Business Spotlight: Bull River Marina

Bull River Marina sits on the west bank of Bull River, on the south side of the Bull River Bridge. The marina has changed hands several times since it originally opened in the mid-80s, and in June 2020, was purchased by Brandon Long and Gina Hughey. The couple are avid boaters and eager to share their love of the coast and the water with marina guests.

Brandon, a Savannah native, spent more than a decade in the Northeast working as a facility manager and event coordinator, while Gina, originally from across the river in South Carolina, worked in Ophthalmology for over 20 years. In 2016 they began preparing for a future in the marine industry, initially in purchasing their first sailboat together, followed by taking jobs that allowed them to learn the business from the bottom up. This culminated in the purchase of Bull River Marina last year.

“At the peak of one of the craziest years this nation has ever known,” Long said.

They faced some challenges along the way. Deciphering legalities and regulations pertaining to the marina and the services they wanted to offer and accepting and learning to work with the many state and federal entities involved.

“Learning to do our own research to get to answers to questions that sometimes even the departments involved didn’t fully understand was key,” Long said. “It never hurts to have a good lawyer, too! But we currently have good relationships with the DNR, Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Division, to name a few.”

Long and Hughey have done extensive work to modernize the facilities and now have a great deal to offer boaters and visitors to the area. Bull River is a certified liveboard marina with a pumpout station, a fuel dock (diesel and gas), shower facilities, and wi-fi, as well as bike racks. They employ service-oriented staff to assist boaters with their needs and have a range of bait, tackle and gift items for sale in the dock office, to include original local art.

In addition to traditional dockage, they also provide a range of tourism services, to include fishing and eco/dolphin charters, a Daufuskie Island excursion and taxi service, beach drop services, and boat rentals.

The facility itself is also available for small events of up to 30 people, to include meetings, social events, and more.

As the couple looks to the future, they make it clear that they’re eager to take an active role in the boating and coastal community, both as boaters and as marina owners.

“We love the opportunity to expose our guests to the natural beauty of the area and educate them on our ecosystem and rich history. Our goal is to perfect that delivery system and we have new charter programs in place this season that will add fun and adventure to the ingredients of an already delicious stew!” Long said.

A panoramic view of the marina. Photo provided by BRM