This gallery is of an early morning paddle into the swamp. Starting at sunrise on Virginia Beach I thought about paddling into the great dismal swamp but with the boat traffic on the intercostal I just drove on down to Merchants Millpond. It is one of my favorite places in North Carolina!

Merchants Millpond State Park. Located in Gates County, North Carolina. It covers 3,447-acre around a 200 year old, 700 acre millpond and Lassiter Swamp.
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/memi/main.php