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February 2021
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In the Tides CREW
Issue No. 66 February 2021
Publisher/Editor Amy Thurman amy@southerntidesmagazine.com
7 Editor's Note
Consulting Naturalist John "Crawfish" Crawford crawfish@uga.edu
9 Letter to the Editor 11 Tribute to Sandy West
The Bitter End Columnist Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill theoriginalcaptaingator@gmail.com
12 Addy's Adventure 15 Right Whale Update
Around the Reef Columnist Michelle Riley michelle.riley@noaa.gov Contributors
17 Troubled Waters 18 UGA Virtual Education Series 20 Community Updates
Elizabeth DuBose Ossabaw Island Foundation
22 The Bitter End
Dorothy Ingram SC Coastal Master Naturalist Emily Kenworthy UGA Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant Sara Buck Lane Tybee Island Marine Science Center
Copyright © 2015-2021
All content herein is copyright protected and may not be reproduced in whole or part without express written permission. Southern Tides is a free magazine, published monthly, and can be found at multiple locations from St. Marys, Ga., to Beaufort, S.C.
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About the Cover:
Our Captain Gator takes us on a trip down to manatee land this month. Join him on page 22. Photo by Captain J. Gary Hill
February 2021
Southern Tides Magazine
Letters to the Editor:
We love hearing from you! Questions, comments, ideas, or whatever you'd like to share, please do! Send your thoughts to any of our email addresses listed above. 5
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Editor’s Note T
his month I want to talk about a pending crisis in the marine community that seldom gets much attention: Our marine services providers aren’t getting any younger, while fewer and fewer young people are going into these trades. It’s become challenging for most coastal boat services companies to find qualified employees, and there are few training programs offered locally to help give potential candidates those qualifications. Why is this a crisis? For many of you it may not be. Until you have a problem with your boat and it’s going to take three months to get it repaired because your mechanic or other boat service provider is so backed up they can’t get to it before then. There goes your summer on the water. The Georgia Marine Business Association (GAMBA), made up of marine businesses in coastal Georgia, and of which I’m currently the executive director, has been looking into this for a while. What we’ve learned is that it’s a multi-faceted issue: a lack of available training, a lack of interest from local schools in offering the necessary courses, the lack of organized internships or hands-on training programs, and the younger generation’s lack of interest in or awareness of marine trades. All of which combined seems almost too large of a problem to tackle. GAMBA is working to develop a marine trades scholarship fund. But who would we award it to, and where would they go to get training? Let’s break it down. Lack of available training. While most outboard manufacturers offer training certification programs for their motors, these course typically only available through dealers. Meaning you have to get a job with a dealer before you can go through the school. There are similar programs through some electronics manufacturers. This is certainly one avenue, but there are no such programs for general engine repair, boat electrical systems, fiberglass, marine plumbing or heating and cooling, generator repair, rigging, or other general boat repair training. You can send your child to school outside the area (Florida, Annapolis, New England), but that can be costly in out-of-state tuition rates alone. This segues into the next problem, which is a lack of interest in local schools to offer courses. We do have several technical colleges in the region, and one would think given the number of boats in coastal Georgia that courses in boat repair and maintenance might seem logical offerings, but sadly that isn’t the case. And in reaching out to several of them, GAMBA representatives have gotten little if any interest or even response. Hands-on training and internships are how many tradesmen have learned their skills in the past and many would agree that this is often better than any formal training available. This is challenging in that the employer runs the risk of training someone only to have them leave and take their skills elsewhere. Agreements can be put in place to prevent this for a given period of time, but that requires an organized program to be established and most boat service providers are simply too busy to take time out to develop training plans and iron out employment agreements. The next issue to overcome is getting young folks interested in even pursuing a career in marine trades. In recent decades, our society as a whole has been focused more on sending our kids February 2021
Southern Tides Magazine
out to get college degrees rather than to become tradesmen, and the repercussions of this have been rippling outward ever since. The K-12 education system seems geared more toward college than vocational training and it leads one to wonder if today’s teenager is even aware that they could earn a decent living by learning a trade. It’s hard to know if you have an interest in something if you don’t even know it’s an option. This all summarizes the marine trades problem. So how do we solve it? One starting point that’s been put forth on multiple occasions is to approach area high schools and begin working with them to develop vocational training programs in partnership with area marine businesses. Reach kids when they’re figuring out what they want to do with their lives and present them with marine trades as an option. And while doing this, encourage local marine businesses to participate. Next we would need to push area technical colleges harder to offer training programs, and possibly even assist in helping them procure qualified instructors. It’s going to take community effort to make any of this happen. You might ask, “Why would my son or daughter want to learn a marine trade?” There are several answers to that question. Working in a great environment is one big reason. Other reasons include job security, earning a decent wage, staying close to family and friends in a local job, providing needed services in our community, and having skills that can easily transition to other industries if for some reason the boating industry ever takes a bad hit economically. There are solutions, we just need to come together, work together, to find them. We want to hear your thoughts and ideas. Get in touch. See you out there!
Amy Thurman
Editor in Chief amy@southerntidesmagazine.com
7
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A Letter to the Editor
A
s a coastal community, I do not think most of us are naïve to the fact that our well-being is dependent on the natural resources around us. I think most of us appreciate that many of our downtown areas have just as many trees as buildings, and that our marshes are such a pristine expansive ecosystem that both the avid boater/fisherman can appreciate for their resources and the average layperson can simply enjoy for their beauty. This is by no accident. The generations that came before us ensured this would be the case. They knew the value of these resources, so they preserved them and planned for them. General Oglethorpe was a pioneer in “urban planning.” Almost 300 years ago, in 1732, he laid out Savannah's plan in a functional grid pattern, centered around what would eventually become the lusciously landscaped green squares with stately live oaks draped in Spanish moss. The Coastal Marshlands Protection Act of 1970 is another example, which just celebrated 50 years protecting the Georgia coast. It was a revolutionary act for its time, and to this day, still helps in protecting our valuable marshes from mining and development. If you look at our neighboring states to the south and north, their marshes have not fared so well. Will we do the same for generations to come, 50 years from now, or even 300 years from now? Are we going to be the next Oglethorpe and help to create something so great that tourists will flock from far and wide to witness its beauty 300 years later? Now that election season is coming to an end, I hope that we can table the blue vs. red arguments and come together for the common goal of GREEN. I challenge our community to consider “going green” more than we ever have before. It has never been so easy, rewarding, and economically beneficial. Companies can seek out sustainable practices. Individuals can take small steps each day, to lessen their carbon footprint, simply by reducing their consumption, or considering reusing something. Last year was been tough for many, but as we move into 2021 we can see the light over the horizon, rising over a beautiful coastal Georgia salt marsh, and appreciate that 50 years ago somebody cared enough to preserve it for us to enjoy. It is our time to care that much, and to lay similar groundwork for future generations.
A few practical ways you can help: • Reusable grocery bags (easier to arrange purchases and to carry) • Recycle plastic, glass and cardboard household consumables • Combine trips and/or share rides for errands and other outings • Use glass storage containers for saving food (healthier than plastic too) • Use a thermos rather than buying bottled water (or filter your own water) • Rinse dishes immediately after eating to avoid wasted water scrubbing off dried-on food • Use hand towels and wash rags to clean up household spills, rather than paper towels • Set washer water levels properly to avoid wasting water • Donate or repurpose household items you no longer want or need rather than throwing away • Keep beach trips litter-free by packing snacks and drinks in reusable containers rather than taking prepackaged food (food wrappers and disposable drink containers make up a large portion of trash found on beach clean-ups) • Dispose of cigarette butts in the trash rather than on the ground or in the water • Dispose of used fishing line at the receptacles at most boat ramps or take it home and throw it away • Don’t place trash in the floorboard of your car or bed of your truck that can fall or blow out and land on the road or marsh • Keep your vehicle tuned up and tires at proper pressure for engine efficiency • Properly dispose of dead batteries (www.georgiarecycles. org/tools-resources/citizen-resource-guides/battery-guide/)
Sincerely, Kristen Deason Savannah
If you have a message to share about our coastal community or about Southern Tides, please email amy@southerntidesmagazine.com for consideration. February 2021
Southern Tides Magazine
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Remembering Sandy Submitted by the Ossabaw Island Foundation
I
t is with great sadness and many glorious memories that The Ossabaw Island Foundation board and staff reflect on the news of the death of Eleanor “Sandy” Torrey West, on January 17, 2021 at her home in Garden City, Georgia. Mrs. West died on her 108th birthday. In many ways, Mrs. West embodied the spirit of Ossabaw Island, the third-largest of Georgia's barrier islands, just south of Savannah. Mrs. West was always eager to share that spirit, and her island, with anyone. She established the Ossabaw Island Project in the 1960s and the Genesis Project in the 1970s as ways to allow students, artists, writers, scientists, ecologists, philosophers, and other intellectuals and creative thinkers to reconnect with the natural world, and with each other, in important and powerful ways. In the late 1970s, Sandy West spearheaded her family’s effort to assure that Ossabaw Island, owned by the Torrey-West family since 1924, would remain in its unspoiled condition forever. She led her family’s negotiation of the sale of Ossabaw Island to the state of Georgia, stipulating that Ossabaw be established as Georgia’s first State Heritage Preserve. In 1978, the Torreys sold the island to the state for half of its appraised value, a family sacrifice that insured the preservation of Ossabaw. But, more than this, Sandy West’s enthusiastic, joyful spirit, and her love of the experience of Ossabaw inspired thousands of people over her long and fruitful life. She lived on Ossabaw full time from 1987 until 2016, and even in her final days living on Ossabaw, regularly spent time among the trees, on the beaches, and with the animals of the island. "It is hard to imagine that the death of someone at age 108 is surprising, but we are in shock over the loss of our visionary and friend," said Elizabeth DuBose, Executive Director of the Ossabaw Island Foundation. "Ossabaw Island, as we know it, exists because of Mrs. West, and Georgia is a better place because of her life’s work. We extend our deepest condolences to Mrs. West’s children, grandchildren, many other relatives, and legions of close friends." "I am truly distressed and saddened to learn of Mrs. West's death," said TOIF Board Chair M. Tyus Butler, Jr. "It was Mrs. West's vision, determination, sensitivity, and generosity that made the island's preservation possible, all to the benefit of the State of Georgia, the public, the arts and sciences, the environment--all of us. God speed, Sandy. What a wonderful life! You are already sorely missed."
Elizabeth DuBose with Sandy at her 100th birthday party, on Ossabaw Island. Photo provided by The Ossabaw Island Foundation
Sandy with Judy Williams at a Buckingham South Christmas program. Photo provided by Judy Williams
Editor's Note: All of us at Southern Tides offer our condolences to the Torrey-West family. Sandy will always have a special place in our hearts. We were blessed to have known her and to have spent time on Ossabaw.
February 2021
Southern Tides Magazine
Betsy Cain and Sandy cutting up at Sandy's annual pig roast in 2014. Photo provided by The Ossabaw Island Foundation 11
Addy's Aventure By Sara Buck Lane Tybee Island Marine Science Center
I
t was a story that left the Tybee Island community and surrounding area in disbelief. Whether you are a resident of coastal Georgia or not, there’s a good chance you remember hearing about the six loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings that were taken from the beach on Tybee Island in July 2018. The story quickly made national news that summer. Instead of making their way to the ocean as hatchlings do, the six hatchlings were taken from the beach by island visitors, who were unaware of the legal ramifications of taking protected animals from their habitat. The hatchlings were taken back to Admiral’s Inn, a local Tybee Island lodging establishment, where the visitors were staying. The baby hatchlings were soon found by the housekeeping and maintenance staff at the inn and the Tybee Island Marine Science Center was notified. Staff from the Center rushed over and within an hour of being retrieved from the inn, five of the hatchlings were re-hydrated and released into the Atlantic Ocean on the north end of Tybee Island.
After just a couple months in the care of TIMSC, she's already growing. Photo provided by Tybee Island Marine Science Center
As part of their conservation efforts, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center holds a permit to keep a hatchling every two years to serve as an animal ambassador. The sixth hatchling was kept by the center for that very purpose. The baby hatchling needed a name and locals had fun weighing in on what her name should be. It was soon decided that she would be called Addy, after her brief and unusual stay at Admiral’s Inn. Addy became quite the celebrity that summer. She settled into her home at the Center’s Strand location right away and it wasn’t long before her unique personality started to shine. Weighing just 17g (approximately the weight of a strawberry or a tablespoon of water) when she first arrived at the Center, Addy is now quite the heavyweight weighing in at 13,000kg (approximately 30 pounds). She quickly graduated from her 30 gallon tank to her current 800
Shown here in a small plastic tub, these six hatchlings were found in a tourist's room at a local inn on Tybee Island. Photo provided by Tybee Island Marine Science Center 12
Southern Tides Magazine
February 2021
gallon tank. A bit of an overachiever, Addy routinely reaches her milestones ahead of schedule despite her unsettling beginning. She has proven to outpace other hatchlings the Center has previously cared for and continues to impress her caretakers and visitors. She is very engaging and craves attention from staff and visitors alike. As many have said, “to know her is to love her!” Addy continues to thrive and receives a healthy diet consisting of “seafood brownies” (think carrots, kale, and lots of seafood) and “sea turtle jello” lovingly made by her caretakers. She also receives live feedings for enrichment. Blue crabs may be her favorite snack and she is currently eating 2% of her body weight. Addy will remain at the Center until her release, planned for later this year. But for now, she is preparing for quite the upgrade. Her new home at the center’s new location on Meddin Drive will consist of a sprawling 4,590 gallon tank offering plenty of room for her to continue to grow until her release. In an effort to involve the community in these socially distanced times, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center recently launched Addy’s Adventure, an interactive journey to move Addy from her current location at the Strand to her new home at Meddin Drive. Addy’s Adventure will serve as the final stage of the Center’s capital campaign that will raise money for the remaining exhibits at the new location. Addy’s Adventure will begin at the Strand and will conclude at the center’s new location at 37 Meddin Drive which is a total of 14,256 feet (2.7 miles) to travel. For every $10 donated to Addy’s Adventure, Addy will travel one foot towards her new home and for every $100 donated, she will move ten feet. With the help and support of an invested community who adores this special ambassador, Addy’s Adventure is sure to be a success! To follow her progress and to donate to Addy’s Adventure, visit AddysAdventure. com.
Left, Addy at just over a year old. Top, a closeup of Addy mugging for the camera. Above, a leisurely swim around her tank. Photo by Sara Buck Lane; other photos provided by Tybee Island Marine Science Center
AddysAdventure.com February 2021
Southern Tides Magazine
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Right Whale Update
A
long the Georgia/Florida coast, recent sightings of three North Atlantic right whale calves and three adult whales that could be pregnant have stirred hope for a strong calving season this winter. Yet this hope is tinged with the sobering knowledge that this species will require much more to avoid extinction. Here’s a brief overview. Status: There are fewer than 100 breeding females left. (Adult females drive population growth.) And in the past 10 years the number of calves per year has dropped to half the annual average (24) born the previous decade. Deaths: Since 2017, 32 dead right whales have been found in the U.S. and Canada. Another 13 whales still alive have been documented with serious injuries from entanglements or strikes. Deaths are up, calving is down. “The math is pretty simple,” said Clay George, a DNR senior wildlife biologist. Issues: Shipping traffic remains thick along the Atlantic seaboard. Millions of lobster and crab traps are set in New England and Canadian waters each year. Warming oceans have commercial fishers moving to deeper water, increasing the risk of whale entanglements. Stronger fishing rope is worsening whale injuries. Meanwhile, the life span of adult female right whales has shrunk and intervals between calving have increased. The male/female ratio has grown to almost 2-to-1. Outlook: A proposed federal rule to reduce entanglements is in the works, spurred in part by a lawsuit. Massachusetts is holding hearings on reducing entanglement risks. Work is being done to develop “ropeless” fishing systems that either eliminate buoy ropes or keep them out of the water column. What GADNR is doing: Again teaming with NOAA, Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to monitor right whales this winter by plane and boat. Calves will be biopsied for genetics research. George and staff will also help in any disentanglement efforts. What you can do: Inform yourself about these whales and what’s being done to protect them, including about sustainable seafood. Support right whale conservation in Georgia. When boating November-March, be on the lookout and slow down for right whales. Stay at least 500 yards away and report sightings at 877-WHALE-HELP (877-942-5343). The last word: “I’m still optimistic,” George said. “In the 2000s, we saw how quickly the population can grow if mortality is managed and females have lots of calves. If we can slow ships down in the right places, and remove heavy fishing rope from their habitat, the whales would have a fighting chance.” Visit: bit.ly/gadnr_rightwhales Top: Catalog #1243 ‘Magic’’ and calf were sighted 4NM off St. Andrew Sound on January 4, 2021. Magic is 39 years old and this is her 7th calf. Bottom: Catalog #3130 and calf were sighted 16NM off Amelia Island on January 13, 2021. #3130 is 20 years old and this is her 3rd calf. Photos by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, NOAA permit #20556-01 15 February 2021 Southern Tides Magazine
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Troubled Waters By Dorothy Ingram South Carolina Coastal Master Naturalist
in which Peter Falk stands on the deck of an ocean liner gesturing out to sea. “That’s the biggest garbage dump in the world,” he proclaims, in his frustration over a missing clue that he believes his suspect has tossed overboard. This might have been a funny line in 1975, but it’s certainly no joke now. According to the EPA, plastic trash has the greatest potential of all forms of trash to harm the environment, wildlife, and humans. Smokers may not realize that cigarette filters are also composed of plastics, along with over 150 other chemicals. Those cigarette butts that are casually tossed aside by smokers at boat landings, on beaches, or on riverbanks, will join these other chemical pollutants that are poisoning our oceans and our planet. On this particular day, Cherry Point volunteers collected 1,047 pieces of litter that have accumulated over time, dumped into the marsh and tossed onto greenspaces surrounding the boat landing. This litter sweep and data collection effort will join others of its kind to help the Parks department and other government agencies construct a picture of how big the problem is, what it’s composed of, where it’s coming from, and what it will take to resolve it. To learn more about the Litter-Free Digital Journal and help find the solution to end plastic pollution wherever you are, visit scaquarium.org/conservation or anecdata.org/projects/view/122. Plastics are at the bottom of the ocean and in every waterway, while the toxins that are released as plastic breaks down are traveling up the food chain…and guess who’s at the top?
"M
aria!” I shouted. “It’s 4:30, and time to call it a day.” I could tell that it would be difficult to get Maria out of the marsh. Wearing high boots, lugging a full bag of trash, and positively stunned by all that she had found mired in the pluff mud, Maria was not alone in her dismay. Some 27 volunteers from Keep Wadmalaw Beautiful, the South Carolina Aquarium, and the Coastal Master Naturalists were on hand that day, working in the marsh, green spaces, and parking lot of Cherry Point Boat Landing on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina. Keep Wadmalaw Beautiful had adopted this popular landing, under the auspices of the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission’s (CCPRC) Adopt-A Landing Program, with the understanding that they would use a citizen science tool called the Litter-Free Digital Journal to record the litter they found. The haul included discarded light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, clothing, shoes, carpeting, building materials, along with 281 beverage cans, 86 glass bottles, and 423 assorted plastic items, including bags, bottles, food wrappers, straws, toys, utensils, and other miscellaneous plastics, as well as face masks, cigarette butts, and cigar tips, and in only the space of an hour and a half. The Litter-Free Digital Journal (LFDJ), designed by the South Carolina Aquarium (SCA) in collaboration with MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine, is one of a suite of projects within the South Carolina Aquarium Citizen Science App that enables citizens worldwide to contribute important data in support of environmental conservation. LFDJ invites users to not only remove toxic debris from fragile ecosystems, but also to document their findings over time in an open access database. Both SCA and CCPRC recognize that there is a rapidly escalating problem with plastics and other debris choking the waterways that carry this refuse directly into our oceans. To address litter and plastic pollution calls for databased problem solving to reach a clear understanding of what the problem actually is. Consequently, SCA and CCPRC volunteers, along with over 1400 other volunteer groups and individuals, routinely perform litter sweeps and record every piece of debris they find in the Litter-Free Digital Journal. South Carolina’s response to LFDJ data – well over one million discrete items of debris collected and catalogued since 2016 -- has been a successful, collective effort by civic leaders throughout coastal South Carolina to enact single use plastic bans in numerous South Carolina municipalities. Riverkeeper organizations and community members in the upstate have joined the effort as well, acknowledging that whatever goes into even the smallest of waterways will eventually end up in the ocean. Columbo fans will remember the episode “Troubled Waters,” February 2021
Southern Tides Magazine
Volunteers after a successful cleanup at the Cherry Point boat landing on Wadmalaw Island. You could organize a cleanup as well! Photo by Kelly Thorvalson
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UGA Virtual Education Series
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By Emily Woodward Kenworthy Public Relations Coordinator UGA Marine Extension and Georgai Sea Grant
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O
n the deck of the Sea Dawg, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s 43-foot research vessel, marine educator Dodie Sanders sets up her computer, webcam and teaching props, which include live fish, corals and a stingray. She introduces herself through her webcam and asks her first question, “What do we call water that’s in between fresh and salty?” “Brackish!” responds a chorus of students from the speakers of her computer. A few hundred miles away in Rome, Georgia, 25 fifth graders at the Darlington School are watching Sanders’ program on their iPads. Typically, this conversation would happen aboard the Sea Dawg while trawling for live specimens in Wassaw Sound. For the next two days, educators at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium are bringing the on-site, outdoor experiences to the classroom for the first time by way of virtual school trips. Sanders describes the importance of Georgia’s brackish water estuaries where so many different species, like red drum, shrimp and blue crabs spend all or part of their lives. She talks about the different animals in her touch tank, explaining the physical and biological characteristics that are unique to each animal. The educational trawl is just one of 16 different virtual classes now available to K-12 classrooms across the state. Available classes include marine debris, squid dissection, maritime forest hikes and more. “Shifting from on-site to virtual programs has made us approach everything we do from a very different perspective with the goal of creating meaningful and impactful education programs,” says Sanders, who, along with her marine educator colleagues, spent several months modifying on-site programs for a virtual setting. “How do you virtually capture searching for invertebrates living on the underside of a floating dock, the smell of salt marsh mud, hiking across an undeveloped barrier island, or touching cool organisms collected in a trawl net?” Sanders asks. “We’re incorporating the same teaching methods, the same tricks of the trade but perhaps on a more complicated and elevated level.”
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Southern Tides Magazine
February 2021
Through virtual programming, students can experience live animals such as this alligator held by marine educator Katie Higgins. Photo provided by UGA Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant
Sanders uses a computer and webcam to virtually teach students. Photo provided by UGA Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant
The education team developed program templates, wrote teaching outlines, created new pre- and post-activities and tested new audio-visual equipment to prepare for the virtual school programs. They keep the students engaged by showing pre-recorded videos of local environments and up-close live shots of animals that are native to the coast. They also frequently pause instruction for question-and-answer sessions and encourage opportunities for students to share their own stories. “Do you ever not want to go trawling and just sit on the boat instead?” asks one student during the virtual trawl. “What happens if you catch a shark?” asks another. Julie Fine, a fifth-grade teacher at Darlington School, says students at Darlington have been visiting the education facility on Skidaway Island for 10 years. “We were really concerned that our kids would be missing out on a lot of the things that make fifth grade special. So much has already changed in their world,” says Fine. “When we reached out to see what you guys might be able to offer, we were really excited to hear about the virtual experience.” Fine and fellow fifth grade teacher Bebe Cline chose the classes they would normally have done on-site, like the squid dissection and dolphin excursion, but they also picked new classes, like the trawling trip and coastal reptiles, which ended up being big hits with their students. February 2021
Southern Tides Magazine
“At one point, one of the fish jumped out of the little tray and they loved that. They loved seeing them up close,” Fine says. Their goal was to make the two days as full and as exciting as possible, without actually being at the coast, Fine says. They also chose topics that aligned with their studies of classification and coastal Georgia as part of the fifth-grade curriculum. “Our students were definitely focused and learning and really getting the material, much the same that they do while they are actually there,” Fine says. This positive feedback from Darlington is encouraging for educators at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium, who plan to further enhance virtual school programming and reach more students in the coming year. In the past, transportation, funding and logistics have often made field trips a challenge for schools who want to come to the Marine Education Center and Aquarium. With the virtual programs up-and-running, teachers can bring the coast to their students with the click of a mouse and at a fraction of the cost. “Our new world of teaching virtually affords the opportunity to reach and serve more diverse communities, especially those who may not be able to take part in our on-site programs,” says Sanders. “Virtual programs make us more accessible.” Teachers can learn about and register for Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s virtual school programs at gacoast.uga.edu/ virtual-school-programs/ 19
Community Updates Choosing to Lead Conference Goes Virtual
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One Hundred Miles has moved their 2021 conference to an online lecture series. This year’s theme is “Coming Together to Tackle our Coast’s Biggest Challenges.” Every Tuesday from February 2-March 2, a new group of conservation speakers from across the country will present, with weekly big picture questions that address the looming challenges facing our coast. Topics tackling everything from North Atlantic right whale conservation and climate change and sea level rise, to racial justice and equity in the environmental movement and the inspiring legacy of Jimmy Carter. This year’s lineup includes: Tuesday, February 16 – How Can We Do Better? Making our Conservation Movement more Inclusive and Equitable for All, with J. Drew Lanham and Josiah Watts. Tuesday, February 23 – How Can We Save our Future? An Intergenerational Call to Action on Climate with Bill McKibben and Delaney Reynolds, moderated by Brionté McCorkle. Tuesday, March 2 - How Can We Make a Difference? Reflecting on the Life, Legacy, and Service of Jimmy Carter with Jonathan Alter and Gus Speth, moderated by Jason Carter. The programs run from 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. You can reserve your spot for a small donation of any size at onehundredmiles.org/ctl-registration/. If you aren’t able to make a donation online, email catherine@onehundredmiles.org or call (912) 264-4111 and we’ll provide a free scholarship.
Fisheries to Host Webinars for Charter Captains NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Office will host weekly question and answer webinar sessions to assist participants with program information and compliance. Program staff and software vendor representatives will participate in these webinars to answer questions and resolve issues users identify. These webinars are for anyone with an interest in the Southeast Electronic For-Hire Program and specifically, any captain, owner, or lessee running a headboat or charter trip on a boat with any of the following permits: Atlantic coastal migratory pelagics, Atlantic dolphin wahoo, South Atlantic snapper grouper, Gulf of Mexico reef fish, and Gulf Of Mexico coastal migratory pelagics. NOAA Fisheries implemented the new Southeast For-Hire Electronic Reporting Program in January 2021. This program will provide more timely catch, effort, and discard information from federally-permitted for-hire vessels, to be used in future fish population assessments and management evaluations. To register for webinars, visit: bit.ly/fisheries_webinar Please call the NOAA customer service hotline with any questions (available from 8:00-4:30, EST) at (833)707-1632 or email us at ser.electronicreporting@noaa.gov. Have news to share with the community? Send it to amy@southerntidesmagazine.com for consideration. 20
Southern Tides Magazine
February 2021
Ken’s Seafood
Youth Birding T-Shirt Art Contest Georgia’s 16th annual Youth Birding Competition invites resident children and teens to celebrate birds through a T-shirt Art Contest. Many famous ornithologists were bird artists when they were young, so perhaps you could be the next John James Audubon, Roger Tory Peterson or David Allen Sibley! A winner will be picked from each of four age categories: primary (pre-K-2nd), elementary (third-fifth), middle school (sixth-eighth) and high school. One winner will be awarded the grand prize – their artwork will appear on the 2021 Youth Birding Competition T-shirt and they’ll receive a $100 Amazon gift card. The three Peregrine Falcon by 2020 grand prize winner 8th- other winners will each receive a $50 grader Alston Li of Duluth. Amazon gift card, redeemable for art supplies. Participants must draw or paint a native Georgia bird that has not been previously featured on a Youth Birding Competition T-shirt. Artwork may be created on paper or sheet canvas, at least 8-by-10 inches but no larger than 11-by-17 inches. Draw or paint the bird’s features as accurately as possible. A simple background that provides habitat context is good to include, but make sure the bird stands out well and is the focus of the artwork. Also keep in mind that deep, contrasting colors scan best for a T-shirt. Be sure to provide the participant’s name, school, age, grade level, city, phone number and e-mail address, and the species name of the bird depicted in the artwork. To enter the contest, email a full-frame photo (from a camera or smartphone) of the artwork by March 10, 2021, to Linda.May@dnr.ga.gov. For more information on the T-shirt Art Contest, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/ YBCTshirtArtContest. You can also contact art contest coordinator Linda May at (706) 319-0211 or linda.may@dnr.ga.gov. Details on the 2021 Youth Birding Competition, including how to register a team (March 31 deadline), will be posted soon at www.georgiawildlife.com/YBC. You can also contact competition coordinator Tim Keyes at (912) 262-3191 or tim.keyes@dnr.ga.gov.
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Teen Birding Camp Scheduled for June 5 – 10 Camp TALON (Teen Adventures Learning Ornithology & Nature) is a one-of-a kind camp for teens, ages 14 – 19, with a strong interest in the outdoors, birding and ecology. Each day the adventure begins as the group travels by charter bus to barrier islands, state parks, wildlife management areas and refuges along Georgia’s coast. Evening classes challenge our campers with presentations and quizzes about bird identification, songs, behavior, flight, migration and other “birdy” topics. The camp runs for 6 days, 5 nights for up to 20 campers. For beginning to experienced birders who don’t mind long, hot, sometimes “buggy” days on beaches and marshes. Older birders who have attended before may be eligible for internships. Sign up by April 16 at a reduced fee! Sponsors include DNR, The Environmental Resources Network (TERN), Georgia Ornithological Society and Georgia Audubon. For information and registration, visit: bit.ly/camp_talon2021
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February 2021
Southern Tides Magazine
21
DOG FRIENDLY
The BitterEnd Manatees and Mythatees By Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill
S
orry about that title. It’s early in the morning and gators don’t think well this early. I just returned from a whirlwind trip through the Sunshine State on a wintertime adventure. As we’ve moved into the new year and find ourselves still in the clutches of this global chaos, I had to get some space to breathe. Safely of course. So, I took a trip down to Citrus County Fla., and no, it wasn’t to gather oranges or any citruses for that matter. Rather, it was in search of mermaids and sirens. These magnificent creatures do indeed exist, however, today we classify them as manatees (sorry ladies, not womanatees). Citrus County, or more precisely Homosassa/Crystal River, in and around the Three Sisters Springs area hosts the largest winter gathering of manatees in America. With nearly six thousand of these splendid creatures, also known as sea cows, in Florida and it’s estimated that between 25 to 33 percent can be found in this county on the Gulf Coast. Although the Three Sisters Springs tour facility was not operating when I visted, the day was warm and most of the aquatic mammals had ventured out of the warmth of the springs to play in the nearby bays of the Gulf. I was staying in Homosassa, so did a quick re-route and was off to the Ellie Schiller Wildlife State Park to see what I could see. I was not disappointed. OK, I was mildly disappointed in that the underwater glass observatory that would allow you to be at eye level with our watery friends was closed due to health and safety concerns, but most of rest of the venue was open and did not disappoint. I won’t going into a great dissertation about manatees, but I will give you a nice overview and some cursory information. First, the West Indian manatee is what you will generally find here in the U.S. There are also the Amazonian, and West African species. Steller’s sea cows, home to waters of the Bering Strait, were hunted to extinction in the late 1700’s. Some would even say there’s a species known as a dwarf manatee, though it’s debated that these are just smaller versions of the three primary species. There are myths aplenty surrounding sea cows. One urban legend suggests that they were brought here as a food source by early Spanish explorers. This has proven to be untrue as there are fossil records of manatees in Florida waters some 3 million years ago. Most likely these adept swimmers have been island hopping for generations. Then you have the ever-present myth that these creatures were mistaken for mermaids. This one actually has some merit and can be traced back to Christopher Columbus whose journal makes mention of such a creature, but it most likely was a manatee. Mermaid myths go back to the Assyrians, circa 1000 B.C. The Greeks also described sirens and mermaids, two entirely different beings, as early as around 200 to 300 B.C. I have spent a great deal of my life around the ocean. During
Manatees and a Gator disguised as a manatee. Photos by Sandy Ockinga
that time I’ve previously been known to occasionally have a few too many drinks, but I have never been drunk enough to mistake a sea cow for Ariel. Although, as I mentioned earlier the Spanish did not bring them here as food, manatees have been known to show up on the menu. First Nations peoples, such as the Seminoles and various tribes within their Nation have indeed used this animal as both part of their diet and in spiritual context. Later, during the Great Depression, they were used as food in much the same way as terrestrial cattle; due to their primary diet their meat is quite lean, red in color and similar in texture to beef. As a side note the tail was considered the primo selection. I would remind you carnivores out there that manatees are protected by the Marine Mammals Act, and as such, you could be fined up to $100,000 and serve time in jail. Better to stick with beef. If you are looking for a quick and fun getaway, a mere four hours away awaits the magical kingdom of the manatee. As always, peace and love, shrimp and grits … I'll see you on the water!
Email: TheOriginalCaptainGator@gmail.com
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Southern Tides Magazine
February 2021
101 Edgewood Road Gordonston
Located on a huge corner lot with welcoming open arms. The main home has four bedrooms and two baths. Large open floor plan. Living Room with FP opens to the DR and then Kitchen with breakfast room. A full wrap around screened porch. Beautiful staircase to upstairs with two large bedrooms and a full bath. There is a carriage house that is ready for your guests. Studio apartment on second floor of garage. Washer/dryer hookups for main house on one side and for apartment on the other. Great area for walking and biking. Very close to downtown and the beach. $384,900
TYBEE ISLAND
1217 Bay Street, Unit A 232 UNDER CONTRACT
Relax and enjoy in this recently converted 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom vacation condo. All new updates including a brand new King-Sized Bed, and a new in-unit Washer and Dryer. The living area features updated furnishings and a well-equipped kitchen with breakfast bar seating for 2, additional table seating for 4, stovetop and oven and full sized fridge/freezer. The living room is furnished with a sleeper sofa and a 32in flat-screen TV, with DVD player. Furnished private balcony with a glimpse of the ocean. $239,900
WILMINGTON ISLAND
Here is the one that you have been waiting on. Sweet brick bungalow with open great room. A kitchen that is big enough for all the cooks. Eat in area and bar in the kitchen. Large master bedroom with ensuite bath. Two more good sized bedrooms and a hall bath. No carpet in the entire house. Single car garage with laundry on an elevated area at the rear. Lots of storage. The lush backyard with extended patio is ready for your outdoor cooking and oyster roasts. Totally fenced in so you can bring your family pets. Very easy to show. $242,000
1112 Cobb Road
THUNDERBOLT
Excellent buildable lot in Thunderbolt. Build a single family home and have the conveniences of living in Thunderbolt. $49,500
0 Grant Street
SOUTHSIDE
Closed! 122 Wild Heron Villas Road
$267,000
6349 Abercorn St. Savannah, GA 912.352.1222 Find me on:
BURNSIDE ISLAND
Total renovation, 3BR, 2BA! New electrical, plumbing, foam insulation in exterior walls and attic. Interior walls has additional insulation. Open with a fantastic new gourmet kitchen. Huge GR, Sun Room, Covered Patio, Butler’s Pantry and separate laundry room. Wait til you see the master bedroom and bath. Luxurious shower and sitting area in master. Fenced backyard and two driveways with access to backyard for the larger “toys”. Great storage over the carport with a pull down access. Golf cart approved!! $299,000
THE LANDINGS
This Deer Creek Home Features 10ft Ceilings, Hardwood Floors, Foyer Open to Great Room with Gas Fireplace and Built-In Bookshelves, Formal Dining Room, Spacious Family Room with Brick Hearth, Gas Fireplace Open to Kitchen with KraftMaid Cabinets, Granite Tops, Walk-In Pantry. Master Suite Offers Sitting Room/Study/Nursery, His/Her Closets, Dual Vanities, Walk-In Shower. Upstairs Features Loft Space, 2 Additional Bedrooms with On-suite Bath and Huge Bonus Room. Many Additional Upgrades. $665,000
Lyn McCuen 912.224.0927
lyn@coldwellbanker.com www.lynmccuen.com @lynmccuen UNDER CONTRACT !! NEW !!
435 Hunt Drive UNDER CONTRACT
3 Sundew Road
MONTGOMERY
Build Your Dreams on this Vacant Lot in Established Beaulieu/Montgomery Area! Property Features Gorgeous Oaks and Mature Foliage with Private Well & Septic. Located Near Bethesda, Burnside Island, & Rio Vista, Yet Convenient to Truman Parkway. Offering Desirable Frontage on Ferguson Avenue, The Two Adjacent Lots “0 Lehigh Ave” and “10001 Bethesda” MUST Be Sold Together as One for $125,000. The Property Features Combined Acreage Totaling 1.32 Acres. So Much Potential!! Make Your Appointment Today! $115,000
0 Ferguson Avenue
WILMINGTON ISLAND
Closed! $149,500
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7108 Walden Park
Living Shorelines
We Prepare and Install Living Shorelines Living shorelines provide a natural and stable alternative to sea walls. Zulu is pleased to offer installation where stabilization and shoreline restoration is needed. • • • • • •
Assembled with bags of recycled oyster shells Stabilizes eroding shorelines or failing bulkheads Plantings of native grasses enhance stabilization Encourages growth of oysters, which provides water filtration Provides habitat for multiple fish and crustacean species Increases resistance to flooding
For more information or to discuss your shoreline stabilization project, email us: rusty.batey@zuludiscovery.com.
zuludiscovery.com
(912) 544-5520
