2 minute read
Sea Tur tles Dig the Dark!
Next Article
Crew
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
Amy Thurman amy@southerntidesmagazine.com
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Neva Parsons neva@southerntidesmagazine.com
DISTRIBUTION & SALES Jay Rich jay@southerntidesmagazine.com
CONSULTING NATURALIST
John "Crawfish" Crawford subtropicalnaturalist@gmail.com
THE BITTER END COLUMNIST
Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill theoriginalcaptaingator@gmail.com
THE RIVERKEEPER REPORT Meaghan Gerard meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org
Contributors
Nick Riccio, Jr. Wildlife Photographer
Laurie Lohne Photography
Jane Wilkinson-Bunch Recipe
Rick Lavender GADNR Wildlife Resources Division
Emily Kenworthy
UGA Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant
Copyright © 2015-2023
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 throughout coastal Georgia.
(912) 484-3611 info@southerntidesmagazine.com
Read the Digital Version at: www.SouthernTidesMagazine.com
Visit us on social media: www.issuu.com/SouthernTidesMagazine.com Facebook.com/southern-tides-magazine
Southern Tides Magazine is printed by Walton Press, Monroe, Ga.
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.
As I’ve said many times, we live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. What makes it so beautiful? First, the setting: the ocean, estuaries, tidal creeks and rivers, and acre after acre of marshes. And in that setting, the plants and animals that live, grow, and thrive here, from live oaks and palmettos, to wild Georgia shrimp, dolphins, sea turtles, and shore birds.
Like many aspects of life, living in such an amazing and wonderful place requires trade-offs. No, I’m not talking about living with humidity or mosquitos. In this instance, I’m talking about living with wildlife.
In this issue, we talk about three different creatures coastal residents (and guests) might encounter in the coming months. Two that everyone adores – sea turtles and manatees; and one that not everyone cares as much about – snakes. All three are protected, and all three, regardless of our personal feelings about them, are a fact of life here.
Sea turtles are easy to love. Those huge, adorable critters that nest on our beaches and swim in our waters, and have become symbols of our coast with their likenesses used on everything from home décor to business logos to souvenirs. Although they’re present in our waters year-round, nesting season has begun and they can be found not only in open ocean, but also in smaller waterways such as tidal creeks and rivers. Sometimes with only their heads visible, and sometimes swimming just below the water’s surface. Posting a look-out on your boat while underway, and keeping lights out on or near the beach are just two ways you can help protect these magnificent creatures.
Manatees are easy to love, too!
Although the warmer waters of Florida are their winter homes, they travel here in warm weather to feed in our waters and marshes. Manatees have been having a tough time of it in recent years and need all the protection we can give them. Again, posting a look-out on your boat while underway is critical as these slow-moving animals can’t get
