Southern Tides October 2017

all about the water

DNR Logbook

Sea Turtle Research October 2017

Pelicans vs. Irma

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all about the water STAFF Publisher/Editor - Amy Thurman amy@southerntidesmagazine.com The Bitter End Columnist - Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill jgaryhill@gmail.com Around the Reef Columnist - Michelle Riley michelle.riley@noaa.gov Ebb & Flow Columnist - Trey Leggett info@southerntidesmagazine.com Taste of the Tides Chef - Karin Westendorf info@southerntidesmagazine.com Contributing Writer - Emily Woodward ewoodward@uga.edu Contributing Writer - Erin Weeks weekse@dnr.sc.gov Contributing Writer - Rick Lavender www.georgiawildlife.com/archive Contributing Writer - Michael Sullivan mike.sullivan@skio.uga.edu Social Media Manager - Kyara Mejia kyarajanetmejia@gmail.com

Copyright Š 2015-2017

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, SC.

PO Box 30724 Wilmington Island, GA 31410 (912) 484-3611 info@southerntidesmagazine.com www.issuu.com/SouthernTidesMagazine.com Visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/southern-tides-magazine Follow us on Instagram @ southerntides_mag Follow us on Twitter @ AllAboutTheWater Southern Tides Magazine is printed by Walton Press, Monroe, GA

I n the T ides 5

Editor's Note

9

Ebb & Flow - Fall Harvest

6

Community Updates

11 Around the Reef - Diving

13 Did You Know? - Ghost Crabs 13 Taste of the Tides Oyster Sauces 14 DNR Logbook Crustacean Trawl 18 Oyster Roast for Reason Promo 20 Bulldog Sea Turtle Research 23 Otter Island

25 Pelican Chicks vs. Irma

27 Microfiber Pollution Research 29 What's Going On ...

30 The Bitter End Should I Stay or Should I Go?

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About the Cover: A Kemp's ridley sea turtle aboard the R/V Georgia Bulldog for valuable (and safe) research.

Photo by Emily Woodward, UGA, under NOAA permit Section 10(A)(1)(a) 19621

Community Focus Project Hurricane Debris - Wilmington River The Zulu Discovery team has identified numerous areas of concentrated marine debris in Chatham County using both aerial and marine resources. Many areas that look innocuous from the ground or water level, including many areas in the Wilmington River, prove to hold debris from docks and other structures torn apart during Hurricane Matthew. Much of this debris still contains bolts and nails, and is still in sections large enough to present a hazard to life and property should it re-enter navigable waters.

There is also significant debris present in protected areas and wildlife habitats.

Although Chatham County is taking steps to find a solution, funding for clean-up is not readily available.

Zulu and Southern Tides are working to start a community focus project in an effort to raise both awareness and funding for clean-up.

During extreme fall tides, debris can dislodge and return to the waterways presenting hazards to navigation and causing damage to docked vessels and wildlife.

If your home or business is on or adjacent to the Wilmington River, or other areas with structural debris, we urge you to contact us to attend a Community Focus meeting. No obligation is required, this is simply an information sharing discussion. Meeting location & date TBA via email and on Facebook.

If you know other homeowners or businesses that could potentially be impacted, please share this information. Please email:

amy@southerntidesmagazine.com, visit our facebook page Matthew Debris Focus Group, or call (912) 544-5520

Sponsored in part by Zulu Marine and Southern Tides Magazine

E ditor’s N ote "It could have been a lot worse."

Hurricane Irma didn't have the impact we geared up for, but there were still large pockets of damage throughout our coastal area.

Left: A folded over and shredded pine tree in Orange Park, in Brunswick.

Photo by Malcolm Gorrie Right, top two photos: A collapsed gas station canopy in downtwn Brunswick.

The West Marine/Winn Dixie parking lot that Monday, at 4:00 p.m., hours after the storm.

Photos by Malcolm Gorrie Right, bottom two photos: View of the small tidal creek across the street from my house in Keller, flooding into our neighbor's back yard.

The community dock around the corner from our house on the same tidal creek, also taken hours after the storm.

Photos by Amy Thurman

Once the craziness of Hurricane Irma passed, we all did our best to get back to normal as soon as possible. The following Monday it was time for another chapter in the DNR Logbook series, this time with the SCDNR. My dear friend Liz North (pictured above, with me) came along and we spent the day aboard the R/V Silver Crescent. Many thanks to Erin Weeks for arranging the trip, and to the crew for sharing the day and their knowledge with us! (See page 14 for the feature.)

If you've spent any time with me at all, you're probably aware of my love of fresh local seafood. If it swims, it has a good chance of landing on my dinner plate. So when Chris Hines and Michelle Riley, of Gray's Reef, invited me to "A Fishy Affair," a lionfish tasting event to raise awareness of the invasive species, I was all in!

I have to apologize to Chef Dusty Grove (pictured right), of Edgar's Proof and Provision, for not remembering the name of his divine creation, but it was amazing!

Lionfish is a light, flaky fish with a mild flavor and Chef Dusty rocked it! If you ever get a chance to order lionfish, do it!

Photo by Wayne Moore

October 2017

Southern Tides Magazine

We all hope you enjoy this issue! We've packed in as much content as these pages will hold. Please write to our contributors and let them know you enjoyed their articles and PLEASE remember to mention to our advertisers that you saw their ads in Southern Tides.

Hope you all have a safe and peaceful October. We'll see you next month!

Amy Thurman Editor in Chief

amy@southerntidesmagazine.com 5

Community Updates

A Fishy Affair: Malicious ... but Delicious

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation hosted the 3rd Annual "A Fishy Affair: Malicious ... but Delicious" event on Friday, September 22, at The Landings Plantation Club. The evening opened with a cocktail reception and a lionfish sampling with dishes prepared by four local chefs: Chef Sam Brod, with The Landings Club, Chef Dusty Grove, with Edgar’s Proof and Provision, Chef Jin Kang, with The Landings Club, and Chef Lauren Teague, with Atlantic.

After the sampling, a full dinner was served while guests were treated to a short lionfish film, produced by Joe Kistel.

After dinner a live auction was held. Items including a week at a Blue Ridge Mountain house, and a full day for two aboard the OCEARCH research vessel, were offered, among others. Raffle tickets were offered Event chair Dr. Barbara Phillips with Chef's Sam, David, Lauren and Jin. for sale for items such as a rare bourbon basket, a megalodon tooth, and Photo by Wayne Moore more.

"With lively and exuberant bidding, the live auction alone raised over $17,000. The raffle items were highly popular too, as we raised over $1,700 from raffle ticket sales,” said Catherine Dunn Kostilnik, executive director for the foundation.

The annual event helps continue the movement for restaurants to serve lionfish and provides an opportunity for the community to support Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

Plastics Pollution Survey of Chatham County

The One Hundred Miles organization is hosting an online survery for anyone living in or visiting Chatham County, to get their opinions and perspectives on plastic and styrofoam litter. The survey has three focus areas: consumers, business owners and tourists.

If you own a business and live in the county, you’re welcome to complete either or both the consumer and business surveys. Each survey takes about 10 minutes to complete, and it’s entirely anonymous. The questions are simple and in no way reflect any specific county policies.

To take the consumer survey, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/OHMConsumerPlastics.

For the business owner survey, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/OHMPlasticBusiness For the tourist survey, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/OHMTouristPlastics The surveys will be open through the month of October, and will close at end of business on October 31.

UGA Skidaway Institute Research Adapted for Teens

It is not uncommon for a University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography researcher to have a paper published in a scientific journal. That is one way scientists communicate their work to other scientists. However, recently, Skidaway Institute researcher Aron Stubbins was published in a journal targeted not at fellow scientists, but to teenagers. The Environmental Science Journal for Kids published an article co-authored

by Stubbins and three others, titled “How do Tiny Ocean Critters Affect the Global Carbon Cycle?”

Stubbins’s passion is carbon, especially the way carbon cycles through the ocean, the atmosphere, plants and animals. The article started with a workshop organized by Stubbins and co-authors Mary Ann Moran from UGA, Elizabeth Kujawinski from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and Rob Fatland, from the University of Washington. The workshop focused on the relationship between microbes and dissolved organic carbon.

“From that workshop, we put together a perspective piece on the interactions between dissolved organic carbon and microbes, and how that’s important in the ocean for the food web, climate change and carbon cycling,” Stubbins said. “That was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.”

After publication, the team was contacted by the Environmental Science Journal for Kids. The Texas-based non-profit organization helps make scientific research discoveries more accessible to a general audience, and particularly to children. They do that by digitally publishing kid-friendly adaptations of scientific papers, including teacher’s aids and resources to enable integration of the scientific literature in a classroom curriculum.

The team at the journal produced the adaptation in collaboration with the research team. “They did most of the heavy lifting,” Stubbins said. “It was a remarkably easy experience.”

The adaptation is organized like a professional paper, with an abstract, an introduction, a description of methods, results, discussion and a conclusion, all adapted to appeal to high school students. Since publication in mid-July, the article has been downloaded more than Image courtesy of Environmental Science Journal for Kids 250 times, making it the second most downloaded article on the site for the month of August.

Whether you are a high school student, a teacher, a scientist or are just interested in how our planet works, check out the article and learn more about how the microbes of the ocean shape the global carbon cycle at: www.sciencejournalforkids.org/science-articles/how-do-tiny-ocean-crittersaffect-the-global-carbon-cycle.

6

Southern Tides Magazine

October 2017

Pump It, Don't Dump It

By Savannah Riverkeeper Living aboard a vessel, whether it’s a way of life or just for a weekend, can be an exciting way to spend time on the water. For many on the coast, it’s a daily reality. But something’s causing a stink on our tidal waters.

Instead of disposing of marine toilet waste properly, some boaters are releasing it directly into the water. Perhaps thinking “a little can’t hurt,” or “I’m the only one doing this,” what they don’t realize is that it adds up fast. Discharging sewage into our coastal waterways can cause serious harm to water quality and to fisheries. Sewage contains bacteria that can deplete the oxygen in the water causing fish to leave for more breathable waters, or suffocate. Local shellfish beds can be compromised, as filter feeders are able to convey water-borne illnesses to humans. And when high levels of fecal coliform bacteria are present, swimmers and paddlers can become sick with e-coli from contact with the water.

Georgia boaters are required to discharge marine toilet waste only into approved pump-out facilities or a sewer system on dry land. If your Georgia-registered boat has a marine toilet, it must be registered with the state.

The Clean Vessel Act also allows for eligible marinas in Georgia to receive assistance for improving and installing pump-out facilities in accordance with their live aboard capacity. Projects currently in use have already been completed all along the Coast of Georgia.

Just across the Savannah River in South Carolina, these same rules will apply. Through the Clean Vessel Act the state has provided 26 pumpout boats, 31 fixed units, and 7 portable units to deal with boat sewage.

No matter where you are it’s important to remember all your safe boating practices, and proper disposal of waste is one of them. Let’s not flush our waterways down the toilet.

For GADNR information on boat waste, regulations and a video on waste disposal: www.boat-ed.com/georgia/studyGuide/Discharge-ofSewage-and-Waste/10101102_700140207/ SC pumpout information and guide, with map of locations: www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/vessel/pdf/cvaguide.pdf

Delegal Creek Marina

SC and GA Shellfish Season Reopenings

Georgia waters reopened to commercial and recreational shellfish harvest on September 30. GADNR Commissioner Mark Williams closed shellfish harvest on September 9th in anticipation of the impact from Hurricane Irma and in the interest of protecting public health.

“The predicted impacts from Hurricane Irma included heavy rains and larger than normal tidal surges that could have resulted in elevated bacterial levels from run off into the growing areas”, states Dominic Guadagnoli, shellfish fishery manager for the Coastal Resources Division of GA DNR. “Post-Irma testing of territorial waters has been completed and water quality and shellfish meat samples are below bacterial threshold levels and safe for harvest.”

For more information on oyster harvesting in Georgia contact GADNR Coastal Resources Division at 912-264-7218.

The South Carolina shellfish season for recreational harvest will open one-half hour before official sunrise on October 15. The recreational season opening was delayed Photo by Amy Thurman for two weeks due to water quality impacts from Hurricane Irma. When the season opens October 15, it will be important for harvesters to check with the S.C. Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC) to verify whether any closures remain in effect. This information is available at 1-800-285-1618 and can be viewed www.scdhec.gov/FoodSafety/ShellfishMonitoring/. DHEC will use these resources and your local newspaper throughout the year to announce temporary closures due to unusual rain events or spills.

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Ebb & F low Fall Harvest Part 1 of 3 - Bull Reds

By Trey Leggett

As autumn approaches and water temperatures cool off, lowcountry inshore fishing changes. These changes include

Above: Trey with a bull red on the line.

Below: Hobie Kayak Team member Doug Greiner showing off a huge red!

Photos provided by Trey Leggett

flounder transitioning to the ocean, speckled trout in abundance, and the arrival of bull redfish in large masses. In this article we’ll talk a little about bull red fishing and in the coming month’s, speckled trout and sheepshead will be on the menu.

Bull Redfish (spot-tailed bass, red drum, bulls, bull reds, breeders, etc.)

Every year from late September to November, these breedersized redfish (typically 30-plus inches) gather to feed on bait in the currents along the beaches and near the mouths of the sounds and inlets of the lowcountry. Whether just on the inside of an inlet or along the beaches, you’ll find these tremendously strong, hardfighting brutes in sizeable schools. I've even caught these fish two to three miles offshore on consecutive casts.

There are many ways to rig for these fish, but make sure to rig on the heavy side due to the fish’s strength, and for speed in getting them released for a better mortality rate. A typical rod and reel setup would consist of a 6000-size spinning reel spooled with 30- to 50-pound braided line, paired with a 7-foot medium-heavy rod. If you fish conventional setups, try a 20- or 25-size reel on a medium to medium-heavy rod. For the leader use a pyramid sinker heavy enough to hold the bottom (usually four to six ounces) and a circle hook from 6/0 up to a 10/0. You can use a premade fish finder rig or make your own with a 4- to 5-foot section of mono leader. I like to make my own leaders using 80-pound mono leader, a 4-ounce pyramid sinker on a sinker slider, and an 8/0 circle hook.

Redfish like to eat and will eat most anything. Your choice of bait is pretty wide open and will usually depend on what’s available. Cut mullet, crab halves, cut whiting, and cut ladyfish are my choices for bait.

I’ve setup in spots and waited for a while before getting my first bite, but it’s usually chaotic once a school moves in and you’re catching doubles and triples at a time. Chumming or spot hopping will definitely increase your chances of finding schools if you’re the impatient type.

When kayak fishing for big reds, I like to drift different areas October 2017

Southern Tides Magazine

until I find them, then I use Hobie’s Mirage Drive system and a GPS unit to keep me in the general vicinity for continued action.

Whether you’re targeting these brutes from a boat or kayak, make sure to use every safety precaution when navigating the inlets, have reliable communications for help, and have your Coast Guard required equipment on board.

Keep in mind, these large redfish are an important resource and should be treated as such. These fish are breeders and produce many offspring for our fishery’s future so it is imperative that the fish are not completely exhausted by a long battle and are released carefully when they get their strength back; don’t leave any floaters.

Stay safe and tight lines.

Trey fishes for Hobie Kayaks, Hobie Polarized Sunglasses, ENGEL Coolers, and SouthEast Adventure Outfitters.

Email: info@southerntidesmagazine.com 9

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A round the Reef

By Katherine Scheuering

Communications Intern Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

The

ocean covers one-third of our planet, yet much of it remains unexplored. An entire universe lies beneath the surface, and many people may never experience the beauty that lies there, but scuba diving is the ticket to this majestic world.

Some divers in our coastal area explore the vast network of local rivers, but others know of the local gems that are Southern coastal reefs. Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is a quick 19-mile boat trip from Sapelo Island and is the only protected natural reef between North Carolina and north Florida. The 22-square-mile area that comprises the sanctuary boasts dozens of great dive spots, 65-75 feet deep. Recently, we asked the Gray’s Reef dive team about their experiences. Todd Recicar, marine operations coordinator, has been diving at Gray’s Reef for over 10 years, yet is still fascinated with its elusive nature. “It’s something new every time, and you don’t know until you roll off the boat. But once you get down there, if you sit and stare long enough, things start to come out of their camouflage.”

He adds, “I’ve dived in 100-foot visibility in the Caribbean and in the Hawaiian Islands. It’s beautiful; it feels like diving in an aquarium.

But there’s something about Gray’s Reef that makes it different than anywhere else. It’s mysterious.”

Other divers agree there is mystery, even wildness, about Gray’s Reef. Kim Roberson, research coordinator and unit diving supervisor for the sanctuary, says, “There’s a point when you’re going down when you can’t see anything yet. Your eyes are adjusting and you’ve lost your point of reference, you can no longer see the surface and you can’t yet see the bottom, but then you get down there and things make sense again. You’ll see a sea turtle, lots of fish and sea stars, maybe even a shark in the distance.” Tides, river runoff, and seasons are factors that affect conditions and visibility when diving off the coast. But the unpredictable, uncontrollable nature of the ocean is exactly what draws many to diving in coastal Georgia.

After leading recreational dives as a divemaster at a Boy Scout

Top Left: An octopus peeking out of his hiding spot.

Top Right: Sponge coral.

Bottom: A NOAA diver exploring the mysteries of Gray's Reef.

Photos by Greg McFall, NOAA For more information, email michelle.riley@noaa.gov

camp in the Florida Keys, Erika Sawicki — the 2017 American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) Scientific Diving Internship recipient — interned this past summer with the dive team. While learning how to adapt to variable conditions at Gray’s Reef, Erika noticed that the underwater current there could be much stronger than the calmer waters of the Florida Keys.

As scientists, Gray’s Reef divers are usually conducting research or instrument maintenance while underwater. Most divers on the team can recall a time when residents of the reef have interrupted their work. “Sea bass are like puppy dogs,” says Marybeth Head, vessel operations coordinator and NOAA Corps officer at Gray’s Reef.

“They’re so happy to greet you when you get down there. They’re coming up to you and they’re so curious, you have to shoo them away sometimes.”

Diving is built around a buddy system, and even Gray’s Reef’s highly-trained NOAA divers conduct a series of equipment checks and review every step of the dive plan together before stepping a fin into the water. “Diving is fun and adventurous, and I love that part of my job, but we are trying to breathe underwater. If my equipment fails, I don’t have gills. Fundamental to our safety is that we don’t skip steps when we’re down there,” says Kim. Diving at Gray’s Reef requires an advanced scuba certification, the next level after beginner/Open Water Diver certification. Kim, Todd and Marybeth all stress that divers who don’t regularly go out to Gray’s Reef or other ocean dive spots should go with a guide. Local dive shops can help prospective divers get certified and rent equipment, and most can help with reaching particular dive sites or finding boat charters. In addition to Gray’s Reef, J-Reef or the Anchor Ledge area are other local spots worth diving, and are both 70-80 feet deep. Good dive conditions can be found as little as 10 miles off the Georgia coast, and other dive sites and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary are within a day’s driving distance. Dive in (safely!) and experience more of this amazing world of ours!

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Taste of the Tides

D id Y ou Know?

Oyster Sauces

The Latin name for ghost crabs is Ocypode quadrata, which means "swift-footed." It's one of the fastest runners of all invertabrates.

By Karin Westendorf Chef at Large

It's that time of year again, finally! Oysters are a lowcountry delicacy and these sauces are great served with raw or roasted oysters!

SERRANO CHILI LIME SAUCE 1 small serrano chile, finely minced 2 tbsp fresh lime juice 2 tbsp red wine vinegar salt to taste finely chopped cilantro if desired

Mix all ingredients together and chill overnight. Drizzle lightly over oysters.

• Ghost crabs dig burrows in the sand up to four feet deep. Young crabs burrow close to water while older crabs burrow further up the beach. Their burrows serve as shelter from predators and protection from the sun.

RED WINE SAUCE

1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp sunflower oil 2 cups red wine 1 tbsp red wine vinegar salt, freshly ground pepper, and sugar, to taste

• They are mostly nocturnal and are active on coastal beaches spring through fall, staying mostly in their burrows during colder months.

Saute onion in sunflower oil until tranlucent. Deglaze pan with wine and simmer until reduced to about 2/3 cup. Season to taste with vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper. Allow to cool, then drizzle over oysters.

• Ghost crabs are omnivorous;they mostly dine on insects but are also filter feeders. They have a lifespan of about three years.

• Their primary predators are racoons and shore birds, but they can hide by flattening their bodies just under the surface of the sand.

EDITOR AMY'S COCKTAIL SAUCE 1 cup ketchup 2 tbsp prepared horseradish 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder juice from half a lemon

• Ghost crabs are light in color with four walking legs on each side of their square-shaped bodies. They have two white claws (one larger than the other, similar to their fiddler crab cousins) and their eye stalks can rotate 360 degrees. Males are generally larger than females.

Stir together all ingredients. Add more horseradish if not spicy enough, add more ketchup if too spicy! Chill, then stir with wire whisk before serving.

• Rather than entering the water completely, ghost crabs brace themselves in the sand and let waves rush over them. They don't need to enter the water completely to wet their gills - they can use the fine hair on their legs to wick moisture from damp soil.

Enjoy!

Data compiled by Amy Thurman.

Sources include: The Chesapeake Bay Program and John "Crawfish" Crawford.

Photo above by Andrea Westmoreland via Wikimedia Commons Photo below by Hans Hillewaert via Wikimedia Commons

October 2017

Southern Tides Magazine

13

Lady's Island Oysters.

Photo by Amy Thurman

: K O O B G O L R N SCD

l w a r T n a Crustace

ot 52-fo a , t . n resce lt in 2004 C r e ilv ui R/V S e trawler, b CDNR : T A O ,S in THE B ium Mar rin Weeks n Mille hoto by E P

THE CAPTAIN: R ob Dunlap, at th e helm.

Photo by Amy Thu rman

ON: I S S I M E TH

Science!

-Smith, ter Kingsley e P ) R to iler, (L Katie Anwe , THE CREW: n o s n ru B Kristin ck, Jeff Gooding, & Mike Kendri th e b a z li E i, rtack Stevie Czwa

by Liz North to o h P . h c s Line

By Amy Thurman

THE NET: DEPLOYING the net. d Jeff ready n a ie v te S r, Pete North Photo by Liz

lizabeth E d n a eter to TCH: P of the net in A C E H T ) ts conten ff (foreground empty e th J r Liz No , while baskets ut. Photo by it o checks

THE TR The first o AWL: f four stat Charleston ions; Harbor fo r a 1 5 -minute trawl. Ph oto by Liz North

EAGER TO STA RT: Elizabeth an d Mike stand by to sort while P eter empties the bas ket onto the so rting table. Photo b y Liz North

The SCDNR conducts a crustacean trawl monthly, monitoring four stations in the Charleston area, and four times each year at 20 additional stations between Charleston and Daufuskie Island. There are three primary areas of data collection undertaken: shrimp, blue crabs and bycatch. After each trawl, the contents are sorted by species, then each team begins analyzing the catch.

SHRIMP DATA: Stevie, Jeff, Kristin and Mike examine the shrimp catch, take samples and record data. Photo by Liz North

E CATCH: SORTING TH ickly l, the crew qu w a tr h c a e r .

Afte h by species sorts the catc North Photo by Liz

CRAB D Jeff me ATA: asures a crab w records hile data. P hoto by Elizabeth Liz Nor th

WHAT DO WE HAVE: e the bycatch.

Amy and Katie examin Photo by Liz North

BYCATC Katie examin H DATA: es a bluefis h before measuring a nd taking sa mples.

Photo by Liz North

AB: ING CR e crab R U S A ME blu sures a int. a e m e po Stevi oint to from p y Liz North b Photo

DIRTY: LIZ GETS HER HANDS th helps sort Photographer Liz Nor nk. shrimp for the live ta an Photo by Amy Thurm

BLUE CRAB D ATA:

- Total catch is wei

ghed and counted.

- Data are collected on sex (male vs. female) and matur ity mature) and compa (immature vs. red between upstre am and downstream st ations to better understand movem ents patterns duri ng blue crab life cycles .

- Salinity levels at each location are al so noted, as salinity pl ays a role in crab movement.

- Some crabs are au topsied to study stomach contents and data on diet is logged.

- Data is used to de termine abundanc e of crab population , overall health of the fishery, and to bett er understand the life cycle and movemen ts of the species.

- Data is shared w ith other entities, including NOAA fi sheries, which mon itor crab populations fr om North Carolina s to Florida.

SHRIMP DATA :

- Total catch is wei ghed and counted which helps determine ab undance.

- The shrimp are th en appearance or obvi sorted by healthy in ous signs of black gill or a form of tapewor m.

- Sex is noted.

- Gill samples are taken from some sh rimp.

- A portion of the shrimp catch is headed and weigh ed to provide data for commercial fisherm en (numbers and he adoff weight).

- SCDNR has been monitoring the sh rimp fishery since 1979 . Data collected is used to study annual tr ends in movement, reproduction, abun dance and overall health of the shrim p stock. Research and information is also shared with entities such as th e Skidaway Institut e of Oceanography and the GADNR, amon g others.

BYCATCH DAT A:

Bycatch monitorin g is so important be cause it includes sp or captured in othe ecies that aren't w r sampling surveys, ell-studied and often include gamefish. fish that are food for popular - Bycatch (species other than shrimp and blue crab caug - Each monitored ht in trawl) is sort species is counted, ed by species. measured and wei - Genetic samples ghed to determine (in the form of fin abundance. clippings) are take of each species, ea n of the first 50 sp ch year. ecimen caught - These genetic sa mples of weakfish are archived for st genetic structure, udies to evaluate th which may have im e coast-wide plications for how - Data gathered fr this species is man om bycatch assess aged. ments are used in inshore fisheries re search

Look for the next installation in th

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Sea Turtle Research

Aboard the Bulldog

By Emily Woodward

for a long period of time since they take decades to reach maturity, you're missing the most important information.”

Arendt has worked on the project since it began in 2000, and took over the survey in 2007.

Because of where the survey is conducted, most of the data collected have been for loggerhead sea turtles, but in recent years, greater emphasis has been placed on understanding the distribution of the next most common species, the smaller, endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles.

“Between 2000 and 2015, over 2,300 loggerheads were captured compared to around 260 Kemp's ridleys,” said Arendt. “We were starting to wonder if we were sampling in the right places for them.”

The shallow coastal waters off Brunswick have been some of the best documented locations for Kemp's ridleys, and Lindsey Parker, captain of the R/V Georgia Bulldog, knows exactly where to find them.

“After so many years of random sampling all up and down the coast, I’ve found a few hot spots for ridleys,” said Parker. “We tend to see more around inlets, and because of my familiarity with the Brunswick area, we can sample those areas more fully than in other areas that I’m less familiar with.”

The Bulldog, a 72-foot shrimp trawler that was converted to a multipurpose research vessel in the 1980s, is an ideal vessel for this type of sampling because it can easily navigate shallow waters and estuaries.

Sampling involves pulling two 60-foot trawl nets behind the

Public Relations Coordinator Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant

The revving of the engine serves as a wakeup call for those

aboard the R/V Georgia Bulldog. It's 5:30 a.m. and the deck is soon abuzz with commotion as the crew prepares to depart for a research cruise aimed at sampling sea turtles off the coast of Brunswick, Ga. For the 18th year, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) has enlisted the help of the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s R/V Georgia Bulldog crew to provide logistical support and assist with the collection of biological data for their In-Water Sea Turtle Research program. The program, funded by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, is designed to monitor abundance, distribution and health of sea turtles along the southeast coast.

“Sea turtles are long-lived, slow-growing, and late-maturing species that only go on land to nest, unless they strand,” said Mike Arendt, assistant marine scientist at SCDNR and lead researcher on the project. “If you don't monitor them in the water like we do, and 20

Southern Tides Magazine

October 2017

boat for 30-minutes. Each time the nets are pulled up after a drag, excitement on board starts to build, especially if there’s a sea turtle in tow.

On this cruise, a Kemp’s ridley is caught on the first trawl. Once it’s safely on board, researchers work quickly to process it to reduce as much stress on the animal as possible. The team, made up of research biologists, technicians and graduate students, move around the boat with ease, grabbing gloves, measuring tools and vials while calling out information that’s recorded on a data sheet.

They first scan the turtle to make sure it hasn’t been tagged before assigning it a unique ID. They then collect blood samples, measure the carapace, administer the pit tag and place the animal in a harness so it can be weighed. The last step is the release, which involves gently lowering the turtle over the side of the R/V Georgia Bulldog using the harness.

“Kemp’s ridleys, by and large, are really easy to process,” said Arendt. “They’re healthy looking, they’re clean. Plus, they’re small, so it’s really easy to work them up.”

He adds, with a hint of pride, that their record processing time is 14 minutes.

By the end of the day, the team processed eight sea turtles, seven Kemp’s ridleys and one loggerhead.

“We’re about three-quarters of the way through our sampling period and we have 34 Kemp’s ridleys so far,” said Arendt. “Two thirds of our Kemp's for 2017 were caught this week, which amounted to almost half of the 2016 total.”

This long-term project has generated a wealth of data that’s been shared with over 25 collaborators, studying everything from sea turtle DNA to testosterone to blood chemistry. The cruises also train graduate students in veterinary or marine science programs in practical field experience that will help prepare them for their careers. Arendt explains that bringing in more partners and providing workforce development opportunities is important for getting the most bang out of the taxpayer dollar.

“We have the skill sets, funding, and federal and state permits to safely capture and handle the sea turtles, so that enables the collaborators easy access to animals that they wouldn't otherwise be able to study,” Arendt said. “In return, we get important information on sea turtle health and foraging behavior that the collaborators have the funding and skills sets for, so it’s win-win.”

Additionally, Arendt has the R/V Georgia Bulldog and her crew, who have decades of trawling experience and strong connections to the research community and the commercial fishing industry.

“The Bulldog crew is a great interface between science and industry to help disseminate our results and generate support for our endeavors,” said Arendt.

Opposite page: Veterinary students and research biologists help administer PIT (passive integrated transponder) tags for identification purposes.

This page, top down: The R/V Georgia Bulldog was purchased by UGA in 1980 and has served as a platform for research ever since.

The crew takes a blood sample from a loggerhead sea turtle.

The carapace of each turtle is measured and recorded.

Captain Lindsey Parker mends a net aboard the R/V Georgia Bulldog.

Photos by Emily Woodward under NOAA permit Section 10(A)(1)(a) 19621

October 2017

Southern Tides Magazine

21

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Exploring Otter Island

By Erin Weeks

"T

Media & Communications Coordinator Marine Resources Division, SCDNR

he enemy has landed at Otter Island,” wrote Confederate Brigadier General R.S. Ripley less than a year into the American Civil War. Sitting halfway between Savannah and Charleston at the mouth of St. Helena Sound, 5000-acre Otter Island was a natural target for both Confederate and Union forces. The Federal Army took the island in November 1861, and for six months, several thousand soldiers garrisoned there, taking advantage of the sea breeze and easy spoils on neighboring sea islands.

“The climate of Otter Island was delightful in the winter time and a fresh breeze from the oceans purified the air,” wrote Eugene Beauge of his time in the 45th Pennsylvania Infantry. “Mosquitoes and gnats tormented us in cloudy weather, but our worst enemy was that little black rascal, the flea… We never got used to them.”

The Civil War wasn’t the only time Otter played a role in American military history. British soldiers occupied the island during the Revolutionary War, and the Tuskegee Airmen used it for gunnery and bombing practice in World War II. Little remains on the island of these chapters in Otter’s history – although SCDNR veterinarian Al Segars did discover a dud bomb from the Tuskegee era on the beach several years ago.

Today, the uninhabited island is managed by SCDNR as a haven for wildlife. It's just one property in the ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve, where SCDNR staff conduct research, water-quality monitoring, education, and coastal stewardship to protect the natural and cultural resources of the area.

For the same reason Otter Island was a strategic location for military forces, it’s also an important place for migrating birds, sea turtles, and other animals. During full and new moons in the spring, horseshoe crabs come ashore to spawn on Otter’s three-mile beach. Loggerhead sea turtles lay around 100 nests on the island each summer, which are checked weekly by SCDNR sea turtle staff. The island is home to nesting Wilson’s plovers and willets in the summer, as well as painted buntings, and protected shorebirds such as red knots and piping plovers in the winter.

Otter also has a healthy population of eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, one of the heaviest venomous snakes in the world – but don’t worry, this elusive, rodent-eating species shies away from humans.

It’s illegal to harm or kill the rattlesnakes (or any animal) on SCDNR properties.

Visiting Otter Island The island is open to day visitors year-round to surf, fish, watch wildlife, or hike the three-mile beach. If you want to make the trek out to Otter Island, here are some guidelines on what to expect and what’s allowed.

Otter Island is a wild, natural place. There are no facilities on the island, and the mainland is about a 20-minute boat ride away. Please plan accordingly for your visit to this remote location.

Dogs are not allowed on Otter Island. We love our pets, but Otter Island is one place you shouldn’t bring Fido, as it provides a safe shoreline and critical stopover for birds on the eastern seaboard.

Camping is allowed by permit only. From November 1 to March 31, a small number of primitive campsites are available on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Looking northwest along Otter's beach into the Ashepoo River.

Photo by Erin Weeks/SCDNR

SCDNR biologist Michelle Pate counts hatched and unhatched sea turtle eggs during a nest inventory on Otter Island, where raccoons frequently prey on eggs.

Photo by Erin Weeks/SCDNR

Help us protect this natural place for future generations – please leave what you find on the island and remove your trash for disposal on the mainland. For more information on other activities or to obtain a permit, call the McKenzie Center at (843) 844-8822.

October 2017

Southern Tides Magazine

This WWII-era dud, exposed by erosion on the beach at Otter Island, was safely removed and disposed of by the U.S. Marine Corps.

Photo by Al Segars

23

Pelican Chicks

vs. Irma

By Rick Lavender

Communications and Outreach Specialist GADNR Wildlife Resources Division

Post-Irma, pelican chick survivors on dredge-spoil island.

Photo by Tim Keyes, GADNR

A

s intended, the Brunswick, Ga., dredge-spoil island, just off Jekyll Island, has been a nesting hotspot for sea- and shorebirds since it was built in 2007. But the spartan setting of sand, groundhugging vegetation and rip-rap is no haven from hurricanes.

Which is why GADNR wildlife biologist Tim Keyes was surprised when he checked the island after the storm and saw that about 35 brown pelican chicks, only about eight weeks old, had survived Irma.

“These guys would’ve just hunkered down when the storm hit,” Keyes said. “I wasn’t expecting them to make it through.”

The pelican colony, on what some call Bird Island, had an estimated 82 nesting pairs at its peak this summer. The parents of the chicks that weathered Irma had nested later than normal, possibly re-nesting after high tides flooded their previous nest sites, said Keyes, who works with the agency's Nongame Conservation Section.

When Irma crossed into the state on September 11, it was veering west across central-southwest Georgia and had weakened October 2017 SouthernTidesMagazine.com

25

to a tropical storm. But along the coast it still brought drenching rains, record storm surges, and high winds – Jekyll recorded a gust of 77 mph, according to the Brunswick News.

Keyes said it helped that the pelican chicks were not on the island’s lowest shelf, though they were only about six feet above sea level on land that is only 14 feet at its highest point. While the approximately 10-acre island suffered significant erosion along the north and eastern shores, the nesting habitat remains intact.

Other seabird and shorebird nesting sites in Georgia didn’t fare as well. Keyes wrote in an email that Irma exacerbated the damage wrought by Hurricane Matthew last year, wiping out “what little was left” of Ogeechee Bar in the mouth of the Ogeechee River, erasing higher dune areas on Little Egg Island Bar in the Altamaha River, and causing significant loss of dunes on the other islands he has checked so far.

As for the young pelicans on Bird Island, the adults are caring for them and they will fledge in early October, an Irma footnote to the resilience of wildlife.

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Microfiber and Microplastics on the Georgia Coast

By Michael Sullivan

External Affairs Manager UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography

T

here are more than a trillion microplastic particles and fibers in Georgia’s coastal waters. That is a preliminary estimate by a team of University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography researchers. Funded by Georgia Sea Grant and led

by UGA Skidaway Institute scientist Jay Brandes, the team is in the middle of a two-year study to ascertain the extent of microplastics pollution in Georgia’s coastal waters.

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic—smaller than five millimeters, or about a fifth of an inch—that have either been manufactured small or have broken down from larger pieces. They can be found in our beaches, water and in the digestive systems of aquatic wildlife. Early in the study, researchers made a discovery they had not anticipated—microfibers, extremely fine synthetic fibers used to create textiles, dominated the types of microplastics found in Georgia’s estuaries. Previous scientific studies around the world have found that they enter the environment when an article of clothing is laundered, and the microfibers are washed down the drain with the rinse water. According to Brandes, microfibers are pervasive—so much so that when the researchers take samples to the laboratory they have to take special measures to prevent contamination of their samples from microfibers floating in the air.

The microplastics estimate in Georgia’s coastal waters comes from work conducted by UGA College of Engineering student Jacob Mabrey, who worked on the project this summer. Mabrey gathered water samples from 40 different sites along the length of the Georgia coast, from Savannah to St. Marys. The sites ranged from relatively remote areas to more populated sections. such as Savannah and Brunswick. Many of the sites he sampled were public boat ramps and docks, but Mabrey was also able to access some collection sites in the Savannah area by boat. He processed the water samples by running them through fine filters and analyzing what he found.

“It’s interesting he found microplastics in almost every sample he collected,” Brandes said. “We have microplastics all up and down the coast.”

Not surprisingly, microplastic particles and fibers were more prevalent near population centers. They were highest in the samples collected in Savannah. The concentrations in samples collected in Brunswick and St. Marys were less so, but still markedly greater than collected at remote sites.”

“The numbers seem to correlate with population, which makes sense,” Brandes said. “We are getting these microplastics locally.

They are not coming from offshore or moving up the coast.”

The researchers identified 689 microplastics in 336 liters of sampled water, or an average of just over two microplastics per liter. Just considering the top foot of surface water, Georgia’s salt October 2017

Southern Tides Magazine

Above: Jacob Mabry and Dodie Sanders filter water from the Wilmington River to collect microplastics.

Right: A microscopic view of a microfiber.

Photos provided by UGA/SkIO

marshes and estuaries contain 672 billion liters of water. At just over two microplastics per liter, the team estimated Georgia’s coastal waters contain 1.34 trillion microplastic particles and fibers.

It is not clear what, if any, effect these microplastics are having on the coastal ecosystem. Another team member, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant educator Dodie Sanders, searches for microplastics in the gut contents of marine animals caught in trawls. She frequently finds microplastics, but not in great accumulations. Brandes says that while microplastics permeate the entire estuarine ecosystem, they don’t appear to be having a strong negative impact.

“On the other hand, we don’t know if microplastics are having a subtler effect,” he said.

Some scientists have speculated that microplastics can act as a sponge for contaminants, collecting chemicals, pollutants and pesticides and concentrating them. When an organism eats one, it would act like a poison pill.

“There is some evidence that can happen,” Brandes said. “But there is no evidence that is a significant issue on the Georgia coast.”

Brandes says he still finds the issue interesting as a measure of human impact on the environment. Most of the particles found are either microfibers or pieces of plastic that have broken down from larger objects, like water bottles or plastic bags. What, if anything, to do about it is another question.

“As a society, are we OK with a certain amount of contamination in our environment,” he asked. “Do we decide that we should make a concentrated effort to get rid of the things, or is the issue not causing enough of a problem that we can ignore it instead?”

The project is expected to be completed and the results published by early 2018.

27

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What’s Going On ...

November 2 Georgia Aquatic Connectivity Team In-Person Meeting Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership & The Nature Conservancy Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

W.C. Bradley Co. Museum, Columbus, GA Partners in Georgia collaborating to restore aquatic habitats through dam removal and other connectivity projects at our annual meeting.

Kat Hoenke kat@southeastaquatics.net (484) 354-6453 4 Yoga on the Satilla River Water Trail Satilla Riverkeeper Saturday 10 a.m.

Deep Bend Landing, Waynesville, GA Join us for a yoga class on the banks of the Satilla River. satillariverwatertrail@gmail.com (912) 510-9500

October 14 Skidaway Marine Science Day UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography Saturday Noon - 4 p.m.

SkIO campus, 10 Ocean Circle, Skidaway Island Behind the scenes tours, displays, demonstrations and activities on all subjects marine, plus food trucks from Savannah Food Truck Fesitval. www.skio.uga.edu/events/skidaway-marine-science-day/ (912) 598-2325 16 East Coast River Relay - Paddle Brunswick Satilla Riverkeeper Monday 5 p.m.

Sydney Lanier Bridge, Brunswick Sunset paddle from the park under the bridge. Free with your own boat or rent one from Southeast Adventure Outfitters in advance. rachael@satillariverkeeper.org (912) 510-9500 19 "Lost at Sea" The Liminal Essence of Immigration Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum Thursday 6 p.m.

41 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Savannah Opening reception for an international art exhibit, conceived by Bertha Husband, investigating the nature of relocation & acculturation across the ocean. sarahshartzer@shipsofthesea.org (912) 232-1511 21 Marine Resources Center Open House SCDNR Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Parking and shuttles at James Island Charter High School, Charleston Enjoy fishing and casting tutorials, research vessel tours, plus more fun and educational activities! www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/openhouse2017.html 21 Springfield Canal Rivers Alive Cleanup Savannah Riverkeeper Saturday 9 a.m.

Park at GA State RR Museum, meet at corner of Louisville & Boundary St. We'll be picking up trash along the Springfield Canal in Savannah. Water, gloves & trash bags provided, close-toed shoes recommended. jacob@savannahriverkeeper.org (706) 826-8991 25 Hallowmarine Hike UGA Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant Wednesday 7 - 8 p.m.

10 Ocean Science Circle Join us for an interpretive night hike on the Jay Wolfe nature trail. All ages. Must register in advance. kayla270@uga.edu (912) 598-3345 28 Ocean to Table - Blue Crab UGA Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant Saturday 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Coastal GA Botanical Gardens, #2 Canebreak Rd, Savannah Prepare your own blue crab dish while learning about biology, ecology, nutrition & food safety. Must register by Friday, Oct 20.

Jackie Ogden, uge3051@uga.edu (912) 652-7981 28 Eco Cruise Port Royal Sound Foundation Saturday 11 a.m.

310 Okatie Hwy, Okatie Cruise along the Chechessee River with Captain Amber, aboard Spartina. Be on the lookout for wildlife as you learn about this unique ecosystem. info@portroyalsoundfoundation.org (843) 645-7774

4 Clam Jam Altamaha Riverkeeper Saturday 4 - 9 p.m.

Altama Plantation, Brunswick Join us roasted oysters, BBQ, great music and live & silent auctions. ann@altmahariverkeeper.org (706) 416-8026 10 Museum in the Moonlight Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum Friday 7 - 9 p.m.

41 MLK Jr. Blvd., Savannah Commemorating the history of the West Broad Street School with an encore performance with Claire Frazier. Refreshments and Sweet Spice Jamaican cuisine will be available. sarahshartzer@shipsofthesea.org (912) 232-1511 11 Maritime Center's 3rd Birthday Party Port Royal Sound Foundation Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

310 Okatie Hwy, Okatie Come join us to celebrate three years of the Maritime Center being open! info@portroyalsoundfoundation.org (843) 645-7774 11 Spartina Dolphin Research Cruise Port Royal Sound Foundation Saturday 11 a.m.

310 Okatie Hwy, Okatie Eco-boat cruise meets dolphin research! Learn about research being done at USCB while aboard the Spartina. (Ages 10 and over please) info@portroyalsoundfoundation.org (843) 645-7774 11 Eco Cruise Port Royal Sound Foundation Saturday 2 p.m.

310 Okatie Hwy, Okatie Cruise along the Chechessee River with Captain Amber, aboard Spartina. Be on the lookout for wildlife as you learn about this unique ecosystem. info@portroyalsoundfoundation.org (843) 645-7774 14 Nautilus LIVE Lunch and Learn Port Royal Sound Foundation Tuesday 12:30 p.m.

310 Okatie Hwy, Okatie Join the crew of Dr. Robert Ballard, discoverer of the Titanic, as they explore the ocean. Researchers aboard Nautilus will visit via live streaming video. info@portroyalsoundfoundation.org (843) 645-7774 16 Fly Tying Clinic Port Royal Sound Foundation Thursday 5:30 p.m.

310 Okatie Hwy, Okatie Sea Island Fly Fishers are sponsoring a fly-tying introduction. New tyers welcome. No materials or tools required. Please RSVP Kenneth Prager (610) 999-9897 khprager@comcast.net

Wilmington Island Farmer's Market Every Saturday in October and November 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Islands High School, Wilmington Island Shop fresh local produce, delicious food & handcrafted artisan creations while enjoying family-friendly activities, including animal encounters, and more! wifarmersmarket@aol.com or www.wifarmersmarket.org

October 2017

Southern Tides Magazine

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Live music, locally grown oysters, silent auction & more. See promo pg. 18

29

T he Bitter End

By mid-week prior to expected landfall, things weren’t looking too good for the home team here in the lowcountry. With multiple tracks showing an east coast event, plans were laid for a mandatory evacuation that Saturday. South Florida residents had already begun evacuating, heading north into Georgia. With images fresh in mind mind of Florida traffic as they evacuated, I was not going to be caught up in that highway hell. By zero dark thirty on Friday I was on my way home to Virginia to visit family.

There comes a certain amount of guilt in times like this. We know the storm is going to hit somewhere, but we pray its somewhere other than our home. Not that any of us would ever wish destruction on others, we just pray for it not to hit us. As I watched Irma bear down on the U.S., I felt certain there would be nothing left for me to return to. However, as the path continued to shift to the northwest, damage to our stretch of the coast wasn’t as bad as it would have been if the path hadn’t shifted so dramatically.

When I returned to Chatham County and talked with friends, I asked what their plans would be for the next event. So many have lost their trust in the news they receive and said next time they would stay. What folks need to understand though is that when you deal with storms the size of Irma, accurately predicting the path is like trying to predict where a drunken bull will go. Both have the same end result: when they get where they’re going, they’re gonna’ mess something up.

I personally left for both Matthew and Irma. When Matthew was headed this way I’d already planned a vacation home and saw no need to reschedule it just to stay. With Irma, the predicted course would have devastated coastal Georgia; I saw no need to stay for that!

It’s always safer to go. No one really knew how bad we were going to get hit and there were random pockets of heavy damage all along coastal Georgia and into South Carolina.

Impossible to predict.

But if you do plan on staying if we’re faced with a storm in the future, first make sure you have everything to be self-sufficient for up to two weeks. And, that everything is packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice, just in case.

Keep your automobile in shape to handle sitting in traffic for hours on end. I saw countless cars sitting beside the highway, many due to overheating. Have a bugout route and back-up routes planned so you don’t have to rely on interstates. Food and water are critical. I also find that a small camp stove/burner able to heat food or make hot water is helpful. Decent camping gear isn’t a bad thing to have, either. Even if you plan to stay with friends or at a hotel, getting there isn't always that easy, as we saw with Irma. If all else fails, head for a state park and set up an improvised camp.

Many of these same things apply for those planning to stay. If your residence is made unlivable, have a way to provide basic shelter and sustenance for yourself and your family.

There is so much more we could cover on this matter and perhaps Amy will afford me the space for that in an upcoming issue. [Maybe.]

For the time being, our prayers continue for all those affected, and pray we don’t see the likes of these storms again.

Until next time, stay safe and I'll see y'all on the water!

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

By Captain J. Gary “Gator” Hill

A

s I sit and try to put this article together we’re on the heels of taking a one-two punch. As we were struggling to get our feet back under us after Hurricane Irma, Puerto Rico was hit square in the chin by Maria. With Hurricane Harvey decimating Houston a couple weeks earlier, the U.S. saw three hurricanes of epic proportions and destruction, in quick succession. However, we are far from being down for the count; like a prize fighter, you can’t keep us down.

Flooding around the Gator-abode as a result of Hurricane Irma.

Photo by J. Gary Hill.

The media is a powerful source of information; we have the ability to bring up-to-date video and news right to the palms of our hands.

The scenes that have come from these events can be described as everything from horrific to heart wrenching. Views that resemble battlefield scenes, these images remind us of the true destructive power of Mother Nature.

I’m not going into the politics or the responsible (or irresponsible) news reporting and fear mongering that we’ve all been witness to.

What I am going to focus on is the reality of situations like this, and specifically look at Irma as we tracked her path across the ocean, building force like an out of control freight train. The track paths we were given began to resemble so many bowls of spaghetti that if I ever see another plate of it, it will be way to soon.

Email: jgaryhill@gmail.com 30

Southern Tides Magazine

October 2017

6349 Abercorn St., Savannah, GA 912.352.1222

RINCON

e home, 30+ acres. Includes larg Pool, e. suit st gue garage and organic tree Morton equipment barn, gardens orchard, greenhouse and 40+ nal itio Add e. grace the acreag n, pastures bar se hor h wit e eag acr ilable sepaand caretaker cottage ava rately. $2,350,000

397 Squirrel Run

VERNONBURG

1.5 acres Perfect home situated on p water dee and sh with beautiful mar e on the views. Amazing master suit bath and main floor with luxurious floor plan huge closet. Very open t room, featuring living room, grea t area kfas brea m, roo office, dining ul hardand fantastic kitchen. Beautif rs. Lovely wood and porcelain floo 9,500 patio. You will fall in love. $69

110 Robin Road

60 Amanda Drive

BURNSIDE ISLAND

the perfect This inviting home is Split bedily. fam r place to raise you one other and ster ma h wit m roo ed neighensuite. Golf cart approv . This home borhood with playground for boating on a tidal creek ready tion with ova ren activities. Custom cypress walls rs, floo ne rtpi hea que anti us room is and granite counters. Bon Entire floor perfect for entertaining.

0 plan is very open. $449,00

HERB RIVER BEND

room and 5 bedrooms plus a bonus k home bric g nin stun s Thi 5.5 baths. nity has mu com d gate in sought-after backyard it all, from the largest lush hs for each in the area to private bat the upall has n che Kit bedroom. butler’s and t wan ld grades you cou g a breeze. pantry makes entertainin first floor.

Luxurious master on the $749,000

112 Caroline’s Retreat

Lyn McCuen 912.224.0927

lyn@coldwellbanker.com COFFEE BL

UFF Newly renovated with new flooring, paint, counters and stainle ss steel appliances. Four bedrooms, three baths, spacious living room, din ing room and master bedroom. Spl it floor plan.

Large laundry room. Sun room and deck overlooking huge fenced back yard, perfect for your private pool.

Storage building/mancave graces rear corner of yard. $274,900 WILSHIRE ESTATES

121 Rose Dhu

Updated, move in rea dy home.

3 Bedrooms, 2 baths, Great room open to kitchen. Lovely hardwood floors. Granite counters in kitchen.

12x24 detached Workshop with window unit and insulated.

Gas home generator. Privacy fenced back yard. $149,500

WILMINGTON ISL AND

128 Ventura Boulevard

Great 3 BR, 2 BA home in quiet culde-sac community. Con venient location. Large master bedroo m. Master bath has separate jett ed tub and shower. New stainless appliances.

HVAC is 3 years old.

Fireplace in family room and French doo open to the patio and hug rs that e privacy fenced backyard. No floo d insurance required. $249,000

BURNSIDE ISLAND

Located on a deepwater canal with fantastic covered dock in a great area. Perfect for multi-g enerational living. 2 BR, 2 BA on gro und floor with efficiency kitchen , playroom and living room. Separa te 1 BR, 1 BA apartment. Main livi ng area has 4 BR and 2 BA, soaring pin e ceilings, and hardwood flooring . Huge great room, dining room, ver y open floor plan. $645,000

23 Walthour Cove

35 Hardee Island

Your Only Sailfish Dealer in the Lowcountry!

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70 Sea Island Pkwy Beaufort, SC

843.522.9461

3590 Savannah Hwy (at Main Rd) Charleston, SC

843.576.2233

www.ButlerMarineInc.com

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