The Mystery of Carolina Bays - Featuring Tom Poland

Explore the Carolina bays with South Carolina author Tom Poland, who takes a deep dive into this southern mystery. Plus, listen to his summary of a nonfiction article he wrote called "How a Mule Kick Killed 8 People."Introduction: Tom Poland is a true Southern gentleman and writer. Tom's career is focused on telling stories about the South's people, culture and land. Tom has written 14 books and over 2,000 magazine features and columns. Tom's Career: In 2018, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster awarded Tom the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor in South Carolina. Tom's feature on the Carolina bays in Midtown and 5 West magazines is highlighted. There is discussion about the fascinating Carolina bays and the dinosaur step theory. Father-Daughter Dynamic: Tom's important role as the father of Midtown/5 West/Triangle Family editor-in-chief Beth Shugg is mentioned. Beth discusses Tom's influence on her career path. Childhood and Magazine Beginnings: Beth shares childhood memories of Tom writing for South Carolina Wildlife magazine. She discusses her and her sister's creation of their own childhood magazine, "The Scoop," and the creative covers they made. Tom and But discuss fun anecdotes about their early magazine-making experiences. Tom's Writing Journey: Tom's interest in writing was sparked by winning a scriptwriting contest at the age of 9. His early writing experiences included covering the Carolina bays via documentaries and aerial photography. Tom explains the Carolina bays and the theory behind what created them. Carolina Bays and Their Features: Tom clarifies the term "bays" and its relation to the bay tree species, not water. He discusses  the sandy element and  misconception of the bays being ancient beaches. He mentions the unique sand characteristics and variation in Carolina bays. We also hear Tom's retelling of an article he wrote called "How a Mule Kick Killed Eight People."