Swamps of the Carolina coastal plain are not commonly thought to be bright with fall colors – not like New England or even the Appalachians – but the delicate needles of bald cypress turn lovely shades of rust, tangerine, and maroon as trees withdraw their chlorophyll and needles wither.

At the end of hours paddling the intricate waterways of Merchants Millpond, heading back to the launch ramp, the sun struck the needles of this bald cypress, delicate as fern fronds and bright with the colors of fall. Splotches of organic film patterned the pond’s surface like water lilies. And the forest receded into green shadows dappled with sunlight.

It was the perfect ending to a morning on the pond.