Salt marsh

Figure 6. A salt marsh in Carteret County. (Photograph by the author. More about the photograph)

As you move toward the mainland along the Down East peninsula, you quickly find land lying even lower and flatter than that shown in Figure 5. This land is irregularly flooded with sea water and can only grow species of salt marsh plants that can tolerate these immersions. Most of these plants actually grow better in fresh water than in salt, but they are usually prevented from doing so by more successful competitors such as cattails and other salt intolerant plants. If you ever want to make a salt marsh happy (probably a rare desire), water it with freshwater. It will repay you by growing taller, faster and greener — presumably the only way a plant can show its appreciation for your thoughtfulness. Despite the lack of fresh water other than rain, salt marsh plants find favorable habitats along this peninsula.

Figures 6 shows a several-thousand-acre salt marsh along NC 12 just south of Cedar Island. Because the land is so flat and easily flooded, the marsh stretches to the horizon.

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