August 2022 Southern T ides all about the water
(855) zuludiscovery.com400-9858 Working for a Healthy Coast! • Disaster Response • Oil Spill/Environmental Response • Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Removal • Dredging • Creek, River & Watershed Response • Living Shorelines/Bank Stabilization • Hydrographic Surveys • Marine Platforms, Transport & Support • ROV Services & Underwater Exploration • Environmentally Sensitive Land Clearing • Infrastructure Inspection • Construction Site Management • Industrial Inspection • Water Tank Inspection • Wireless (Cell Tower) Inspection • Catastrophic Response Program • Disaster Response Mapping To learn more visit our website or give us a call!
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The Bitter Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill theoriginalcaptaingator@gmail.com
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. (912) info@southerntidesmagazine.com484-3611 www.issuu.com/SouthernTidesMagazine.comwww.SouthernTidesMagazine.comVisitusonsocialmedia:Facebook.com/southern-tides-magazine
by
Publisher/Editor Amy
End Columnist
Wildlife Photographer 7 Editor's Note 9 Fishing with Captain Jay 11 Eagle Nesting on Rise 12 Estuary Restoration 13 Okefenokee Swamp 15 Salt Marsh Worth 17 ORK Awarded Grant 17 Coastal Marine Expo Promo 19 Loggerhead Nest Record 20 Riverkeeper Report 21 Taste of the Tides 22 The Bitter End
Southern Tides Magazine is printed by Walton Press, Monroe, Ga.
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the Editor: We
with Captain Jay Captain Jay
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About the Cover: Our content this month didn't lend itself to a great cover, so we put out a call on the My Georgia Coast Facebook page for potential cover photos. With over 300 beautiful submissions, it was an extremely difficult choice. Using a host of parameters we finally narrowed it down to this osprey fledgling, taken by Nick Riccio, Jr., on Jekyll Island. Look for more reader photos next month.
CREW Thurman amy@southerntidesmagazine.com neva@southerntidesmagazine.com Naturalist John "Crawfish" Crawford crawfish@uga.edu
Copyright © 2015-2022
The Riverkeeper Report Meaghan Gerard meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org
Consulting
Contributors Nick Riccio, Jr. Wildlife Photographer Stacia Pelletier UGA College of Engineering Tyler Jones GADNR Coastal Resources Division Rick Lavender GADNR Wildlife Resources Division Southern Tides all about the water Issue No. 84 August 2022 In the Tides 5August 2022 Southern Tides Magazine
Photo Nick Riccio, Jr.,
Fishing Cranford gacharterfishing@gmail.com
Assistant Editor Neva Parsons
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• Water for drinking and hygiene is critical. Picking up a case or two of bottled water from the grocery store probably won’t do the trick. You need water to drink, cook with, for hand-washing, for your pets, for bathing, and flushing the toilet. Even if you evacuate, you still need to plan for your return in case power hasn’t been restored or the no-drink order hasn’t been lifted.
Editor’s Note Isincerely hope I’m wrong, but I have a bad feeling about this hurricane season, and we’re now in the peak of it. The storm predictions for this season are higher than they’ve been in a decade, and in recent years, actual storms have met or exceeded Additionally,predictions.I’veread multiple forecasts lately stating that the East Coast, from Florida to the Carolinas are expected to take the brunt of it.
• Trim and dispose of dead branches and look at the trees near your house. Are they healthy or a threat? Remember pines have shallow root systems and can fall easily after heavy rains.
• If you have a generator, make sure it’s working properly. Does it take oil? If so, get oil and filters now. Remember to use ethanol-free fuel if you’ll be leaving the fuel sit in the generator for any length of time. Use Sta-bil as needed. Ideally, you should start and run your generator every three months to keep it in optimal operating condition.
Although fuel prices are high right now, if you wait until a storm is headed our way, you may yourself standing in long lines or even that gas stations have run out of gas. Fill your tanks. Read the safety section of your generator manual. Know the load capacity and how long it can run on a tank of fuel. Know what you can plug in without overloading it. Do you have the right extension cords? A place to operate it out of the rain and so exhaust can’t enter your house?
• Food. If you don’t have a generator, you’re at risk of losing the food in your refrigerator and freezer. Plan meals now, based on things your family will actually eat and that you can easily prepare without a fully-functioning kitchen. Even if you have a generator, remember it can’t run 24/7, so plan accordingly.Theseare the basics. Also look into your insurance coverages, consider making a household inventory, plan for medicines, plan a way to store important documents, remember to have cash on hand in case of widespread power outages, and even consider morale and entertainment. I hope I’m wrong and we have another easy season, but just in case, please be ready. If you’d like guidance, please feel free to reach out. I’m happy to talk through your plans and make suggestions in keeping with your budget and circumstances. Stay safe and be ready! See you out there!
Amy Thurman Editor in amy@southerntidesmagazine.comChief
I also worry that we’ve become complacent, having had little damage since Matthew in 2016. In a recent Facebook group post, someone new to the area asked about hurricane preparations and more than one comment from locals advised her that, “You don’t have too much to worry about. Most hurricanes hit the gulf coast.” Between complacency, inexperienced newcomers and worrisome forecasts, I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.Please be ready. And once you’re ready, talk with people you know who’ve moved to the area and don’t have experience dealing with hurricanes, to help them prepare.
2022 Predictions NOAA CSU NCSU Avg Named 14-20 19 17 - 21 14 Hurricanes 6-10 9 7 - 9 7 Major 3-5 4 3 - 5 3 Previous Storms 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 Named 21 30 18 15 17 Hurricanes 7 13 6 8 10 Major 4 6 3 2 4 Are You Ready? 7August 2022 Southern Tides Magazine
• Plan for your pets. Get copies of their shot records from your vet, make sure you have plenty of food, treats and toys on hand. If they get stressed during storms, ask your vet about calming aids. Make sure your carriers are ready to go and look NOW for pet-friendly lodging.
• If you don’t have a generator, have plans for what you’ll do to preserve the food in your refrigerator and freezer, how you’ll prepare food, what you’ll do for water (wells can’t pump water without power), how you’ll stay cool, charge your phone, and what you’ll do for light. (Not candles!)
• Have a plan for storing/securing outdoor furniture, lawn art, equipment, and anything else in your yard that could become missiles and do damage to your home or your neighbors' homes.
At a minimum:
• Figure out your evacuation plan. Typically everything east of I-95 falls in the mandatory evacuation zone due to risk of flooding and high winds. Where will you go? How will you get there? What will you take? If you have any sort of health issue that relies on electricity, evacuate. If you need help evacuating, contact your county emergency management agency to ask about assistance.
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Don't
Photo by Captain Jay Cranford
9August 2022 Southern Tides Magazine
Captain Jay has over 20 years experience fishing the Georgia coast. He's passionate about fishing and enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with you! gacharterfishing@gmail.com • www.coastalgafishing.com/ Coastal Reefs
Fishing with Captain Jay
To learn more about Georgia reefs, including coordinates for each, visit: coastalgadnr.org/HERU/downloads and coastalgadnr. org/ARandMH/downloadsGoout,explorenewareas have fun! sure to check the wind, weather and tides, file a float plan with someone shoreside, and as always, be sure all of your safety gear and licenses are up to date! wish ... let's go fish! Charter guest with a barracuda caught on an offshore reef trip.
By Captain Jay www.coastalgafishing.comCranford
Be
and
O ur offshore wrecks and reef fishery are great places to fill your cooler with fish, such as grouper, snapper, amberjack, black sea bass, barracuda, kings, Spanish mackeral, and more, and we have one of the strongest coastal fisheries in the country. The hundreds of miles of inland waterways throughout our coast, coupled with our creel limits, make coastal Georgia one of the top destinations for redfish, trout, flounder and others. There are also quite a few inshore and offshore reefs for the coastal angler. The continental shelf slopes gradually eastward for over 80 miles before reaching the Gulf Stream. This shelf consists largely of sand/shell bottom that doesn't adequately provide a firm foundation needed for sustainability of reef fish such as those mentioned above. Most of our offshore natural reefs or "live bottoms" are more than 40 miles offshore. It's a long ride but on the right days, it's worth it! Georgia DNR has worked to establish artificial reefs, many of which are located six to 23 miles offshore at depths of 30 to 75 feet. Two experimental “deepwater” artificial reefs have also been established at 120- to 170-foot water depths, 50 to 70 miles offshore, and three beach artificial reefs have been established at 15- to 30foot depths, from two to four miles offshore. Georgia’s natural reefs consist of rock outcroppings, not coral, and the manmade reef materials are carefully selected to safely and quickly establish growth. We have to mention Gray’s Reef, as well. Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is one of the largest near-shore live bottom reefs in the Southeast. It lies about 19 miles east of Sapelo Island, at about 60 to 70 feet, and is about 22 square miles in area, or about 14,000 acres. Anchoring is prohibited and you should check the Gray’s Reef website prior to planning your trip. graysreef.noaa.gov/ visit/fishing/.Thereareabout 20 offshore artificial reef sites available to us, covering about 116 square miles. These reef sites provide ideal structure for bottom fishing and have helped the Georgia offshore fishery become a great place to fill your cooler. But, like the old saying goes, "Some days they are there, and some days they are not."
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DNR monitors eagle nesting by helicopter twice a year, splitting the state into five areas for surveys. Flights in January and February mark nests in use. Follow-ups in March and April are mainly to gauge how the nests fared.
11August 2022 Southern Tides Magazine
“It’s tempting to look at the 65 percent success rate for southwest Georgia, which is about 10 percent below the norm, and wonder if there was something wrong. But fluctuations of that magnitude are not unusual, and the good news is that we found 21 new nests in that area of the state. That’s especially remarkable when I think back to the more than a dozen nest trees toppled in that area by Hurricane Michael in October 2018.”
The conservation of bald eagles is supported in part by Georgians who buy an eagle or monarch license plate or renew these or the older hummingbird designs. The tags cost only $25 more than a standard license plate and $19 of each purchase and $20 of each annual renewal goes to help conserve bald eagles and hundreds of other Georgia plant and animal species listed as species of conservation concern. Learn more at georgiawildlife.com/bald-eagle. See how that support is put to work www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation/ AnnualReport.
But Sargent, a program manager with DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section, said the big picture is encouraging.
The carcasses of eight ducks and three bald eagles collected on the coast in February and March tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI. Sargent said it’s possible some eagles were infected by preying or scavenging on dead or sick waterbirds. Ducks often gather in large rafts in coastal waters during winter.Since the northern migration of waterfowl that wintered in Georgia, no eagles found in the state have tested positive for HPAI, Sargent“Thesaid.results of the coastal survey were worrisome and discouraging. We are keeping a close eye on reports of HPAI in eagles, vultures and waterfowl in the northern U.S. and keeping our fingers crossed that a resurgence of the virus does not occur when ducks, vultures and eagles that winter in the South return to the state this fall.”
The surveys of these iconic birds are part of the DNR Wildlife Conservation Section’s mission to conserve nongame wildlife –native animals not legally hunted or fished for – and native plants and natural habitats.
Following a steep decline in the eagle population in Georgia, the state went from no known successful nests throughout most of the 1970s to one in 1981, 47 by the turn of the century and more than 200 occupied nest territories today, about 75 percent of which are usuallyThesuccessful.publicisencouraged to report eagle nests via georgiawildlife. com/bald-eagle, (478) 994-1438) or bob.sargent@dnr.ga.gov. Such reports typically lead to the discovery of 10-15 new nests a year. (Tip: Osprey nests are sometimes confused with eagles. Learn more at georgiawildlife.com/bald-eagle.)DNRworkswithlandownersto help protect bald eagle nests on private property. Although de-listed from the Endangered Species Act in 2007, eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and state law. In Georgia, the species has a state classification of threatened.
The bald eagle has rebounded in Georgia and across the species’ range. Factors feeding that recovery include a U.S. ban on DDT use in 1972, habitat improvements after enactment of the federal Clean Water and Clean Air acts, protection through the Endangered Species Act, increased public awareness, restoration of local populations through release programs, and forest regrowth.
“It’s important to remember that the bald eagle population has exhibited a remarkable rebound in the last 50 years. And although the coastal nests took a hit from the virus, the more than 150 nests elsewhere in the state experienced normal productivity.”
This year’s nests fledged 227 eagles, or almost 1.6 per nest, slightly more than the 2017 average. While most nests had one to two eaglets, a bald eagle couple near Columbus raised three young to flight. Not all of the news was good. As DNR announced in April, the viral disease called highly pathogenic avian influenza – or bird flu –hammered bald eagles on the coast. In this region, home to about a third of Georgia’s eagle nests, nest success dropped about 30 percent this year, with fewer than half fledging at least one young.
Eagle Nesting on Rise A
Georgia appears to have maintained more than 200 occupied nest territories annually since 2015, according to Sargent. Although findings this year suggest the state’s nesting population of bald eagles continues to increase, the growth rate has slowed substantially compared to 2007-2015 when nest totals surged from 114 to 210.
Minus influenza-affected totals in coastal counties, nest success this year ranged from just below average in southwest Georgia (65 percent) to average in the north/northwest (77 percent) and significantly above average – 90 percent – in the east/northeast region. Overall, the numbers are in line with previous years. Sargent said local factors, such as unusually heavy rainfall before or early in the nesting season, can affect regional results.
Photo by Nick Riccio, Jr., Wildlife Photographer
fter Georgia’s first statewide survey of bald eagle nests in five years showed the national bird nesting in record numbers, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Survey flights this winter and spring to find and monitor nesting bald eagles counted 229 nest territories. That tops the previous high of 218 set in 2017, survey leader Dr. Bob Sargent said. In 2017, the survey frequency was changed to every other year for most regions, though the 2019 survey was postponed due to COVID.
On the coast, the 73 nest territories recorded was typical, but only 47 percent fledged at least one young. Successful nests fledged 1.5 young each, which is average. However, the 50 eaglets fledged fell far shy of the total the coast normally produces, according to Sargent. The survey revealed more failed nests than expected. Some had dead eaglets. Others were missing young that usually would not have left the nest by that time.
Photo provided by USACE
A project jointly funded by the Georgia DNR and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will soon return a tributary of the Satilla River to its natural course as it was prior to man-made alterations created in the early 1900s.
“The closures of the west end of Umbrella Creek and the Old River Run will now give us a tidal Umbrella Creek that flows in and out as intended,” said Voigt. “Now the large flow of ebb tidewater that had been going out the west end of Umbrella Creek will begin to clean the creek.”
Satilla River estuary near Noyes Cut project site in November 2020.
The cuts were made in the 1930s and ‘40s by the Corps and logging companies to facilitate river transport of timber and navigation on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, said Kelie Moore, a federal consistency coordinator with DNR’s Coastal Resources Division (CRD), which is co-sponsoring the project with the Corps.
Each cut closure structure will be made of riprap, which are large rocks typically used to protect shoreline structures, said Jeff Schwindaman, the Corps’ Savannah District project manager. The project estimates use of approximately 8,000 tons for Dynamite Cut and 2,800 tons for Old River Run. The rock will be carefully placed to maximize the strength of the cut closure and to minimize impacts on fish and wildlife. The structures are expected to be exposed at low tide and underwater at high tide, and the contractor will install aids to navigation consisting of signs and other markings mounted on pile foundations.
The $7.6 million project, announced this month, will restore salinity gradients, reduce shoaling, and increase tidal exchange by closing two man-made cuts in Umbrella Creek approximately 10 miles south of Brunswick.
“These alterations were well-intentioned at the time,” said Moore. “However, their residual effects could not have been predicted given the technology of the day. With modern analytical modeling techniques now used by USACE, the department is hopeful that increased tidal exchange through Dover and Umbrella Creeks will correct salinity gradients, reduce localized sedimentation, and increase connectivity for fish and other wildlife in the Dover Bluff area; all things that were negatively impacted by the original cuts.”
DNR’s Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program (GOSP) is providing more than $1.7 million in grant funding for the project. Voters approved GOSP in 2018 with 83 percent support, creating a new funding mechanism to support parks, trails, and projects protecting lands critical to wildlife, clean water, and outdoor recreation across the state of Georgia.
DNR and USACE Restore Estuary
The Noyes Cut Ecosystem Restoration Project is the culmination of efforts by Dover Bluff Club to begin the reversal of the effects of opening Noyes Cut, said Fred Voigt Jr., the chairman of the River Committee for the Dover Bluff Club, a local community organization. Umbrella Creek, which fronts on Dover Bluff, was a river that had no marsh near the bluff for the entire mile of frontage, but now marsh extends as much as 100 yards due to years of sedimentation and poor river flow.
The GOSP and the management by the Georgia DNR gave the Corps the matching funds necessary to complete this project, said Voigt. Additionally, the Satilla Riverkeeper has been a supporter of the Dover Bluff Club since it came into existence and has supplied many individuals with much-needed knowledge and ability.
“Dover Bluff Club is excited that we are beginning to repair the mistakes of the past,” said Voigt. “The Corps of Engineers have stuck with us through the entire process. Dover Bluff Club is deeply indebted to all of these people and it’s especially heartwarming to see Georgia be so forward-looking.”
The work is part of the Corps’ Noyes Cut Ecosystem Restoration Project. Dynamite Cut and Old River Run on Umbrella Creek, a tributary of the Satilla River, are the first two man-made cuts slated for filling, with work beginning between November 2022 and January 2023, according to the Corps.
Anyone with questions may contact CRD’s public information officer, Tyler Jones, at tyler.jones@dnr.ga.gov or 912-262-3140. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contributed to this news release.
UNESCO recognition is widely acknowledged to result in increased global visibility, as well as a growth in tourism and ensuing economic benefits for the regional community. Along with the increased visibility, positive economic impact, and enhanced community spirit, will come an increased capacity to “protect and enhance wildlife and its habitat, ensure integrity of the ecological system, and embrace the grandeur, mystery, and cultural heritage that lead to an enrichment of the human spirit,” a guiding vision of both OSP, Inc. and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Okefenokee Pursues World Heritage Site Status
Bottom: Miles of trails offer kayaking for all experience levels.
UNESCO inscription is a competitive process, both at the national level and international level. The refuge was originally identified as a potential WH site in 1982 – the first step to inscription. In 2007, the refuge was officially placed on the United States Tentative List, where it remained for more than a decade. While a timeline is not guaranteed, the Partnership anticipates a 3 –4-year inscription process dated from August 2021.
OSP, Inc. cares about the lands and waters on which the Okefenokee and surrounding communities depend. Their vision is a world where the diversity of life thrives, and people act together to conserve nature for its ability to fulfill our needs and enrich our lives. For questions, suggestions, and to find out ways you can help, please contact: Kim Bednarek, Executive Director, Okefenokee Swamp Park & Okefenokee Adventures (904) 207-8057 or kim. bednarek@okeswamp.org or visit okeswamp.org.
Founded in 1946, the Okefenokee Swamp Park, Inc. (OSP, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to conserving the wildlife and wilderness, waterways, habitats and rich cultural history of North America’s largest “blackwater” swamp and offering educational and recreational opportunities connected to one of our planet’s natural wonders. The OSP’s mission is to preserve natural lands, of which only 5% globally are protected, and to ensure food and water sustainability through good stewardship The Okefenokee boasts a wetlands footprint largely undisturbed since prehistoric times and contains one of the earth’s richest carbon banks, but faces a number of stark environmental threats. One such threat, uncontrolled wildfires, pose a danger not only to the Okefenokee, but to adjacent property owners. In addition, communities around the Okefenokee face persistent economic uncertainty in rural South Georgia. While some see environmental interests as pitted against economic concerns, OSP Inc.’s publicprivate partnership brings together competing interests for the greater good of the preserve and those who live around it. The UNESCO bid is one of 5 principal initiatives which does just that.
Middle: Countless plant and animal species inhabit the swamp.
Top: There are ample camping opportunities in the Okefenokee.
OSP, Inc. is embarking on a partnership with The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR) to be inscribed as a World Heritage (WH) Site as designated by the United Nations Educational Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO). A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a natural or man-made site recognized as being of “outstanding universal value.” The United States has 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which include our National Parks, but the Okefenkee National Wildlife Refuge will be the first site entirely managed by the National Wildlife Refuge System and the first subtropical habitat on the North American Coastal Plain.
13August 2022 Southern Tides Magazine
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15August 2022 Southern Tides Magazine
Photo by Nick Riccio, Jr., Wildlife Photographer
Answering these questions will take a network of its own. There’s Bilskie, a coastal modeler and head of the UGA Coastal Ocean Analysis and Simulation Team (COAST), a research group with expertise in computational modeling of coastal and estuarine systems. His team is working on modeling how events such as hurricanes could affect Georgia’s salt marshes. This data will be passed to Yukiko Hashida, an assistant professor of agriculture and applied economics in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Her task will entail monetizing Bilskie’s projections. Does it make economic sense to introduce an insurance
By Stacia Pelletier UGA College of Engineering is Salt Marsh Worth? scheme into nature? If yes, what costs should be included—and what communities need to be at the planning table?
How Much
How much is a salt marsh worth? That’s one of the questions the University of Georgia and The Nature Conservancy will try to answer as they launch a pilot study funded by Georgia Sea Grant to determine the socioeconomic value of salt marsh ecosystems in Georgia. Experts estimate that 70 percent of all salt marshes have already been lost across the eastern seaboard, largely due to human development. Sea level rise from climate change also threatens their continued“Theseexistence.marshesare among the most well-preserved and extensive natural coastal networks in the nation, playing an indispensable role within human communities and for wildlife,” said Matthew Bilskie, an assistant professor in the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering at UGA’s College of Engineering. “Who stands to benefit from insuring such natural infrastructure so that if the marshes suffer damage, they can be restored? And who should pay for this insurance?”
“We are very excited about this effort,” said Mark Risse, director of UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. “Sea level rise is threatening Georgia's expansive salt marshes, which filter pollutants from our waterways, mitigate flooding, and provide habitat for commercially valuable fish and shellfish. Through this work, we hope to help the public better understand why it’s critical to protect and conserve our coastal ecosystems and develop mechanisms to conserve and protect them.” The Nature Conservancy (TNC) will invite community stakeholders into the pilot, including representatives from the insurance and reinsurance industries. Together, they’ll ask what kind of innovative financing mechanisms might help incentivize the protection and restoration of the marshes. The hope is that a collaborative analysis of Georgia’s salt marshes and their numerous benefits could introduce insurance as a real option for protecting these resources in the future. “If the pilot succeeds, this type of business and environmental collaboration could potentially be replicated across the South Atlantic,” said Ashby Worley, TNC’s coastal climate adaptation director in EconomistGeorgia.Hashida is eager to dive into the project for its urgency and because there’s nothing else quite like it underway in the “Thereregion. are studies looking at the interaction between wetlands and storm damage, but nothing else is bringing the insurance modeling directly into it,” she says. “And nobody else is tying it directly into implementable actions. That’s exciting to me.” Bilskie adds that finger pointing—looking for someone to blame when these resources sustain damage—isn’t productive at this moment in the global climate crisis. “Show results with science,” he said. “Show how these marshes help human communities and how it would benefit everyone’s bottom line to save them. That’s what we’re trying to achieve.”
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Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's Outdoor Fund. The grant will fund ORK’s on-going Protect the Vernon project that has connected numerous community stakeholders with the ultimate goal of reducing pollution to the point that it will the river delisted by the Georgia EPD as ‘impaired.’ So far, a total of 1,293.18 lbs of trash has been collected from the creeks and canals leading to the Vernon. Styrofoam is the most common litter collected in litter booms, with an average of 292 pieces per clean up. There are a total of 61 unique bacterial sampling sites within the Vernon River watershed that ORK and Adopt-A-Stream volunteers are monitoring. Additionally, ORK has engaged 420 students at 2 different schools in 5th and 9-11th grades with onsite water quality education programming. The grant from the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fund will help ORK continue and expand these efforts. “We’re pleased to partner with Bass Pro Shops on this project,” said Meaghan Walsh Gerard, communications and administrative director for ORK. “You can see the waterways we are restoring from the front doors of the store – it doesn’t get any more local. We know Bass Pro Shops is dedicated to conservation efforts and their customers are equally enthusiastic about protecting the environment we all enjoy.” Details about the Protect the Vernon project can be found at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/vernon.AboutBassProFund:BassPro
ORK Awarded Grant EXPOMARINEGEORGIACOASTAL Exhibitor Spaces and Sponsorships Available! February 4-5 2023 Boats • Boating Supplies Boat Storage • Tackle • Docks Marine Services • Parts • Gear Marine Art • Marine Apparel Kids Activity Center Networking • And Much More! All Coastal - All Marine For Information Contact:(912) amy@southerntidesmagazine.com484-3611 Hosted by SOUTHERNMAGAZINETIDES 17August 2022 Southern Tides Magazine
Shops and Cabela's Outdoor Fund is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity. When customers round up loose change at the register, we're uniting more than 200 million customers in supporting key conservation programs across North America.About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 22 counties in Georgia. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.
By Meaghan CommunicationsGerard& Administrative Director Ogeechee Riverkeeper
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A dawn-nesting loggerhead sea turtle on Ossabaw Island.
GADNR Wildlife Resources Division 19August 2022 Southern Tides Magazine
• When boating, stay alert and avoid turtles. Of the 84 sea turtles found dead or hurt in Georgia last year, 45 percent that could be assessed had suffered injuries consistent with being hit by a boat. Boaters who hit a sea turtle are urged to standby and immediately call DNR at 800-2-SAVE-ME (800-2728363).
To see current nest information, visit: seaturtle.org/ nestdb/?view=3
• Leave turtle tracks undisturbed. Researchers use them to identify the species and mark nests for protection.
• If you encounter a sea turtle on the beach – including hatchlings – remain quiet, still and observe them only from a distance.
WHAT YOU CAN DO All marine turtles in Georgia are protected by state and federal law. To help conserve these species:
Georgia Sea Turtle Program Coordinator Mark Dodd welcomed news of the record total but cautioned that loggerheads remain on a long, if promising, path to recovery.
Photo by Caleigh Quick, GADNR
• Protect beach vegetation: It stabilizes sand and the natural coastline.
• Minimize beachfront lighting during nesting season. Turn off, shield or redirect lights.
• Also report any dead or injured sea turtles seen at 800-2728363. (If the turtle is tagged, include the tag color and number in the report if possible.)
By Rick CommunicationsLavender and Outreach Specialist
“Loggerheads are a long-lived species that don’t reproduce until 30-35 years of age,” said Dodd, a senior wildlife biologist with DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section. “Based on current trends, we predict it will take at least another 20 years before we reach our recovery goals.”
Weighing 300 pounds or more, female loggerheads crawl ashore on beaches, dig a hole at the base of the dunes and lay their eggs, usually at night, from May into August.
Loggerhead Nesting Record High L
• Properly dispose of your garbage. Turtles may mistake plastic bags, Styrofoam and trash floating in the water as food. Ingested trash can clog intestines, resulting in death.
The region’s population of loggerheads – listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act – has been increasing at approximately 4 percent annually since the early 1990s. However, modeling developed by the University of Georgia and the U.S. Geological Survey using nest and genetics data indicates the population will plateau at current levels for about the next 20 years, its progress hobbled by low recruitment during the early 2000s, Dodd explained. If current protections remain in place at least through that period, the model suggests loggerhead numbers will increase again, possibly reaching levels not seen since the late 1950s.
oggerhead sea turtle nesting in Georgia hit a new high this week as the big reptiles beat their modern-day best for most nests on the state’s beaches. With nesting slowing and hatching surging, the nest count reached 3,953 on July 31 and crawled past 3,960 on August 3, according to the DNR. At press time, the Loggerhead nest count is nearing 4,000 and is expected to top that! That eclipses the 3,950 nests in 2019, the previous record since comprehensive surveys began along the Georgia coast in 1989. The state’s primary nesting sea turtle hit a low of 358 nests in 2004.
• When walking the beach at night, don’t use flashlights and flash photography. They can deter turtles from coming ashore to nest or cause them to abort nesting.
All sea turtle nests, including those of species that seldom nest here such as Kemp’s ridley and green, are marked, protected and monitored by the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative. The DNRcoordinated network of federally permitted volunteers, researchers and agency employees patrols beaches daily during nesting season. The effort not only eases predation and increases the number of young that hatch, the data collected is used to assess loggerhead populations, assess threats and inform management. Cooperators also help with beach management. The program has been in play on Georgia beaches for more than 30 years.
S avannah Riverkeeper is advocating for a better, cleaner, healthier Savannah River basin. The air in our headquarters, in Augusta, Ga., is ranked 28th most polluted in the country. Aurubis, a German-based copper smelter, has asked Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division to release more than 30 dangerous chemicals into Augusta’s already dirty air. That list includes arsenic and o-xylene. The Savannah Riverkeeper Research and Advocacy Unit is working hard to stand up against Aurubis’ request. More: savannahriverkeeper.org/ aurubisa
T he Satilla Riverkeeper is happy to announce an in-person Gala this year at Strickland's lodge on August 20. The Gala includes dinner for 130 people, with music, keynote address, open bar, live auction and silent auction. Tickets are $125. All funds collected go to support the Satilla Riverkeeper in its mission to protect the Satilla River. satillariverkeeper.org www.
20 Southern Tides Magazine August 2022
Milliken & Company announced the closure of the Longleaf plant located on the Ogeechee River in Screven County, Georgia. Milliken purchased the former King America Finishing plant in 2014, along with its existing permit to discharge treated industrial effluent into the Ogeechee River, one of the last remaining freeflowing blackwater rivers in the nation. Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) considers the closure of the Longleaf facility to be an overall positive step for the health and cleanliness of the watershed, while acknowledging the impacts to the local economy that such a closure will necessitate. org/press-release-milliken-closure/www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.
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Buffalo
AuthorizedDealer Shrimp
Proudly SoutheastServingGeorgiaandNortheastFlorida
• Heat oil in a skillet; when hot, cook shrimp in batches, just until firm and lightly browned.
INGREDIENTS
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1/2 pound per person, wild Georgia shrimp, peeled & deveined 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (we use Moore's Buffalo Wing Sauce)
• Drizzle sauce over shrimp in mixing bowl. Lightly toss to coat. Serve with Ranch or Bleu cheese dressing to dip, on a hoagie roll as a sandwich, on a salad, or in a tortilla shell as a buffalo shrimp taco. Tides
21August 2022 Southern
• Remove from skillet and drain on paper towel, then place in a mixing bowl big enough to allow room to lightly toss shrimp.
DIRECTIONS
• Place shrimp in a Ziploc bag, add enough flour to lightly coat shrimp. Seal bag and shake to coat.
Every once in a while it's good to heat things up a bit! Buffalo shrimp is just the thing. It's full of flavor and can be used in a wide range of ways. Although we like Moore's it may not be hot enough for some, so feel free to use your own favorite sauce or add a bit of hot sauce to it. Remember to support your local seafood markets or catch it yourself!
Magazine
Flour Cooking(unseasoned)oil
Taste of the Tides: Attention Seafood Markets! Southern Tides is seeking a recipe sponsor. Contact us to have your company name and logo included here. Attention Coastal Cooks and Chefs! Have a recipe featuring local seafood you'd like to share? Reach out to us! amy@southerntidesmagazine.com
• Heat buffalo sauce in a small saucepan, or in a glass bowl in microwave.
For those operating near shore, off shore, or on major shipping routes, consider an app that detects Automatic Identification System (AIS) – a signal that larger commercial and pleasure craft use. Just search “boat/ship finders.” Once again, these apps come in several flavors and vary from the free to paid. I started out using free versions of ship finder and marine traffic. Both worked very well, though there was a small delay in the refresh rate. Since I work in the marine business, I don’t mind paying for an app if it makes my job safer or easier. I’ve recently started using Boat Beacon. It’s also a paid app but gives me collision alarms, as well as letting me broadcast my AIS signal so I can be seen. I’m in shipping channels two hundred-plus days a year and I love being able to see where the big guys are, especially if I have a river channel crossing in adverse weather or at night. Those of us who grew up here or have lived here for years sometimes take the tide change as a given. However, boaters new to the area should be aware that our coast has a huge tidal range.
Average high tides run six to eight feet and big tides (during a new or full moon, or when we have strong winds) can run more than 10 feet. The other side of the coin is low tide, which, as I write, is -1.1 feet. A tide chart is one tool you don’t want to be without; you can pick them up at most any marina or boating supply store. I also rely on an app called GPS Real Tide, made by FlytoMap. With several features, such as touch GPS to locate what the tides will be at your location, you can also check locations for that day along your planned route. Remember, the tides can vary by as much as 45 minutes or more from the ocean's edge to further inland. A special pet peeve of mine is some boaters' knot tying abilities.
I
Screenshots of two apps Gator usesNavionics (top) and Boat Beacon (bottom). Images provided by Captain J. Gary Hill
22 Southern Tides Magazine August 2022
wakes cross again, peace and love, and shrimp and grits. I'll see you on the water!
The Bitter End Tools of the Modern Mariner
n any profession, having the right tools for the job makes everything turn out oh-so-much better. Whether you’re a professional mariner or the boating version of a weekend warrior, there are a few tools to have in your arsenal. In days of old, such tools were the compass, sextant, a good set of charts, and a sounding lead. In today’s world, these have been replaced, to some degree by Global Positioning Systems (GPS), depth sounders and VHF Radios. We also have phone apps available to us now – some are free and others are available for a small fee.
Charts are one tool you should always have aboard. Electronic, paper, or even better, both. Your GPS start-up screen warns you that having a good, current chart, in the advent of failure, is critical. But we get complacent; we either lose a chart and fail to put a new one back in the boat bag, or we boat only in areas we know.
So, I am going to start with a great product you can have in your pocket called Navionics. It’s an app for either android or iPhone, though there is a fee for it. It uses a standard chart layout and GPS to show where you are on said chart. Some of the more robust features allow you to set a route, gives your track lines and shows depths. I’ve had times when my regular Garmin GPS failed, and I’ve navigated at night and in fog using Navionics. It’s surprisingly accurate. Just go to your app store and select what fits your budget or need – there are several out there. But remember, these are subject to fail too, due to your phone going dead or being dropped, and still isn’t a replacement for having current paper charts onboard.
Email: TheOriginalCaptainGator@gmail.com
There’s a saying I’ve repeated for years, “If you can’t tie a knot, tie a lot.” Knot tying goes back to some of the most basic boating skills one should have mastered early on, though sadly knot so much. Once again, hit your app store to find a knot tying app that works for you. My favorite is Knots3D – it’s animated and will show you how to properly tie a variety of useful knots. It also allows you to adjust the display speed so you can follow along at your own pace.
Weather apps, route planners and even a simple things notes app on your phone to create a pre-departure checklist, can all make your trip easier and safer. Be properly armed for your next boating adventure. Remember that for the price of a couple cases of adult beverages you can make boating safer for you and your family and friends, and these investments keep giving back every trip –unlike those beverages! With the tools available today, the modern mariner is better prepared to set sail than ever'Tilbefore.our
By Captain J. Gary “Gator” Hill
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Sea Tur tles Dig the Dark! ( 8 0 0 ) 4 2 1 2 3 4 3 C o a s t a l E l e c t r i c c o o p
