You should should absolutely go back and try it again, the Mistlands and Ashlands are so well designed. I find the swamp is easiest if you take it slow and use the hoe to build roads through the muck. Serpents can’t catch the iron tier boat unless you fight the wind and they’re not really worth the hassle to hunt unless you really want their head for decor, normally if I see one I just detour to wherever the wind takes me until they lose interest.

It’s also even better with friends.