Southern Tides December 2019

all about the water

December 2019

• Aftco and Guy Harvey sportswear

• Sperry and OluKai footwear

• Yeti cups and coolers

• Broad selection of rods and reels

• Tackle

• Savannah Jack’s gifts

• Costa Sunglasses

• Stocking stu ers

• Gift cards, & So Much More!

CREW

Publisher/Editor

Amy Thurman amy@southerntidesmagazine.com

Around the Reef Columnists

Michelle Riley/Ben Pruett michelle.riley@noaa.gov

Ebb & Flow Columnist

Trey Leggett info@southerntidesmagazine.com

The Bitter End Columnist

Captain Daniel Foulds dan@southerntidesmagazine.com

Consulting Naturalist

John "Crawfish" Crawford crawfish@uga.edu

Contributing Writer

Rick Lavender rick.lavender@dnr.ga.gov

Contributing Writer Michael Sullivan mike.sullivan@skio.uga.edu

Contributing Writer Tyler Jones tyler.jones@dnr.ga.gov

Copyright © 2015-2019

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) 484-3611 info@southerntidesmagazine.com Visit us on social media: www.issuu.com/SouthernTidesMagazine.com Facebook.com/southern-tides-magazine Instagram @ southerntides_mag

Southern Tides Magazine is printed by Walton Press, Monroe, Ga.

Subscribe to Southern Tides: Visit www.squareup.com/store/ southern-tides-magazine

$25 for one year/12 issues. (plus $1.15 credit card processing fee)

Thank you for your support!

Letters to the Editor: We love hearing from you!

Questions, comments, ideas, or whatever you'd like to share, please do!

Send your thoughts to any of our email addresses listed above.

Photo by Amy Thurman

E ditor’s N ote

has been a strange year with widely diverging ups and downs – not just for me, but for many of you I’ve spoken with as well. But even during the low periods, we have to hold on to the thought that things could always be worse. Every day that we’re above ground and drawing in oxygen, there’s potential for things to get better. When things are at their worst, I try to remember that thought and to focus on the good in my life.

I can’t speak for any of you but from where I’m sitting, even when life is challenging there’s still a lot of good. I live in the most beautiful place on Earth, I have family and friends in my life, I love what I do for a living, I have faith, and hope for the future. There’s more, of course, but those are the most critical points, the things I’m most thankful for and the reasons I consider myself blessed.

These are also the reasons I’m compelled to give back at every opportunity, throughout the year and now, during this season of giving.

Giving sounds like a simple thing, but there are countless options out there and it can be tough to know where to start. My friend Neva would save every child and animal on the planet if she had the means to do so, and my friend Liz has a soft spot for the elderly. I have friends who go on missionary trips, friends who collect books and school supplies for kids overseas, friends who spend time feeding the homeless, and friends who pour their energy into helping disabled vets. ALL worthy causes that help make the world a better place. But where do you start when there’s just so much that needs to be fixed? It can be disheartening to even contemplate it.

The two most obvious (and often easiest) options are time or money and I don’t know of any charitable organization that would turn down either. If you’d like a list of local non-profits

who would appreciate your volunteer time or your donation, email me and I’ll send you one.

But you can also think outside the “gift box” and do something a little different. Here’s a list of possibilities you might consider, both during the holidays and throughout the year.

Rather than sell them, donate larger items, such as a kayak to a scouting group or your Riverkeeper, or a TV to a nursing home, or tools you don’t use to Habit for Humanity.

It isn’t always about the tax write off. Consider donating craft supplies to a grade school teacher for her classroom, take a stack of old towels and blankets to an animal shelter, or even give blood.

Your time is valuable and giving it is incredibly rewarding. Read to the elderly in a nursing home, join a beach clean-up on a free Saturday, or help find homes for animals at the pound using your social media connections.

If you own a business, consider starting a scholarship fund for local students, setting up a foundation to benefit a local cause, or allocating resources (inventory or labor) to help a local family or business that’s struggling.

Practice random acts of kindness. Pay for the coffee or lunch of the person behind you in line (this actually happened to me once this year and it made my day!), send flowers to a friend or coworker, tell someone how much you appreciate them, or when dealing with a frustrating person, leash your temper and be nice to them – you may be surprised at how much better you’ll feel after the encounter.

Regardless of what you come up with, or what you currently do to give back, you’re sure to realize how good it feels to do something selfless and kind.

Merry Christmas to all of you and we'll see you out there!

Amy Thurman

Editor in Chief

E bb & F low

Quick Trips

By Trey Leggett

Idon’t know if your December is as busy as mine, but it’s tough to fit fishing or hunting into my busy holiday schedule. When I’m not at work, I find I spend most of my time Christmas decorating, Christmas shopping, or going to Christmas parties and dinners with friends and family. Although we need to spend time with family and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we also need to quench that outdoor itch. There’s plenty of good stuff going on outdoors!

Even though it’s December, inshore fishing is still hot. Speckled trout and redfish are still biting good, with big fish being caught frequently. A great quick fishing trip is to load up the kayak and go fish for sheepshead under docks and bridges. Fiddler crabs are my favorite bait, but you can also use pieces of shrimp, oysters, or clams. This is no time to go with light tackle; use a medium heavy rod with a fast tip, a stout reel that has a good drag (around 20 pounds), 30- to 50-pound line, 50-pound fluorocarbon leader if using braided line, a long shank #2 hook, and enough weight to keep the tide from carrying the bait away. Sheepshead are notorious for stealing the bait off your hook, hence their nickname: convict fish (plus they have vertical dark stripes). One way I keep sheepshead honest is to lower my bait to the target zone then lift my rod tip about 12 inches every few seconds before lowering it back down. If I feel any resistance, I set the hook and reel in as quick as I can. Beware, sheepshead will try to wrap you around structure, pilings, etc., so bare down on them. Sheepshead are ugly and stinky fish that are tough to clean but will produce a very nice tasting white meat that even the pickiest eater will enjoy. A quick hunting trip, if you live on hunting property or live close to your hunting club or lease, is to hunt either in the morning or evening if you need to get back to family events. During December in our area the rut is long gone, and the deer have been hearing gunshots for over a month, so they’ve become wary of much daylight movement. My advice for late season hunting is to compile your game camera data and recognize the deer travel routes to and from bedding areas. Locating their bedding areas is key to late season success. Set up a ground blind or tree stand near deer paths that lead to and from those bedding areas, being close to the bedding areas but not too close. Use absolute stealth and human scent management if you want any chance of slipping in undetected. Coming out of the woods from your stand is equally important so take your time and remember stealth. This time of year can be very rewarding if planned out according to the game’s habits.

It’s okay to stray away for a few hours during this busy month, just plan ahead so you can be back, hopefully with some fresh meat, before anyone misses you. Practice safety, especially with all of our special and talented drivers on the road, and enjoy the time you get outdoors.

Have a great holiday season, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Stay safe and tight lines.

Trey Leggett is an outdoorsman sponsored by Engel Coolers and Hobie Polarized sunglasses. Email: info@southerntidesmagazine.com

Top: A bald eagle perched high above while Trey was out kayak fishing.

Above: View from Trey's hunting blind, waiting for deer.

Photos by Trey Leggett

G

We’re working for you!

• Protects, defends and restores the watershed by monitoring pollution and polluters.

• Talks with legislators about bills that could better protect the watershed.

• The 14,000 miles of the Altamaha watershed includes Ocmulgee, Oconee, Ohopee and the Golden Isles.

A round the Reef

By Ben Pruett Outreach and

Social Media Coordinator

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

The change of seasons and the coming of winter bring regular changes to the reefs of coastal Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. The endangered North Atlantic right whales make their thousandmile journeys from New England waters to give birth to new calves on our coast. Fish species normally seen in the North Atlantic also migrate south to warmer waters. These changes come annually and are so certain you could almost set your watch to them. As we wind down 2019 – as well as the whole decade of the 2010s, management at the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is going through a revitalization of its own.

New staff have filled key roles these past few months in management, research, communications and conservation, and with this surge of new hiring, the staff at the Sanctuary have high hopes for the coming years.

Leading the direction of Gray’s Reef is Superintendent Stan Rogers. Stan comes to the Reef from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) where he most recently supervised policy, planning and evaluation, data management, and communications activities for the NOAA Restoration Center in the Office of Habitat Conservation. Stan joins State Program Manager Elliott Lam to manage the strategic planning for conservation and responsible use of Gray’s Reef resources.

Kris Howard and Alison Soss join the scientific research team as Sanctuary program specialist and geospatial data analyst, respectively. Kris is the inaugural Sea Grant Fellow for Gray’s Reef, focusing on developing a comprehensive research plan, identifying and sustaining resources within the Sanctuary, and evaluating the needs for additional resource protection. Alison’s work will support the ongoing soundscape research across Gray’s Reef to understand the movement of fishes by integrating data into GIS databases. Kris and Alison join Research Coordinator Kim Roberson, to expand the scope of research happening in the Sanctuary.

I am also new to the team, as outreach and social media coordinator. Taking these hats, along with events, and volunteer coordination, my goal is to emphasize how Gray’s Reef can incorporate the needs of the community to create a mutually beneficial connection between ocean, coasts, and people. I will be teaming with Communications Coordinator Michelle Riley, to share more of the Sanctuary with you.

Matt Kuzemchak comes in as the new resource protection coordinator taking over for Becky Shortland who has served the Sanctuary for over 20 years. Matt will be coordinating the Sanctuary Advisory Council to take advice and ideas from stakeholder communities and the public and create actions to best manage the Sanctuary for years to come.

Supporting small boat and dive operations out to Gray’s Reef is NOAA Corps officer LTJG Justin Miyano. LTJG Miyano will be the vessel operations coordinator, joining Clayton Louden to provide safe and efficient travel out to Gray’s Reef NMS for scientific research or equipment maintenance.

The new faces around Gray’s Reef are eager to start the new decade building stronger ties and creating more research opportunities to the offshore reef. If you or someone you know is interested in supporting this mission, there are volunteer opportunities available. Please contact me at Ben.Prueitt@noaa.gov for volunteer opportunities.

These six new staff at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary will bolster the research, management, communications, and operations of the Sanctuary heading into the new decade. Photo provided by GRNMS

Stan Rogers, Superintendent LTJG Justin Miyano, Vessel Operations Coordinator

Matt Kuzemchak, Resource Protection Coordinator

Ben Pruett, Outreach and Social Media Coordinator

Alison Soss, Geospatial Data Analyst

Kris Howard, Sanctuary Program Specialist

Rescue team loads the adult manatee onto the boat.

Photo provided by Clearwater Marine Aquarim Research under USFWS permit 770191.

Manatee Rescue in the Savannah River

By Rick Lavender

Communications and Outreach Specialist

GADNR Wildlife Resources Division

Conservation agencies and organizations teamed up with officials at the Imperial Sugar plant to rescue a manatee and her calf from the Savannah River on Friday, November 29.

The manatees had been using the area around the plant’s warmwater discharge into the river as refuge from cooling water temperatures that threatened their survival. Scheduled maintenance at the plant would have temporarily disrupted the outfall over Thanksgiving, but Imperial Sugar minimized that work and provided staff on the holiday to keep the warm water flowing until rescuers arrived.

The cow manatee, weighing 1,530 pounds, and her 425-pound male calf were netted and transported to SeaWorld in Orlando, FL. The calf started nursing as soon as the manatees arrived at SeaWorld and both were in good condition by the following Monday. The hope is to release them soon.

The rescue, made more challenging by low tide and deep mud, involved the Georgia DNR Wildlife Conservation Section, SeaWorld, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Savannah State University.

DNR and Fish and Wildlife Service coordinators were grateful for the team effort and the plant’s role.

“They went to extreme measures to continue to provide warm water for these manatees until we could rescue them,” said Mark Dodd, a senior wildlife biologist with DNR.

“The service appreciates the many conservation partners from Georgia and Florida as well as Imperial Sugar plant staff that [who] stepped up to do their part for this large female and her dependent male calf, especially around the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Terri Calleson, Florida manatee recovery coordinator with the Fish and Wildlife Service. “This was, without a doubt, the right team for the job.”

This rescue came only three days after a team of most of the same organizations rescued another manatee cow and her calf from a tidal pond on a St. Simons Island golf course. Yet those manatees were in poorer condition from cold stress and the calf did not survive. The adult is rehabilitating at SeaWorld.

ABOUT MANATEES

Manatees inhabit tidal rivers, estuaries and near-shore ocean waters throughout coastal Georgia during the warmer months, migrating to Florida in fall as water temperatures cool. The population of Florida manatees, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, numbers at least 6,600, with about half found along Florida’s Gulf Coast and the remainder along the Atlantic Coast and the St. Johns River.

Formerly listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, manatees were downlisted in 2017 to threatened because of sustained population growth throughout their U.S. range. DNR cooperates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife and others to conserve manatees in Georgia.

Species profile: www.fws.gov/southeast/wildlife/mammals/manatee.

Many involved in manatee rescue efforts ranging from Florida to South Carolina are part of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership, www.public.wildtracks.org.

Manatee calf in truck with members of the rescue team. Photo provided by USFWS under permit 770191

Arctic Expedition for SkIO Scientists

By Michael Sullivan External Affairs Manager UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography

UGA

Skidaway Institute of Oceanography scientist Chris Marsay will spend much of the coming winter on board an ice breaker frozen solid in the Arctic ice cap. Marsay, working with fellow UGA Skidaway Institute researcher Clifton Buck, is part of a major international research project named Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate or “MOSAiC.” The plan is to sail the German ice breaker Research Vessel Polarstern into the

Arctic Ocean until it becomes locked in the ice and leave it there to drift with the ice for a year, all the while using it as a headquarters for scientists to study Arctic climate change. The Polarstern left Norway in mid-September and has already become fixed in the ice pack. Marsay will sail aboard a Russian ice breaker to join the project in January and remain until early April.

MOSAiC has been in the planning stages for more than ten years. It includes 17 nations and has a total budget exceeding $132 million. The project’s goal is to develop a better understanding of climate change, which is affecting the Arctic far more quickly and to a greater extent than anywhere else in the world. For example, satellite and other observations show that the area of sea ice coverage is shrinking. The ice is also becoming thinner and newer, meaning less of the ice persists for multiple years.

“The fundamental question is what will the Arctic look like when there is significantly less sea ice,” Buck said. “That will have physical and chemical implications, but it will also impact the biology of the region from polar bears all the way down to phytoplankton.”

Marsay’s role will be to monitor the atmospheric deposition of aerosols to the ocean and sea ice. This material is a mixture of tiny particles from sources including smoke from forest fires in places such as Alaska and Siberia, industrial emissions and natural dust blowing off the continents. The researchers hope to develop a better understanding of how nutrients and pollutants in this material make their way from the upper atmosphere to the ice cap. Aerosols can arrive either as particles, floating in the atmosphere and settling like dust, or as part of a raindrop or snowflake.

“We don’t fully understand the chemistry of the aerosol material,” Buck said. “We don’t have a good sense of the amount or how quickly it is being deposited, especially not in winter. It is extraordinarily

difficult to conduct science in the Arctic in the winter.”

Marsay can expect temperatures of negative 30 or 40 degrees Celsius and constant darkness for much of his stay.

“The operational challenges are significant and the logistics are difficult,” Buck said.

Working with collaborators from Florida State University and Florida International University, the research team will use a radioisotope of beryllium to measure the rate of atmospheric deposition. Beryllium-7 is created only in the upper atmosphere by the exposure of nitrogen and oxygen to cosmic rays, and has a half-life of 53 days. By measuring the concentration of beryllium-7 in samples, they will be able to estimate the deposition rate at which beryllium and other materials are being deposited on the surface.

Marsay was required to undergo some very specialized training for the expedition.

“Generally when we go out to sea, there is a one or two hour meeting between the science team and ship crew to go over safety on board,” Marsay said. “For travelling on the Russian ice breaker, they have a condition that everyone has to have undergone a full sea survival training course.”

That was a two-day course that included firefighting and survival techniques, along with online learning. He also traveled to Colorado for a special course to learn to deal with another hazard – polar bears.

“They are the largest predator in the environment and are not afraid of anything,” Marsay said. “They are inquisitive, attracted to any activity, and they have no reason to leave once they come. They are a significant concern.”

Polar bears have already been spotted around the Polarstern for the past month and the bears have made repeated visits to the site. The ship has trained polar bear guards who will be out on the ice during working hours, but that may not be enough to protect the science teams.

“Because there will be so much going on around the ship, they want many pairs of eyes helping to keep a look out,” Marsay said. Marsay’s training included a day of learning about the bears and a half day of firearms training, should an encounter with a bear get that far.

The research team will take turns working on the ship in shifts of two months at a time. As many as 40 to 50 scientists might be on the Polarstern during each shift, collecting samples and making a wide range of observations throughout the year.

“The powerful thing about this project is there are so many different angles being addressed,” Buck said. “The fact that all these different studies are being conducted at the same time and at the same place gives us the ability to really understand some of the fundamental processes going on in the Arctic.”

Participation in the MOSAiC project is funded by a four-year, $350,412 grant awarded to Buck by the National Science Foundation Arctic System Science Program.

Opposite page: Chris Marsay during a 2015 expedition to the North Pole.

Photo provided by Skidaway Institute of Oceanography

This page: The R/V Polarstern

Photo by Stefanie Arndt

Public Comment Period for Changes to Shark Fishing Rules

By Tyler Jones Communications Specialist GADNR Coastal Resources Division

The GADNR Coastal Resources Division (CRD) has asked the state Board of Natural Resources to require anglers to use non-offset, corrodible, non-stainless-steel circle hooks when fishing for all species of sharks in state waters, except when using flies or artificial lures. This is in addition to requests made in September that the board prohibit the harvest of shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) less than 83 inches fork length, regardless of sex, and to completely prohibit the harvest of oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus).

This additional circle-hook request comes after the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) passed an amendment on Oct. 30, 2019, requiring the use of such hooks in member states. The ASMFC requires state implementation of this rule by July 1, 2020.

Circle hooks are more likely to lodge in the corner of the jaw, making removal of the hook easier. They reduce the chances of gut or foul hooking of the shark and increase chances of shark survival. Also, hooks made of corrodible material, rather than stainless steel, rust away faster in the event the hook cannot be removed from the shark.

The previously requested change to prohibit the harvest of shortfin mako sharks less than 83 inches is required for Georgia to remain in compliance with the ASMFC Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks. Georgia is a member of the commission, which seeks to coordinate interstate management of more than two dozen species of fish and crustaceans in waters along the Atlantic Seaboard.

The ASMFC approved the change to shortfin mako sharks on May 1, 2019. Although the ASFMC’s Coastal Sharks Management Board approved a smaller limit of 71 inches fork length for males along with the 83 fork length minimum for females, CRD is recommending a more conservative approach for shortfin mako sharks by setting the harvestable size to individuals greater than 83 inches, regardless of sex.

“We know from experience Georgia’s anglers are concerned about conservation,” said Carolyn Belcher, chief of CRDs Marine Fisheries Section. “We also know identifying whether such a large fish is male or female can be dangerous, so we wanted the process to be as simple and safe as possible for Georgia’s saltwater anglers.”

The CRD also considered the rarity with which shortfin mako sharks are seen in Georgia’s waters when recommending the 83 inch minimum for both sexes.

Additionally, the CRD is seeking to completely prohibit the harvest of oceanic whitetip sharks, which the NOAA Fisheries office listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act on Jan. 20, 2018. Although these sharks do not live in Georgia’s waters, prohibiting their possession would restrict shark fishermen from landing this species in Georgia.

Full wording can be viewed at http://bit.ly/shark_fishing. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the proposal through Jan. 31, 2020. Following this comment period, the Board of Natural Resources will consider the proposed rule changes at 9 a.m. Jan. 31, 2020, at the A.W. Jones Heritage Center, 610 Beachview Drive, St. Simons Island, GA 31522. If approved, the new regulation would go into effect July 1, 2020. Comments may be mailed or emailed to: Carolyn Belcher Coastal Resources Division One Conservation Way Brunswick, GA 31520 carolyn.belcher@dnr.ga.gov

Boat Parade Candy

Word Search

Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Here are some fun and useful ideas to fill up those stockings!

Boat music (CD or download gift card)

Bottle or can coozie

Bottle opener in a unique design

Compass

Filet knife

Fishing lures

Fishing and hunting license

Gift cards from Southern Tides advertisers!

Hand warmers and/or gloves

Jerky – beef, venison, gator

Key float

Lip balm

Metal or paper straws

Mini bottles of favorite liquor

Oyster gloves

Oyster knife (hand carved)

Pocket knife or multi-tool

Merry Christmas

Carol of the Bells

Christmas Tree Worms

Deck the Palms

Eggnog

Elves

Frasier Fir

Good Tidings

Hot Buttered Rum

Icicle Lights

Jingle Bells

Jolly Old St. Nick

Joy to the World

Mistletoe Nativity

North Star

Oh Holy Night

Oyster Roast

Pecan Pie

Peppermint Shrimp

Pine Cones

Port and Starboard

Red and Green

Sea Stars

Seas 'N Greetings Snow

Yaupon Holly

Propane tank gauge

Sunglass croakies

Sunscreen (yes, even in winter)

Ear muffs or warm hat

Waterproof phone case

Wine bottle stopper

Need more ideas? Shoot us an email! info@southerntidesmagazine.com

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Climate Affecting Black Gill

By Michael Sullivan External Affairs Manager UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography

at low levels earlier. Shrimp black gill is caused by a single-cell animal called a ciliate.

Frischer and his colleagues recently identified the ciliate causing black gill as a previously undescribed species and have proposed a name for it, Hyalophysa lynii. They named the species in honor of Denis Lynn, a prominent ciliate biologist who died in 2018 in a tragic accident while conducting research. When present in shrimp, H. lynii is believed to feed on shrimp gill tissue, and it is this feeding that elicits the shrimp’s immune system resulting in the darkened gills characteristic of shrimp black gill.

Researchers at the University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography believe the rise of black gill in Georgia shrimp in recent decades may be linked to climate change, specifically the warmer winters in the region.

Black gill is a condition in Georgia shrimp that shrimpers blame for reduced harvests. Research conducted by UGA Skidaway Institute professor Marc Frischer and his collaborators has confirmed that black gill can result in the death of shrimp both by killing them directly and increasing their susceptibility to predation. Black gill was first officially recorded in the mid-1990s, although anecdotal reports from shrimpers suggest it was present

Frischer and his team have been working with the UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Shrimp Association, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and others to try to learn more about the condition and to help the shrimp industry. One challenge is to explain the seasonal nature of the affliction. Shrimp with darkened gills usual begin to appear in mid-summer and its prevalence peaks in September and October. The prevalence of black gill declines until January when it virtually disappears, only to reappear the following summer. Frischer and his team believe the cycle is due to water temperature. This is where climate change enters the picture. One of the most prominent effects of ongoing climate change in the southeastern U.S., including Georgia, has been warmer winters.

As one aspect of the research, Frischer and his team looked at temperature and water quality data alongside fishery performance (harvest) and shrimp population assessment data collected by the Georgia and South Carolina Departments of Natural Resources.

Reliable shrimp landings records date back to the mid-1950s; populations assessments date back to the mid-1970s; and records of the prevalence of black gill have been collected since it first appeared in the mid-1990s. Reviewing this data Frischer and his team noted that since black gill has been present in Georgia waters, shrimp landings have been correlated with winter water temperatures with smaller harvests occurring when winters are warmer.

“Since black gill has become prevalent, warmer winters have been significantly correlated with smaller shrimp harvests” Frischer said. Frischer also noted that this has changed since preblack gill years when cold winters were correlated with lower shrimp harvests.

Frischer and his team have also noted that the prevalence of shrimp black gill correlates with climate indices including the El Niño Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation indices. These indices describe broad characteristics of Earth’s climate.

“One of the predictors that comes out of this work and appears to be quite important, is not just weather, but the changing climate,” Frischer said. “We don’t understand the mechanism fully, but what we see is the warmer the winters, the worse the fishery yields are the next year.

“The information is still a little circumstantial, but climate, especially the warmer winters we have been experiencing, seems to be a factor.”

There are many questions still to be answered such as understanding the life cycle of the parasite, and learning why the condition and the ciliate seem to disappear during the cooler months. One answer the researchers do not expect to find is a cure

for shrimp in the wild. Instead, Frischer said, it will be necessary to adapt and adapting means being able to make some predications about it.

“We need to see if we can predict this, like a weather forecast,” Frischer said. “And we can start putting that into useful products that we can use to help manage the fishery in this new time when black gill is here to stay.”

Opposite page: Shrimp with evidence of black gill (dark patch just below thumb of person holding it).

This page: Crew of the R/V Savannah deploys a trawl net.

Photos provided by UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography

T he Bitter End

Exploring our Maritime History

By Captain Dan Foulds

Anyone who knows me has surely heard me gush about Buddy Sullivan over the last year or so. Mr. Sullivan is an incredibly prolific writer with a huge body of work covering the history of coastal Georgia. His primary focus is on the areas around Darien, but in the course of telling those stories he includes fascinating details about places all up and down our coast.

I conducted a tour last year for kids from the Oglethorpe Charter School in Savannah, and overheard their teacher, Ben Wells, mention that Skidaway Narrows wasn’t the path of the Intracoastal Waterway until 1905. This piqued my curiosity, so I asked Ben about his favorite reference for maritime history in the low country. He pointed me to A Georgia Tidewater Companion by Buddy Sullivan. It’s a great resource for anyone interested in the past of this place. And in the vein of “one thing leads to another,” a reference in one of Mr. Sullivan’s notes led me to the most amazing boat book I have ever seen: Tidecraft, by William [Rusty] Fleetwood. If you are at all interested in boats and boating between Georgetown in South Carolina and St. Augustine in Florida, you must get your hands on a copy of Tidecraft. Live Oak Library has them, as does Amazon.

As Fleetwood explains, the creeks, rivers, and sounds upon which so many of us play, in boats that are little more than toys, were once the best and most efficient way of getting large numbers of people and countless tons of goods from one place to another. The rivers, and the boats upon them, were matters of life and death. They enabled incredible wealth to be accumulated by a fortunate few, aided and abetted a subsistence living for many, and also helped the most unspeakably cruel acts to be perpetrated upon slaves from the west of Africa.

It’s all there in Tidecraft. All four hundred years of it.

Our region served as ground zero for centuries of desperate, bloody conflict between the world’s great powers – Spain, France, and England. And also of course, as home to the Native Americans who were already here when the Europeans arrived on scene. Greed, avarice, and murder in the name of God were in full swing all across the last four hundred years of lowcountry history, and Fleetwood paints vivid portraits of the drama with words and images gleaned from all over the world. He connects the dots between Barbados and

Bermuda and Charleston and Savannah. It’s a hell of a story.

A few months back I wrote about Causton Bluff in this column, and Mr. Causton becomes much more real in Tidecraft. He designed a flat-bottomed cargo craft, which was derided by Von Reck around 1736, as being “… so heavy and so unsuitable for the Savannah River … the prow is not sharp, so that it stops the water. The oars and rudder avail nothing … ”

While the typical river craft that had to be rowed upriver against a steady downstream current was narrow and streamlined (and often made from a dugout tree trunk), I think Causton designed his broad, flat-bottomed boat for a different environment and several times the payload. Causton Bluff is on a tidal river, and the tidal creeks and rivers flow where you want to go twice a day.

Imagine trying to get into the head of someone who lived three centuries ago to understand what they were thinking. That’s what happens in Tidecraft. As well, much is brought to light that has been largely forgotten. For instance - there was a time when a skiff was an “esquiffe,” a sloop was a “shallop” or “chalupa” depending on where it was made, and a frigate was a “fragata.” There was a Carolina Skiff long before fiberglass was invented. It was built cheaply and for work, it was the truck of the waters, and it was known as a “periagua.”

The entire maritime world is much more connected than one might imagine, and Tidecraft gathers up many of the threads and traces them from today’s Bitter End to their distant beginnings. I hope you enjoy the journey.

Thanks, Rusty. It’s a great book.

Bull River Yacht Club Unit 704

HERB RIVER BEND

Here is one the most sought after neighborhoods. Gated but so convenient to everything. This 4BRs 3.5BAs home recently changed hands and now the seller needs to sell due to no fault of his own. Every detail in the house is custom done. Originally built by Ed Johns. Lots of living and entertaining areas. Gourmet kitchen open to the family room and breakfast area. Counter seating as well. Two fireplaces to accent LR and FR. Wonderful covered back porch and courtyard. The neighborhood has wonderful amenities such as pool, exercise, clubhouse and play ground. Hancock School is located at rear of neighborhood. Come enjoy all of the wonderful neighbors. Such a great area for walking. $675,000

ISLAND TOWNHOME

The Marshes subdivision

This 3BD 3BA is a wonderful place to call home. Large open rooms with two bedrooms on the first floor, great room and family room off of kitchen. Add a screened porch and deck to enhance the amazing marsh views. The second floor has a large bonus room, third bedroom and a bath. Lots of amenities to include a community pool, community dock, and common areas. $340,000

MIDTOWN

Wow!! No lots like this in Parkside. 4 total lots with amazing outdoor space. This charming bungalow will draw you in and make you want to settle in for life. Two bedrooms and bath down and a fantastic master suite and sitting area with bath on second floor. Hardwood floors and contemporary kitchen. There are two outdoor screened areas. Detached single car garage with lots of extra storage. Parkside is such a welcoming community with lots of friendly neighbors. Walk to Daffin Park for the dog park, watching games or enjoy the Banana games and fireworks. Ready for you now. $349,000

POOLER

This is one of the most unique and special building complexes in the Savannah area. Unending views of the marsh and water. This 3 BR, 3 BA unit is on the far side and upper level. It is waiting for you to enjoy the balcony deck for dinner or drinks. Once you enter the property you will see water from every angle. The high end finishes just top it off. Welcome to the best view with privacy to boot. Enjoy the 4th Fireworks at Tybee from your private unit or come up one floor for rooftop amenities in the pool or table entertaining alcoves. This unit has water views from all of the common areas, one guest room and the master bedroom. Secure building and parking. Coded entry to the unit. This is the property for the discerning buyer. It has it all. Views, privacy, lock and leave potential, upgrades galore et all. $674,000 REDUCED

This is a very special area and home. Located just off Pooler Parkway with easy access to I-16 and Savannah. A gated community with amenities that just do not stop. Private dinner club, exercise studio, tennis facilities, and a pool entertaining area that far exceeds any expectations. This 4 BR/3.5 BA home is located on one of the wonderful estate lots that is just over an acre. Custom built with two master suites. One upstairs and one down. Perfect for a multi generational family. Four bedrooms and a large bonus room. Multiple living and entertaining areas. There are minumum requirements for the dinner club. Come make this your perfect family home and enjoy all that Westbrook has to offer. $599,000

6349 Abercorn St. Savannah, GA 912.352.1222

BURNSIDE ISLAND

Beautiful totally renovated 4BRs and 3BAs waterfront cottage on Burnside Island. Located just off the community park for easy family access to the playground and tennis courts. Come join this family oriented community. Burnside Island is one of the few golf cart friendly communities in Savannah. $524,900

BURNSIDE ISLAND

OMG!! 4BRs, 3BAs. That is all you can say about these views over the marsh and Vernon River. The sunsets alone are breathtaking. This traditional Low Country home is located on 2.8 acres and has views out of every window. Inground pool and screened porch overlooking the view as well. This estate is perfect for the discerning owner with privacy and lots of potential for gardens or a fam ily compound. Burnside Island is a unique island with single family homes and lots of walking, rid ing, etc. Golf cart approved island. Owner may ap ply for membership in the Burnside Island Yacht Club on the Intracoastal Waterway.

ISLE OF HOPE

REDUCED

This wonderful 2 BD 2.5 BA home was originally the location of a dairy farm. Two buildings for living. One two story with a wonderful master suite upstairs with new bath and large closet. Separate “bunkhouse” has full bath, bedroom, kitchen and living area. They are joined by a cozy courtyard and expansive deck perfect for back yard enthusiasts. Large detached workshop and several outdoor storage buildings. Welcome to Isle of Hope! Walk everywhere. To the marina, to the community pool, along Bluff Drive with views of the Intracoastal Waterway. The community is one the few golf cart approved areas. This special historic home is for the lover of beautiful and unique properties. Perfect for second residence or investment. $340,000 113 Holcomb Street

POOLER

This 4 BD, 2.5 BA home is one of the largest in the neighborhood. All of the family is together upstairs with lots of family rooms to boot. Huge bonus room upstairs. Large open floorplan downstairs with separate dining room, living room, sun room and an additional office. Great open kitchen with two counters for eating and a large breakfast room. Directly off this room is the double sized patio. Private backyard. No building behind you. Located on a cul de sac. The master bedroom is oversized with a sitting area. The master shower is huge and has a separate water closet. Directly off the master bath is a huge walk in closet and with access to the laundry room. Lots of amenities. Playground and pool. $274,000

We Prepare and Install Living Shorelines

Living shorelines provide a natural and stable alternative to rip rap and sea walls. Zulu is pleased to offer installation where stabilization and shoreline restoration is needed.

• Assembled with bags of recycled oyster shells

• Stabilizes eroding shorelines or failing bulkheads

• Plantings of native grasses enhance stabilization

• Encourages growth of oysters, which provides water filtration

• Provides habitat for multiple fish and crustacean species

• Increases resistance to flooding