition: Kissimmee River stories anytime at no additional cost, on Central Florida On Demand. That's Channel 300 on digital cable. Click on Central Florida News 13, and scroll over to Expedition: Kissimmee River.