Editor's Note

Public service announcement: Summer isn’t over yet!

Yes, the kids have gone back to school, but we still have a couple months of weekends with good weather and water warm enough to enjoy without fear of hypothermia. And with busy schedules resuming, making time on the weekends to get outside, away from devices and into nature, is even more important.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Take a Saturday morning beach walk. The beaches are less crowded in the mornings and cooler. Look for shells, bits of driftwood, enjoy the sea breeze, or just let your mind wander. If you have kids, this also presents an opportunity to instill some good habits, like not leaving your trash behind and picking up stray bits of trash you come across. Also in not taking shells that are still inhabited or living sea life such as sand dollars or sea stars.

Go for a morning boat ride or an evening paddle and do a little nature watching – birds, dolphins, jumping fish. Maybe you’ll even get lucky and spot a sea turtle or a manatee. Whether you take a short trip in your local creek or river, or make a day of it and explore the Okefenokee Swamp or one of our barrier islands, being on the water at eye level with nature is always good.

Go fishing. Even if you’re not an experienced fisherman, you can find multiple local fishing reports online with tips and tricks, and any bait and tackle shop will be happy to give you plenty of pointers. You might even catch your dinner. Or go throw a cast net and see what you pull up – this time of year you’re unlikely to haul up an empty net.

Take a walk in the woods. Every coastal Georgia county has some sort of outdoor area you can explore: state parks, nature preserves, or wildlife management areas, to name a few. Find one, fill your water jug, arm yourself with bug repellent, and head out. I highly recommend Thermacell for keeping your immediate space free of hungry flying critters. Just remember to keep an eye out for snakes – don’t let them deter you from getting outside, just be smart about watching where you put your feet and paying attention to your surroundings. And a good pair of snake boots wouldn’t hurt.

Explore the history in your area. If you’re a history buff, you’re in the right place. I could probably fill every page of this magazine listing all the historic sites in coastal Georgia. One I plan to explore soon is the Savannah Ogeechee Canal Museum and Nature Center, in Chatham County. I’m also looking forward to visiting Ashantilly Center in McIntosh County, and a whole list of others. History is what got us where we are today and there’s always something to be learned from it.

Contribute to the local economy by supporting local guides. There are countless fishing charter options in every coastal county and most of them will put you on the fish and teach you a few things in the process. You can find tours or instruction in kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding, rent either of those or even a boat, or go on an eco-tour, such as with our naturalist, Crawfish, or our Bitter End columnist, Captain Gator, each of whom is a wealth of knowledge.

Whatever outdoor activities you prefer, there are options on our 100-mile coastline. Summer isn’t over! Get out there and enjoy the coast has to offer!

See you out there!

Amy Thurman Editor in Chief amy@southerntidesmagazine.com

Top image of Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge, in McIntosh County. Bottom image, kayaking on a foggy morning in the Okefenokee Swamp. Photos by Amy Thurman

After 36 years as owners of Sail Harbor Marina and Boatyard, Richard and Beverly Long are pleased to announce their retirement! They would like to thank their crew, the many boaters who have docked at Sail Harbor over the years, and the coastal community, for many happy years. The Longs would also like to wish Development Associates and manager Rory Jose the best of luck with Savannah Marina, the new marina complex in development.