Some of us trekked down the Black River to trees aged by Dave Stahle at > 2600 yr. Led by Don of Mahanaim Adventures, we entered the ancient stand from upstream. Continuing drought in the Southeast left us to portage the swamp interior. Many large trees have snapped in this hurricane-battered watershed, but blowdowns within the cypress groves are rare. Knees emerge from a tangle of roots that appears to anchor the entire stand against windthrow.