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Carolina Bays: Wild, Mysterious, and Majestic Landforms
There is a strange beauty at the heart of every mystery, and the mystery of the Carolina Bays is an enigma that is lushly, uniquely beautiful.
How did these odd geomorphological features come to be formed in the landscape in the first place, with their uniform shapes and matching elliptical orientations scattered across the Carolinas? There are many hypotheses but no definitive answers. Why are these inland phenomena even called "bays?" There is no clear answer to that either.
The best definition of these features are "temporary, isolated freshwater wetlands," variously described as "high or flatwater ponds, wet weather lakes, or vernal pools," often identified more accurately as "pocosins," and they are ecological wonders, full of all manner of amphibians and reptiles, insects and birds, wildlife and plants―many of them exotic and rare. What also defines them is their uncommon beauty.
Featuring more than one hundred-fifty color images, Carolina Bays takes you from an aerial perspective of these unusual bays to an on-the-ground safari, from frogs that croak and bark and boom to skinks that skim across the water as if on skis, and on to squawking herons to black-and-yellow polka-dotted caterpillars. There are growling alligators and four hundred-year-old trees and delicate yellow-fringed orchids. Life is found in astounding abundance.
These wetlands are unique and almost immeasurably ancient; as is to be expected in the modern world, they are threatened by human intervention. Such diverse habitats and their rich, unmatched biodiversity call out for preservation and restoration. The bays are not only visited and documented by the authors; they make an impassioned case for respecting how important these singular formations are for the health of the planet. You could not find more able guides.
How did these odd geomorphological features come to be formed in the landscape in the first place, with their uniform shapes and matching elliptical orientations scattered across the Carolinas? There are many hypotheses but no definitive answers. Why are these inland phenomena even called "bays?" There is no clear answer to that either.
The best definition of these features are "temporary, isolated freshwater wetlands," variously described as "high or flatwater ponds, wet weather lakes, or vernal pools," often identified more accurately as "pocosins," and they are ecological wonders, full of all manner of amphibians and reptiles, insects and birds, wildlife and plants―many of them exotic and rare. What also defines them is their uncommon beauty.
Featuring more than one hundred-fifty color images, Carolina Bays takes you from an aerial perspective of these unusual bays to an on-the-ground safari, from frogs that croak and bark and boom to skinks that skim across the water as if on skis, and on to squawking herons to black-and-yellow polka-dotted caterpillars. There are growling alligators and four hundred-year-old trees and delicate yellow-fringed orchids. Life is found in astounding abundance.
These wetlands are unique and almost immeasurably ancient; as is to be expected in the modern world, they are threatened by human intervention. Such diverse habitats and their rich, unmatched biodiversity call out for preservation and restoration. The bays are not only visited and documented by the authors; they make an impassioned case for respecting how important these singular formations are for the health of the planet. You could not find more able guides.
- GenresNonfictionNature
184 pages, Hardcover
Published January 22, 2020
About the author
Robert C. Clark
18 booksphotographer
Librarian note:
There is more than one author with this name
Librarian note:
There is more than one author with this name
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 1, 2020
Sharing a little Carolina love this weekend
WW1 aerial photography showed unique wetlands (pocosins) along the coastal plains that are independent of inflowing or outflowing waters. From the air, they look like craters on the moon. Will definitely add this book to my collection of field guides this summer. @goodreads
WW1 aerial photography showed unique wetlands (pocosins) along the coastal plains that are independent of inflowing or outflowing waters. From the air, they look like craters on the moon. Will definitely add this book to my collection of field guides this summer. @goodreads
January 14, 2025
Breathtaking photos of vistas and closeups of nature in the Carolina bays of the Carolinas (and Georgia). Despite the name, Carolina bays exist from New Jersey to Florida and to Alabama.
“Sand rims on bays' southeastern edges form a xeric, desertlike environment. The rims support pines and scrub oaks, but it's a hardscrabble existence. The white sands resemble a dusting of snow, and in autumn the reds of turkey oak leaves contrast sharply with the beach-like sands.” Beautiful descriptions for beauty—you need to see this picture from page 4 to really appreciate the text.
A fantastic read, a wonderful book to add to a nature lover’s collection.
Robert C. Clark and Tom Poland’s affinity for Carolina bays is contagious. However, the text is a little repetitive sometimes. I really like that the authors emphasize the endangered species that Carolina bays support—black bears, amphibians, plants, and insects that are necessary for a healthy environment for us.
4.5 stars rounded up because the author/photographer are so passionate about a good cause.
“Sand rims on bays' southeastern edges form a xeric, desertlike environment. The rims support pines and scrub oaks, but it's a hardscrabble existence. The white sands resemble a dusting of snow, and in autumn the reds of turkey oak leaves contrast sharply with the beach-like sands.” Beautiful descriptions for beauty—you need to see this picture from page 4 to really appreciate the text.
A fantastic read, a wonderful book to add to a nature lover’s collection.
Robert C. Clark and Tom Poland’s affinity for Carolina bays is contagious. However, the text is a little repetitive sometimes. I really like that the authors emphasize the endangered species that Carolina bays support—black bears, amphibians, plants, and insects that are necessary for a healthy environment for us.
4.5 stars rounded up because the author/photographer are so passionate about a good cause.
May 4, 2025
brilliant photography and language. i wanted to learn more them and the creatures that live there scientifically. this has a few fun facts but its wonderful for what it is — an accesible introduction to one of the marvels of the Carolinas. I’d keep this on a coffee table surely
September 26, 2022
Outstanding book. Anyone who loves the Carolinas should read and own this book. Include Georgia too of course. Clear, beautiful writing and gorgeous photographs. Mr. Poland says he's a writer and Mr Clark is a photographer and not scientists but I learned so much from this book. There's a chapter by James Dickey and references to many well known naturalists and scientists. Mr. Poland give us a log of their visits to specific bays. They speak about the theories of origins of bays, ways to preserve them, flora and fauna of the bays. They are modest about their knowledge of the bays but I learned all I need to know. Mr. Poland writes clearly and reasonably about preservation. There is no hyperbole about conservation, just a reasonable argument . As a senior citizen, I will not tramp through the woods to see a bay any more than I'd sit in the middle of a highway, but I can see and appreciate Carolina bays through this book. It does inspire me to view some bays the best I'm able to. Hurrah for this lovely book!
August 3, 2023
Beautiful photos and text about the unique wetlands that are located on the East Coast of USA. I enjoyed the illustrated talk the authors did at my local library.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews