The Evolution of Zulu Marine
Jim, Alex and Rusty Batey, aboard Zulu Chief, in the Gulf of Mexico, preparing for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill clean-up. Photo provided by Zulu Marine Services
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By Amy Thurman
he Zulu story begins in the early 80s on Daufuskie, the southernmost of South Carolina’s barrier islands. Jim Batey purchased the Bloody Point Lighthouse, moved his family from Hilton Head, to undeveloped Daufuskie, and set about restoring the light. To supplement his income, he used his boat to transport items to and from the island for residents, hauling anything from cars, to building supplies. As this side business grew, Jim realized his boat needed a name and spread the word to residents that he’d buy a case of beer for anyone who came up with one. Shaka Zulu, a TV series about the ruler of the Zulu Kingdom in South Africa in the early 1800s, was popular with Daufuskie residents at the time. When one suggested naming the boat Zulu Chief, it stuck, without Jim having much say in it. In time, as often happens in the world of boats, the owner and the boat became synonymous. “They couldn’t remember my name, I was just ‘the Zulu guy,’” Jim recalled, chuckling. In 2007 Jim replaced the previous Zulu Chief with a Munson
In a journey from shipwrecks to side scan sonar, and debris location to drone mapping, Zulu Marine Services has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of technology. I spent a morning aboard Zulu Chief with members of the Batey family and Zulu team members, learning about the unusual evolution of their family business that has played a role in researching theories on the movement of ancient man, and used modern technology in new applications. 14
SouthernTidesMagazine.com July 2017