My interest in the Carolina Bays was generated in 1937.
As a geology student at the University of North Carolina,
I was a member of a team studying the Bays near Darlington, S. C.
After intermittent, persistent studies, I now put thoughts in poetic form.
The Carolina Bays are a geologic wonder.
Of their origin we can only ponder.
Beautiful landscape scars seen from the air
Elegant oval sags, they lie on land with a flair.
In parts of the Coastal Plain that are flat and low
Their abundance and southeast orientation show.
Geologic characteristics here are unusual on earth,
But questionable thoughts arise about their birth.
An early theory focused on a shower of meteorites
Postulated as having hit the earth in angular flights.
Another geologist visualized Neptune’s racetrack
With lakes and eddies for wind currents to pack.
Effort has been directed to artesian springs
In a complex hypothesis that also brings
Solution that produced basins occupied by lakes
With a beach and sand ridge that a current makes.
New ideas and questions arise each year,
And better knowledge of their origin is near.
The theory I expressed 50 years ago failed,
But the thoughts here might be nearly nailed.
Focus is on compaction and subsidence of clay beds.
The sequence of events holds tightly on strong threads.
Compound actions occurred that were elsewhere rare
To consider them carefully is only fair.
The impacts of Pleistocene sea level fluctuations
Need more emphasis and deliberations.
As the most recent seashore moved out more,
The bays began their life inland from the shore.
Sand and clay beds are inter-layered closely.
The beds increase and tilt southeastward mostly.
The fluid pressure in the aquifer system declined,
And compaction of clay beds was not far behind.
The compaction of a clay bed led to subsidence
Slightly at local haphazard spots, and hence
Another subsided clay bed above or below,
Combined subsidence in the ground would grow.
The shape of a bay would not be round at land surface
But would be oval because of tilted beds in place.
Upper or lower local subsidence would be in laps
Which cause coastward migration of collapse.
Elsewhere widespread pressures decline readily
When thick sand beds are pumped steadily.
The clay bed subsidence is even but not evident,
Contrasting here with multiple beds being prevalent.
Another reason the land has subsided sporadically
The fluid pressure had declined emphatically.
The briny aquifer water that before was dense,
Has pushed seaward by fresh and light water since.
Dampness and near-surface water table in the bays
Result in color and plant contrasts in several ways.
The darker bay soil and surrounding white sand
Have much to say about the Carolina Bay brand.
Here and there, overlapping of bays on the land
Depend on sporadic subsidence of the clay and sand.
Predicting actions at a specific time is only a game,
And specific spots for bays we cannot name.
Bays and humans have wrinkles somewhat akin.
Both with a period of dehydration under the skin
The underlying soft watery foundation is within.
Are bays’ wrinkles prettier than those of women?
Of the origin we have long waited for news.
In the poem there may be likely clues
For someone to intellectually pursue
The makings of Carolina Bays as they grew.
Bay development will not likely be repeated
For thousands of years until the sea has retreated.
We may leave the bays as features of mystery.
They are a part of nature’s elegant history.
As a geology student at the University of North Carolina,
I was a member of a team studying the Bays near Darlington, S. C.
After intermittent, persistent studies, I now put thoughts in poetic form.
The Carolina Bays are a geologic wonder.
Of their origin we can only ponder.
Beautiful landscape scars seen from the air
Elegant oval sags, they lie on land with a flair.
In parts of the Coastal Plain that are flat and low
Their abundance and southeast orientation show.
Geologic characteristics here are unusual on earth,
But questionable thoughts arise about their birth.
An early theory focused on a shower of meteorites
Postulated as having hit the earth in angular flights.
Another geologist visualized Neptune’s racetrack
With lakes and eddies for wind currents to pack.
Effort has been directed to artesian springs
In a complex hypothesis that also brings
Solution that produced basins occupied by lakes
With a beach and sand ridge that a current makes.
New ideas and questions arise each year,
And better knowledge of their origin is near.
The theory I expressed 50 years ago failed,
But the thoughts here might be nearly nailed.
Focus is on compaction and subsidence of clay beds.
The sequence of events holds tightly on strong threads.
Compound actions occurred that were elsewhere rare
To consider them carefully is only fair.
The impacts of Pleistocene sea level fluctuations
Need more emphasis and deliberations.
As the most recent seashore moved out more,
The bays began their life inland from the shore.
Sand and clay beds are inter-layered closely.
The beds increase and tilt southeastward mostly.
The fluid pressure in the aquifer system declined,
And compaction of clay beds was not far behind.
The compaction of a clay bed led to subsidence
Slightly at local haphazard spots, and hence
Another subsided clay bed above or below,
Combined subsidence in the ground would grow.
The shape of a bay would not be round at land surface
But would be oval because of tilted beds in place.
Upper or lower local subsidence would be in laps
Which cause coastward migration of collapse.
Elsewhere widespread pressures decline readily
When thick sand beds are pumped steadily.
The clay bed subsidence is even but not evident,
Contrasting here with multiple beds being prevalent.
Another reason the land has subsided sporadically
The fluid pressure had declined emphatically.
The briny aquifer water that before was dense,
Has pushed seaward by fresh and light water since.
Dampness and near-surface water table in the bays
Result in color and plant contrasts in several ways.
The darker bay soil and surrounding white sand
Have much to say about the Carolina Bay brand.
Here and there, overlapping of bays on the land
Depend on sporadic subsidence of the clay and sand.
Predicting actions at a specific time is only a game,
And specific spots for bays we cannot name.
Bays and humans have wrinkles somewhat akin.
Both with a period of dehydration under the skin
The underlying soft watery foundation is within.
Are bays’ wrinkles prettier than those of women?
Of the origin we have long waited for news.
In the poem there may be likely clues
For someone to intellectually pursue
The makings of Carolina Bays as they grew.
Bay development will not likely be repeated
For thousands of years until the sea has retreated.
We may leave the bays as features of mystery.
They are a part of nature’s elegant history.
