November/December 2017 | GulfCoastMariner.com
[Letter from the President] Admiral (Publisher) Charles Milby Vice Admiral (President) Rick Clapp Rear Admiral (Editor) Mary Alys Cherry Captain (Creative Director) Brandon Rowan Commodore (Graphic Designer) Kelly Groce
Your Health Gets Better In November
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very year since I was a young child, my health seemed always to get better in November. Let’s look at what makes it better; cooler, fall-like weather, excellent fishing, hunting, football and those blessed holidays. It is the best time of the year for all of us, so go enjoy the outdoors. Bike, hike, walk, take your child or a young person fishing, boating, sailing, or just take time to toss the old pigskin. My best and most fondest memories is when my father and or uncle would come take me fishing and talk to me about life’s do’s and don’ts to prepare me for the world. Fishing worked and I learned about being a good respectful fisherman and even more about life. I personally want to thank our advertisers and readers. Please support our advertisers this holiday season. They help us bring you the great news of our community. God bless everyone, enjoy the outdoors and take time to enjoy the upcoming holidays. Do not spend it alone. Be with family, friends, or go volunteer and make someone else’s holidays a joy.
Sales Crew (Advertising Executives) George Dismukes Judy Gaines Amber Sample Robyn Weigelt Editorial Mary Alys Cherry Rick Clapp Capt. David Dillman George Dismukes Kelly Groce Bruce Mahoney Capt. Joe Kent Betha Merit Charles Milby Brandon Rowan Janice Van Dyke Walden Photography Hal Bushnell Rick Clapp George Dismukes Kelly Groce Betha Merit Brandon Rowan Adam Valadez Distribution Timothy Shinkle Company Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine P.O. Box 1032 Seabrook, TX 77586
For information on advertising: Phone: 281.474.5875 art@baygroupmedia.com www.GulfCoastMariner.com
Rick Clapp President & CEO Bay Group Media
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
Gulf Coast Mariner staff photographer, Adam Valadez, shooting longboard style master Rob Sawyer in Galveston. Photo by Kelly Groce.
| November/December 2017 12|UH Cougar Saltwater Open 2017 fishing tournament results.
14|Snapshots
YOUR fishing and water recreation photos. Submit photos for next issue to art@baygroupmedia.com
16|Galveston Fall Fishing 2017
Redfish, flounder and trout action will be outstanding this fall. Also, the cause behind the recent higher than normal tides. By Capt. Joe Kent
18|Galveston Bay’s Promising Outlook Where to find the fish in the Galveston Bay complex this fall. By Capt. David Dillman
28|Galveston Bay Reefs After Harvey
An unprecedented influx of fresh water ravages many Galveston and East Bay reefs, causing 100% mortality in some areas.
30|A Hero Nonetheless: Raz Halili
Those who put their own well-being and safety aside in favor of helping their fellow man are in a class of their own. By George Dismukes
32|Sailing
2017 A Class North Americans, J/Fest Southwest, Harvest Moon Regatta and more.
36|The Galley: Thanksgiving Sides
Make non-traditional sides your tradition this Thanksgiving. By Betha Merit
20|Catching the Dream
Keep the surfer in your life stoked with these holiday gift ideas. By Kelly Groce
24|Misho’s Oyster Company
Misho Ivic: A man for all seasons. A business diversified and moving forward after Hurricane Harvey. By George Dismukes
26|Plastic in Paradise
Plastic debris, like bags and bottles, can have potentially devastating effects on boats and marine life. By Janice Van Dyke Walden
President’s Letter ________________p. 10 Nautical Numbers ________________p. 13
All of the boats one could never own at The Fishing Boat Club in Seabrook.
22|Holiday Gift Guide for Surfers
Contents Name That Fish! ________________p. 13
ON THE COVER ‘Misho’ and Franka Ivic of Misho’s Oyster Company.
HYC Turkey Day Regatta ________________p. 34 LYC Youth Sailing ________________p. 35 After The Storm ________________p. 40 Boats For Sale ________________p. 42 Galveston Bay Tide Charts ________________p. 46
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UH COUGAR SALTWATER OPEN 2017 Tournament Results Redfish Kayak Division 1. Johnathon Meadows 4.41 2. Cameron Barghi 4.37 3. Clint Barghi 4.24 Trout Kayak Division 1. Charlie Melton 2.31 2. Joshua Kendrick 2.30 Flounder Kayak Division 1. Charlie Melton 3.15 2. Johnathon Meadows 1.89 Overall Heaviest Stringer Jamal Marshall 17.07 Redfish Boat Division 1. Bobby Davenport 7.92 2. Jamal Marshall 7.63 3. Mike Cubbage 6.30 Trout Boat Division 1. Jamal Marshall 5.07 2. Michael Oliver 4.04 3. Charles Marcucci 3.40 Flounder Boat Division 1. Vincent Rinando 1.52 2. Mike Cubbage 1.30 Ugly fish 1. Mike Cubbage 18.22 Jetty Tuna 2. Dwayne Wiggins 5.35 Sheepshead 3. Eric Tarrazas 4.83 Sheepshead Kids Division 1. William Smith 1.53 Trout
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
NAUTICAL NUMBERS
3 The bond between a dolphin mother and calf is long-lasting. A calf typically stays with its mother 3 to 6 years.
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Name that fish
There are 5 different species of snook; common snook, smallscale fat snook, large-scale fat snook, swordspine snook, and tarpon snook. Snook are also protandric hermaphrodites and change sex from male to female.
A. Banded Porgy B. Black Drum C. Striped Mullet D. Sheepshead
1,000 While manatee sightings in Texas are pretty rare, they can be spotted along our coast. The average adult manatee weights 1,000 pounds and reaches 10 feet long. GulfCoastMariner.com
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ANSWER: D, Sheepshead. These fish have human-like teeth that help it to feed on barnacles, oysters and crustaceans. They are common near pier pilings and coastal jetties. The Texas state record sheepshead weighed 15.25 pounds and was caught by Wayne Gilstrap in 2002 in the Lower Laguna Madre.
Nathan Stanford caught this surprise 23� snook on a spinnerbait in Chocolate Bayou.
Travis Eifert of Wave Dancer Charters with a big dorado.
Send your photos to art@baygroupmedia.com
Photographer: Adam Valadez Surfer: Connor Eck in Galveston
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
Max Conner with a nice 5’ shark caught on the Galveston Fishing Pier.
Charlie Hoskins caught this big redfish in Galveston near the Ferry landing.
Olivia Schumache at Orange Beach, Alabama.
This Great Heron with a fresh catch on Galveston west end beach. Photo by Leona Pleasant.
Travis Eifert caught this topwater redfish in Galveston DURING Hurricane Harvey’s downpour.
Fixscher Douglas, Michael Jacobs, Cameron Plagg and Capt. Darrell Weigelt with a big Alabama yellowfin tuna. GulfCoastMariner.com
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G A LV E S T O N F A L L F I S H I N G 2 0 1 7 By Capt. Joe Kent
FLOUNDER FACTS Southern flounder are tolerant of widely ranging salinity and can survive both freshwater and ocean waters with salinities of 35 ppt or more.
Texas Laboratory experiments indicate that approximately 3 weeks before spawning takes place, male flounder begin following egg carrying females.
Adults migrate to offshore spawning grounds during late fall and winter, though some remain in estuaries year-round.
Eggs develop in offshore waters and late stage, larvae return to estuarine habitats via passive transport on nearshore and tidal currents.
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e a r s ago by Nove mbe r, fall fishing patterns would be well under way and the annual flounder and golden croaker migrations in full swing. This is not the case now and anglers have moved the time table ahead as a result. While growing up around the Galveston Bay Complex, saltwater anglers looked to Columbus Day in early October as the time when they could count on the onset of fall fishing patterns. For a number of years now, fall weather patterns have not set in until much later, usually close to November. Fall fishing patterns are triggered by the water temperature in the bays and it is not until the readings fall below 70 degrees that we can count on much in the way of autumn fishing. Sunlight or presenting it a different way, shorter periods of daylight, also influence fish to move into their fall feeding style. Fortunately, while weather patterns may change, periods of daylight do not, so that is one constant we can count on in the equation. An example of how our weather pattern has changed comes with the special flounder regulations that were set by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to protect flounder from over harvesting during their fall migration or as anglers call it the Fall Flounder Run. The dates for the special regulations that cut the bag limit to two per day and outlawed flounder gigging were Nov. 1 through 30. Those dates were chosen because historically the flounder run was in its peak during November
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
and by December 1, nearly over. Quickly TPWD observed that the flounder migration lasted well into December and amended the rules to add the first two weeks of that month. Mentioned earlier was the fact that Columbus Day was looked to as the kick-off of the fall fishing season and now that has changed. If I were to choose a holiday that better represents the time when fall fishing is in full swing, it
“The fall flounder run is shaping up to be a good one this year.” would be Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11. Now, with that background, what is the outlook for this year’s fall fishing? Let’s take a look at speckled trout first. The record floods of late August and early September likely will continue to affect speckled trout fishing through at least the early part of November. Trinity Bay and the upper reaches of Galveston Bay continue to have enormous amounts of fresh water pouring into them. Until that stops and salinity levels improve, don’t look for the prolific fall trout action for which those areas are famous. On the other hand, East and West Bays should be hot spots once the water temperature cooperates. Hordes of specks migrated out of the lower salinity areas to locations closer to the
Gulf of Mexico and likely will remain until the “All Clear” signal is given to migrate north. The fall flounder run is shaping up to be a good one this year, as a good crop of quality flat fish is in the bays and, once a few genuine cold fronts pass through, look for the passes to the Gulf to be wall to wall with both flounder and fishermen. Redfish action has been outstanding all during this fall season. Reds of all sizes have been caught in good numbers in the lower bays and surf. Look for that to continue, as reds are not nearly as sensitive to salinity levels as other fish. Once the water cools, look for the back bays and marshes to turn on. The annual golden croaker run, which usually occurs about the time of the flounder run, has been a big disappointment in recent years. During November large golden croaker known as bull croaker make their run to the Gulf of Mexico for spawning and are easy prey for anglers fishing near the passes into the Gulf. While there has been some good action during the run, it has not measured up to that of 20 years ago and beyond. In summary, it is going to take a couple of things to really trigger some hot fall fishing and those are getting the water temperature down into the 60s and eliminating the heavy flows of fresh water into the bays. Once the water temperature drops look out! The action will be hot and heavy.
A B N O R M A L LY H I G H T I D E L E V E L S I N T H E G A LV E S T O N B AY C O M P L E X By Capt. Joe Kent
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fairly robust fresh water flow from the recent he most common question record setting floods that are causing large anglers have asked so far this fall amounts of water to flow from rivers between is what is causing the abnormally the mouth of the Sabine River to the mouth of high tide levels in the Galveston Bay the Colorado River. Complex? Strong northerly winds will mitigate the High tide levels are common all year long; situation by blowing the water out of the bays however, their duration is almost always and back into the Gulf of Mexico. limited to the events that caused them, such as It should be easy to conclude from the strong east and southeast winds, storms in the expert’s opinion given above that global Gulf of Mexico and to a lesser degree the Full warming is aggravating the Moon Phase. situation as well. For most of October, the tide Now, how does all of this affect levels have been averaging Generally, fishing in the Galveston Bay two feet above normal all During September around Galveston Bay. The when there Complex? and October the higher tide levels most interesting part of this is is a change hampered fishing. Generally, that, while at times the normal when there is a change from the triggering factors mentioned from the normal, fish react to it. In this case earlier were present, the high water levels continued after those normal, fish we saw some negative effects on inshore fishing while the surf likely factors diminished. react to it. benefited from the longer stretches So, what is behind all of this? of water hitting the beaches. Well, I checked with a Galveston The one area that saw the least area weather expert and asked effects was offshore where the summertime that question. The following is his theory on pattern continued. why the tides did not quickly recede to normal For inshore fishing, the marshes and back levels. bays were flooded and that drove redfish well First, higher than normal tides is the new into the normally shallow waters chasing bait normal along the upper Texas Coast, at least fish and reaping the spoils of freshly covered for the time being. October 2017 was one of the ground where crustaceans and other small warmest ever in and around Galveston (since marine life were thriving. observations began in 1871). Besides the abnormally high water levels, the This is reflected in the water temperatures in record temperatures of October delayed our fall deep Gulf waters. Since warm water expands, fishing patterns from getting underway. water levels will be higher than if the water Often I have mentioned that Columbus Day temperatures were lower or in the normal was a time when we saw signs of the onset of range. fall fishing patterns. Not the case in 2017, as Also, we are seeing a residual run up of now I am leaning more toward Veteran’s Day water along the upper Texas Coast, as there as that pivotal time. is some inertia built into the development of higher tide levels. Also, we still are getting a GulfCoastMariner.com
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Bay became “fresh” from all the runoff. Fishing in September was non-existent, with few folks even trying their luck. As October rolled around, fishermen began plying the waters, with catches coming from the Jetties, East Bay and south of the Eagle Point area. Every tide change in October pushed the saltwater farther north into the Galveston Bay Complex. The outlook for November/December at the time of publication is positive! November will be the month of transition for those seeking speckled trout. The trout will continue to move farther north with each
“By December, we should see the Galveston Complex returning to a normal fishing pattern. ”
Jessica Riemer with a nice post-Harvey redfish. Redfish, unconcerned with low salinity levels, went on a feeding frenzy after the hurricane.
Galveston Bay’s Promising Outlook By Capt. David C. Dillman Spec-tacular Trout Adventures 832-228-8012 “Hopefully we can dodge a major weather system and enjoy this amazing time of year in Texas and the Upper Coast”
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ell, the Galveston area did dodge the destruction of Hurricane Harvey’s winds, but not the rainfall. The Houston/Galveston area received upwards to 60 inches of rain and Galveston
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
tide change, but will they be in the normal areas, like Jack’s Pocket in Trinity, Tabbs, Scott and Burnett Bays? I would guess towards the end of the month, anglers should be able to catch some fish from these areas. Until then look for trout to remain in the areas they have been in October. Don’t overlook the west shoreline of Galveston Bay from Eagle Point to Seabrook. Also the western side of Trinity Bay from Dow’s Reef to the HLP Spillway. The wells in the middle of Galveston Bay and Trinity Bay, along with West Galveston Bay have the potential to produce great catches this November. November is also the traditional month for flounder. The so called “Flounder Run” is in full force this month. Any shoreline, along any bay where drains are located is where one should concentrate their effort. The well known Galveston Channel, from Seawolf Park to the Pelican Island Bridge should be loaded up this year with flatfish! Already, some really nice flounder have been caught this October. It should only get better. By December, we should see the Galveston Complex returning to a normal fishing pattern. The fish should be in their regular areas. The far back end of Trinity, the NW end of Galveston Bay, and West Galveston Bay will be the areas to target. Hopefully we can dodge a big freeze and have minimal rainfall with each passing cold front. Eagle Point Fishing Camp has had a great supply of live shrimp and croaker. Their goal is to continue to have live bait throughout this year. You can always call them at 281-339-1131 to check on their bait supply. This time of year bait can become scarce, it is nice to know that you can count them to have live bait.
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Catching the Dream All the Fishing Boats One Could Never Own
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magine driving the car of your dreams; perhaps a different model on any given day. The only question is, “Shelby GT350 Mustang or ZL1 Camaro?” Now imagine choosing from a fleet of high-performance fishing boats, powered by oversized American-made Evinrude engines, and hitting the water any time of the day or night while someone else takes care of the details. Vince Denais, founder of The Fishing Boat Club in Seabrook and lover of all things saltwater, makes the avid angler’s dreams come true. “The Club is designed to offer fishing enthusiasts access to a fleet of boats to suit every occasion,” Denais says.
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He also makes enjoying multiple fishing boats hasslefree and affordable. Using his proprietary Rugged Smart Fleet technology and partnership with Epic Boats, members pay monthly dues for the convenience of reserving premium watercraft online, and then retrieving them with the swipe of an ID for 24-hour pleasure. All for a fraction of the cost to
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
own, insure and maintain such level of quality and selection. Membership is available only to experienced anglers who demonstrate proficiency in boat handling. “We’re not in the business of renting boats, but rather providing a customized service to discerning sportsmen who might already own a boat but also want to enjoy different angling experiences,” Denais adds. Members can currently reserve 21, 23 and 25-foot center-console models with angler-preferred standard features such as trolling motors and Power-Pole anchors. Options include fiberglass T-Tops, premium and Bluetooth stereo, multiple speakers, GPS, and LED underwater lighting.
A full range of fishing watercraft, including pro angler kayaks, flats boats and family friendly angler pontoons will be available in 2018. Members also gain access to a private club environment. The Fishing Boat Club’s 1950s vintage clubhouse in Seabrook sits atop 1.3 acres of historical property first made famous by 1920s-era Muecke’s Seafood as a mecca for local fishermen. Oyster shell-piled “Muecke’s Mountain” offers 25-foot elevation views of the Clear Lake/Kemah Channel. Denais is currently accepting applications and reservations at the Seabrook flagship location. Future expansion could include Texas Gulf Coast clubs in Anahuac, Corpus Christi, Dickinson, Freeport and Port Arthur, as well as Lafayette, Lake Charles and New Orleans, Louisiana. Membership includes access to all club locations. Catch the dream at http://fishingboatclub.com.
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
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MIS HO IVIC
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS By George Dismukes
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ichael Ivic, who the entire modern world knows as Misho, is indeed a Man For All Seasons, even by the standards and description detailed in Robert Bolt’s story of Sir Thomas More. But maybe our story should be called, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS PLUS ONE IRON WILLED WOMAN WITH A VISION! Misho is one of the Texas Gulf Coast’s leading oyster barons (owner of Misho’s Oyster Company in San Leon. See our September issue.) It is a company that recently had to absorb a $1.2 million loss resulting from the floodwaters of Hurricane Harvey.
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The fresh water deluge destroyed most of Misho’s oyster leases in Galveston Bay, reefs that will take a minimum of three years to recover. In addition, Misho lost his “Oyster House Restaurant” in Rockport, Texas which was at the epicenter of the storm. But none of this is what Misho wanted to talk about in his cover story. Instead, Misho wants more than anything for the world to know about people, and one person in particular, who helped him to make it as far as he has, to make him who he is. For that, first you need to know Misho. Born and raised in Croatia, Misho was schooled as an engineer and came to the United States in 1972 intending to pursue an engineering career. But like so many of us, Fate had other plans. Well actually, Fate and a loving wife named Franka, also from Croatia, who had a vision for her family. When
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
Misho married Franka in 1972, he may not have been fully aware of just how much she would be an active partner in his life. Misho bought an oyster boat, the Indiana and was captaining that boat from 5 a.m. - 7 p.m. every day, even after securing his engineering degree in ’76. But it was his new bride who declared they would have an oyster company. She had more than a vision! She forged her vision into reality with hard work and long hours as administrator of everything from sales to book keeping, scheduling trucks as well as directing the unloading of boats. A job that consistently took from 10:00 A.M. until midnight or longer. And so it was that Misho’s Oyster Company came into being. Together, the Ivics built an oyster empire and a fleet of oyster boats. Misho eventually found a captain for the Indiana, and Franka handled the business end for years until the children grew old enough to take over the helm, so to speak. Today, the Ivics rely heavily upon family involvement to keep momentum going. Even so, Franka still keeps a close eye to this very day
to make sure the company ship is steered with an arrow straight wake. And here’s a note for the romantics reading this story, Misho and Franka just celebrated their 45th anniversary! It is a beautiful story of success, both personally and professionally; but there is still more to know about Misho. The following example is very revealing: One of Misho’s deckhands, a man named Johnny from Albania, demonstrated exceptional talent while working on one of Misho’s oyster boats, and wanted to form his own oyster company. Instead of being threatened by this as some might have been, Misho helped Johnny get his first oyster boat. With Misho’s help, Johnny also became successful. The two men are the closest of friends to this very day. Hence, the motive in my naming this story after Robert Bolt’s hero. When Misho talks about people he knows, it isn’t as acquaintances, but rather as friends. When he speaks of the people who work for him, it’s like he is talking about an extended family. Credit or praise is never directed at himself but rather at one person or another who helped
him along the way, or is still helping him somehow. When you meet him, he does not greet you as an executive would, but rather with a warm handshake and a smile. This is Misho. Now that you understand, I can tell the rest of my story. But then, there is also the Misho Extended family, for almost everybody who comes to work for Misho quickly comes under the umbrella of the Misho “E F” (Extended family). His workers feel close to him because he treats them with respect. When he talks to them, it isn’t as a worker, but as a friend. And so, when you approach a Misho business and encounter a worker, you can feel the relaxed atmosphere albeit an energized desire to do a job well.
The Misho Businesses
Misho is a man of many interests. There is the oyster empire with oyster leases in Texas and Louisiana. He is a wholesale supplier of oysters to restaurants and food businesses all over the United States. Being a people person, he also has retail establishments known far and wide for oyster
dishes. One of his long-time friends and customers is Phil Duke, founder of Gilhooley’s in San Leon. It is fair to say that Gilhooley’s is a national landmark when it comes to oysters. Gilhooley’s has recently been featured in Texas Monthly and GQ. The place is famous for oysters on the half shell, smoked oysters, Oysters Gilhooley, Oysters Picante, fried oysters and more. When Phil got ready to retire, he didn’t want his creation to be taken over by just “anybody.” So, he sold it to Misho. Now that the baton has been passed, physical improvements to the property will be forthcoming in order to meet state requirements. The old, original license cannot be grandfathered in. We all hope those improvements will not erase the down-home ambiance that is as much a part of Gilhooley’s as the oysters themselves. As it is now, all patrons of Gilhooley’s enjoy a laid-back atmosphere and delicious food at small town, economic prices. Most of all, if you don’t feel like dressing up to eat out, Gilhooley’s makes you feel right at home. It is not a restaurant where the
pretentious dwell. In addition to Gilhooley’s, Misho has assumed ownership of another establishment less than two miles distant from Gilhooley’s at the corner of East Bayshore & 21st Street in San Leon, presently known as Casper’s, but to be renamed ‘BGB’, short for Bayshore Grill & Billiards. BGB is currently under renovation with an anticipated opening in November. Plans are to make BGB a family oriented facility
with good food including Oysters Rockefeller and hardcore best prime rib to be found anywhere on the coast. Previously, ‘Caspers’ was the largest billiards venue anywhere in this area, featuring ten billiards tables. BGB will retain that feature, but with the addition of electronic games geared for kiddos as entertainment while they wait on their food orders. So, now you know that Misho is diversified. But I haven’t yet told you of the crown jewel in this wonderful offering. In far-away Croatia, Misho has created a first-class resort named after his revered wife, Franka. It is the Villa Franka and it is located within earshot of the birthplace of Marco Polo. A picture of Villa Franka accompanies this article below. It tells the story far better than words. It is a true get-away offering beauty, tranquility, history and luxurious comfort. So, how does one put a bow ribbon on a story such as this? A picture is worth a thousand words. Enjoy all the accompanying photos including our November cover. We think it will whet your appetite for a little adventure, some good food and perhaps a bit of exotic travel!
Villa Franka is located in Orebic, the most beautiful part of Croatia. GulfCoastMariner.com
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That’s what happened last August to Captain Shane Cantrell aboard his charter vessel, Sharecropper. The boat was full of paying clients, ready for a day of fishing. They had cleared the Galveston jetty and were well out of site of land. Something triggered the overhead alarm on the intake. Cantrell stopped everything to open up the engine hatch and take a look. Inside he saw convenience wrapped around his gear case: a plastic ice bag either thrown overboard or allowed to get loose by someone. Ten miles offshore, a single bag had sucked up in his engine and blocked off the intake for the water pump
T he bottle and the bag By Janice Van Dyke Walden Plastic in Paradise is a threepart series on the prevalence of plastic in the Gulf Coast’s marine life, and how it affects the food we eat and the water we drink. Speaking to local groups who deal with it everyday, they tell us how prevalent plastic pollution is along the Gulf Coast, and what we can do to reduce it and to eliminate it from our lives. As much as 90% of floating marine debris may be plastic. And that doesn’t account for all the plastic that sinks to the bottom of the ocean, settling in sediment for thousands of years. Researchers estimate that 70% of plastic pollution will never be seen because it sinks out of sight.
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While a definitive study on the impact of plastic on the Gulf of Mexico has not be conducted, institutions along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas are now banding together to collect, quantify and analyze plastic samples found along our shores. A study published in 2014 estimates that 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris possibly float in the world’s oceans. Because the Gulf of Mexico was not included in that study, there’s no telling what our Gulf would contribute to the plastic count. But on the surface, here’s what some Gulf Coast residents are finding. It’s affects their livelihood. It affects the way we live: The cost to fishermen It’s the sound that no captain wants to hear: an alarm onboard goes off while you’re ten miles offshore.
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
that keeps the engine cool. Sharecropper’s twin engines were overheating and could have failed, leaving Cantrell stranded in the Gulf of Mexico with a boatload of clients. A single 2 cent bag could have cost Cantrell $80,000. If he had lost both engines, Cantrell figures their replacement would have cost up to $30,000, and his downtime in high season could have meant $50,000 in lost revenue. Encountering plastic offshore is nothing new to Cantrell. Most often in May and June when he’s out in depths up to 1,000 feet of water, he’ll see mylar balloons floating in the sargassum. The balloons are from the season’s graduation parties and ceremonies that have been released and floated away. Their shiny mylar plastic lodges in the floating beds of sea grass that are food for the Gulf’s juvenile turtles. “I’ve seen everything from hard hats to plastic bottles out in the sargassum,” he says. “But, the most common debris apart from the balloons is the singleuse bottle and bags.” Floating global: plastic bottles Long-time San Leon resident Stennie Meadors shares that same observation. She speaks with over 30 years in the field of environmental management. For ten years till 2001 she was an emergency response manager for Texas Commission on Environmental Quality handling response units for spills. She worked on the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and before that, she conducted hazardous waste inspections in the Houston area. A turning point for her came in 2007 when her grandson brought her the skeleton of a brown pelican with a plastic bottle lodged in its pelvic area. The bottle may have come from across the ocean, or it may have been deposited locally.
For three years, Meadors fought to ban plastic bottles in her area. To this day, there’s no law banning the bottle. Now she focuses on grassroots clean ups and consumer awareness in the shoreline process. She and her group of volunteers for Plastic Pollution Partnership comb the beaches from San Luis to Bolivar and from Morgan’s Point to the Texas City Prairie Preserve picking up plastic on a regular basis. “We see plastic straws,” Meador says, “They are a problem, but we don’t see them as often as we see water bottles.” Meadors tells of the plastic bottles that washed up recently at Bolivar: about 50 bottles were found - small, yellow and worn-out, the product of Industrias Macier SA. The bottles were also punctured with holes. Meadors discovered they were bite holes of juvenile turtles. The bottles had floated across the Gulf from the Dominican Republic and drifted onto the beaches of Texas and Louisiana. Filled with vinegar or bleach, the contents had been used to distill water in the Dominican Republic. “They sell for 10 cents a bottle, get discarded and then get caught up in the Gulf Stream and land on our shores,” Meador says. She has given some of the turtle-bitten bottles to Joanie Steinhaus to display. Steinhaus runs the Galveston office of the Turtle Island Restoration Network, and uses samples like these to bring awareness to the public and to students they work with in Galveston’s schools. “The plastic is so sharp that it can perforate on the way down,” says Steinhaus’ colleague, Theresa Morris, who is part of the coastal research team. The turtles “have these spikes in their throat that makes sure the food goes down, and so it will actually force food down in their guts, and the plastic will cut them up on the way down. Sometimes they can pass it,
Joanie Steinhaus of Turtle Island Restoration Network says juvenile turtles bit these plastic bleach and vinegar bottles that washed ashore Bolivar Peninsula. Photo by Jim Olive.
but you’re talking about very small pieces of plastic, and depending on what they’re made of, the plastics will be leaching chemicals that could cause physiological disruptions.” The bag Although bottles are among the top ten plastic items trashing the Gulf Coast, Steinhaus’ biggest plastic peeve is the single use bag, also among the top 10. “We live on an island,” she says. “Single use bags have a shelf life of maybe, 12 minutes. Less than 5% of them are recycled. They end up in the water. We live on an island. They’re blowing down the streets. They’re going to end up in the Gulf.” A world of convenience At Galveston’s Walmart on the Seawall at 64th Street, it’s easy to see how this happens. The parking lot is full at
noon with shoppers pushing cartloads of purchases in plastic bags. Most of the items are double-sacked. Within five minutes, 80 plastic bags leave the store. Outside, a plastic bag floats by a woman waiting for a ride. “That wasn’t mine,” she says, “It was here when I got here.” That attitude prevails in North America and Western Europe which use 80% of the 4 trillion plastic bags produced each year. Some kind of fight For Steinhaus, “It’s one simple change, and people fight it.” People like Gov. Greg Abbott. He opposes individual cities banning the plastic bag, claiming that Texas is being “Californiaized.” Also opposing city ordinances to ban the bag is Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. He’s asked the Texas Supreme Court to affirm the Fourth Court of Appeals decision that declared
Laredo’s plastic bag ban unlawful. Paxton is calling a bag ban by individual cities unlawful because it violates state law, the Texas Health and Safety Code, which forbids municipalities from making rules to “prohibit or restrict, for solid waste management purposes, the sale or use of a container or package in a manner not authorized by state law. Last year, resistance came on another level, Steinhaus says, when after working with a team of Galveston city officials to draft an ordinance on the marine environment, City Attorney Don Glywasky received a call from a South Carolina law firm with the intent to sue if Galveston passed its bag ban. The Texas Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Laredo’s case on Jan. 11. The court’s ruling will have implications for Houston, Galveston and all other Texas cities that want to determine their own bag law. In the meantime, businesses and individuals are choosing alternatives to the plastic bag. Galveston businesses take voluntary actions “For hotels, it was easy for them to eliminate them,” says Steinhaus, “They have very limited use; their gift shops – especially the places like the Tremont, The Galvez or the Hilton, their clientele doesn’t mind. Most of them use paper bags or sell bags.” For the island’s smaller shops where price margins matter more, Steinhaus is in favor of forming a bag coop to lower the cost of paper bags for individual shop owners. Either way, these local residents all agree it comes down to personal choice. Plastic “is something that we can have more control over,” says Cantrell. “It’s not coming from any other source but human. People don’t think about it, and people don’t intend to throw into the ocean, but it’s there.” GulfCoastMariner.com
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Galveston Bay Oysters Hit Hard After Harvey Unprecedented influx of freshwater ravages reefs
M
onths after the storm, we are still seeing the effects of hurricane Harvey. A massive amount of freshwater flushed through Galveston Bay and caused heavy casualties to the area’s live oyster reefs. Oysters need a balance in salinity in order to thrive, usually around 15 ppt (parts per thousand). The low salinities in many parts of Galveston and East Bay have decimated live oyster reefs, to the dismay of local oystermen and women. In early September, Christine Jensen, TPWD Fisheries Biologist, sampled oysters from the middle of the bay and saw about 20% mortality on those reefs. The Department of State Health Services also took salinity readings (see figure below) and found that salt levels were rising in the lower parts of Galveston Bay but East Bay was still very fresh. Jensen again sampled public reefs in October and it was determined that areas TX-1, TX-4, TX-5 and TX-6 will not open for oyster season on Nov. 1. “East Bay experienced the worst of
NOAA’s Galveston Bay Salinity Nowcast, a computer-generated forecast guide shows that upper Trinity and East Bays are still very fresh as of late October.
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Harvey’s effects with very few live oysters left. It remained too fresh for too long for most oysters to survive. Hannas Reef had 51% mortality, Middle Reef had 95% mortality, and Frenchy’s Reef had 100% mortality. Almost all of the restoration areas in East Bay were killed,” Jensen said. “Some reefs on the west side of the ship channel also saw significant mortality near where Dickinson Bayou drains into the bay Dollar Reef had 90% mortality and Todds Dump had 62%. However, several reefs in the middle of the bay survived fairly well and have higher numbers of live oysters than they have had in many years. The numbers of oysters in TX-7 were starting to rebound prior to Harvey and luckily survived
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
with relatively low mortality. This area will open for oyster harvest on November 1.” Upper Galveston, Trinity and East Bay still remain relatively fresh with salinity less than 10 ppt. But there is a silver lining; the reefs in the middle of the bay are doing well with higher catches than have been seen in many years. Also, there is a lot of clean cultch (dead shell) for oyster larvae to settle. “A clean place for larvae to settle has always been a limiting factor in Galveston Bay for oyster numbers to rebound,” said TPWD Biologist Christine Jensen. “Hopefully, we will see a quick return in a few years if mother nature will cooperate.”
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A HERO NONETHELESS
By George Dismukes
To be sure, people who put their own well-being and safety aside in favor of helping their fellow man are in a special class of their own.
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O
ver the years I have been fortunate enough to interview several people who were described as heroes. They all had one thing in common, none of them saw themselves as heroes. At first, I thought it was modesty, but like so many things, it isn’t quite that simple. The best way to describe it is, danger doesn’t look the same when you’re outside looking in as it does when you are on the inside looking out. To be sure, people who put their own wellbeing and safety aside in favor of helping their fellow man are in a special class of their own. Perhaps the most interesting part of all is, these special people walk among us and never declare themselves as being anything other than our neighbors and friends. I find that mind boggling. They deserve to wear a uniform or a badge, something that identifies them. But no. Raz Halili fits this category. Following Hurricane Harvey he didn’t hesitate a moment to enter the breach, rescuing people first on his jet-ski, then later taking an oyster boat down the coast to Post Arthur where he engaged in rescuing hundreds of stranded people. Was he in danger? Yes, absolutely. He must have known it, he was undaunted. This is
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
Raz Halili of Prestige Oysters.
called courage, the hallmark of a hero. So, although a vision of himself as a hero is invisible to him, he is a hero, none-the-less. Many TV stations, radio stations, newspapers and magazines apparently agree with me because he became an overnight sensation on all sorts of media, not just locally or nationally, but globally including being on every station in Albania, homeland of his father, Johnny Halili. Indeed, one lady on social media pegged him as a “hottie” and that went viral. Amazingly none of this attention has gone to his head. As Heir Apparent to the Prestige Oyster empire, his focus is on running the family business, which he does quite well. Lisa, his mother is extremely proud of him, calling him a “good son.” But it’s the way she says it. You can tell, she’s bursting with pride. And ladies, I hate to tell you this, but Raz Halili is taken, off the market, not available. He has a long-time girlfriend to whom he is very devoted, so that’s that! The old axiom is; “All glory is fleeting.” But in this case, not the hero. He’s just the same guy he was the day before the storm hit, and will be tomorrow. P.S. Look for this particular hero to appear in the movie The Bay House as the waiter.
[ S A IL I N G ]
2017 A Class North Americans By Bruce Mahoney
T
he 50th Anniversary
of the A Class North American Championship was held in San Diego Bay on Oct. 5-8. Hosted by San Diego Yacht Club, the event was held on the Silver Strand State Beach, which is halfway down Coronado Island. The sailing area was well protected with flat water and great racing conditions for the Classics and Foilers alike. Thirty-two boats came from all over, including Mischa and Eduard from The Netherlands, Larry Woods from the Toronto area, a container load from New
32
Jersey, a 6 boat trailer from Atlanta, and many smaller rigs coming from Florida, Louisiana, Texas and all over. It was another good example of the quality of people in the A Class. Due to the flooding in Houston from Hurricane Harvey, there was a fair bit of debris in the water at home. My training partner Benn Hooper and I decided to head out early to sail in San Diego to keep the boats in one piece. We drove 24 hours straight through and sailed for 6 days prior to the event. We pulled off the regatta with foiling conditions throughout, except for small sections of a leg or two. The
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
breeze was on average 7-12 knots, some less and more on the last day. There was only a bit of short chop on the last day near the bottom when the breeze was up in the midteens. Often times you weren’t in exactly the “perfect” setting,
so learning to keep the boat ripping while managing that aspect was a big part of the regatta. The SDYC Race Committee did a great job getting off 11 good races over four days. They kept us apprised of their intentions and were great with
communication, which we all appreciated very much. The battle for the Classics division was never over, with a different leader at the end of each day. Craig Yandow came out on top, and there were a lot of tight finishes across the line throughout the week.
Great to see some new energy in that group and I believe the U.S. will send a good Classic contingent to Australia for the Worlds. Matt Struble sailed a solid event in the eXploder I used in Poland, and thank you again to Emmanuel Cerf from
eXploder USA for helping me at the Worlds and Matt here at the NA’s. Emmanuel is a great promoter of the class, and motivates our sailors to get to our events. He is the man behind the 2020 Worlds in St. Petersburg, Fla. Be sure to put that on your long term planning, as it will be truly first class. Mischa won the event as Open Champion, with his blazing speed and complete command of the boat. It was great to have another fun mission with him, and we hope in the future to have more international competitors here to raise the level even higher. The perpetual trophy for the Open Champion has gone missing (if you have it, send it back…), so the Regatta Organizers did a cool thing with a Multihull Elapsed Time Trophy that they award each year. By their reckoning, having won 9 of 11 races means Mischa completed the
regatta in the lowest elapsed time, so his name is now on the trophy with ORMA 60’s and other offshore Multihulls. After some good battles with Mischa and Matt, I was fortunate enough to come away as North American Champion, and looking at the trophy my two wins pale in comparison to the multiple winners over the 50 year history of the class in the U.S. The trophy has the winning skipper and boat type which we will post shortly on our U.S. Class website. The 2018 North Americans will be at the Sandy Hook Bay Catamaran Club in New Jersey. The club is just across the water from New York City and has hosted the Atlantic Coast Championships the past few years. It should be a great event. From there the U.S. Fleet will be loading containers to head down under to Hervey Bay for the 2018 Worlds. Come and join us!
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[ S A IL I N G ]
Houston Yacht Club plans annual Turkey Day Regatta
R
egistration is now open to race in the annual Houston Yacht Club Turkey Day Regatta Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 18-19. The regatta is open to all boats and classes for racing Windward-Leeward or Pursuit. Prizes are turkeys. The number will be based on the number of registrants per class. Our annual “Grog” party will follow racing on Saturday. As part of the Competitors’ Briefing on Friday, Nov. 17, all racers are invited to attend a presentation by HYC Member and Laser Radial Youth Women’s World Champion, Charlotte Rose, who will share her on-the-water racing experiences and upcoming 2017 Youth Sailing World Championship in China later this year. She has been nominated for the 2017 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. The awards ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 20 will feature our chef serving up turkey and trimmings for the racers at the trophy presentation. See the HYC Web Site for the Notice of Race for the schedule of events. Boats may enter the Regatta through Regatta Network. For further information, contact Event Chairmen James Liston jtliston@aol. com or Madonna Breen mbreen@embarqmail.com.
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8th Annual J/Fest Southwest Regatta in the Record Books Lakewood Yacht Club hosted the 8th Annual J/Fest Southwest Regatta Oct. 21-22, 2017.
A
lthough the competitors
were held onshore Sunday due to storms, the race committee ran a full day of racing on Saturday for 72 boats in a building breeze. The Judges had work to do on the water and onshore; after all was done, this year’s top finishers in each class were:
•
J/22 Hayes Rigging, Kevin Hayes, of LYC
•
J/24 Miss Conduct, James Freedman of DCYC
•
J/70 Hoss, Glenn Darden of FWBC
•
J/105 Sanity, Rick Goebel of SDYC/CRA
•
J/109 Hamburg, Al Goethe of LYC
•
J/PHRF Spin (Sym) Press to Meco, Glen Stromme
•
J/PHRF Spin (Asym) Second Star, JD Hill of LYC/GBCA
Full results are available at www. lakewoodyachtclub.com. This year’s festivities also included a celebrity racing event on Clear Lake that spectators enjoyed watching and
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
A J/Boats Legends Celebrity Racing Event was held on Clear Lake on Friday, October 20th in celebration of 40 years of J/Boats. Photo by LYC member Andrea Todaro.
listening to humorous live commentary on from the newly opened BARge 295 in the location of the old Turtle Club. On Friday, Oct. 20, at 1600, J/Boat legend racers Jeff Johnstone, Scott Young, Farley Fontenot and Jay Lutz set off to measure their racing prowess on loaned-out J/24s in honor of J/Boats celebrating 40 years in the making. Sailors, volunteers and guests enjoyed the annual Saturday night party, which included live music poolside by Jerry Angeley and by the LC Roots Band in the LYC lounge as well as a Frogmore Stew traditional shrimp dinner in the grand ballroom. The LYC bar and lounge were at full capacity for the awards ceremony Sunday afternoon. For regatta information or questions about next year’s event, visit www. jfestsouthwest.com.
Harvest Moon Regatta winners announced
L
akewood Yacht Club has announced the winners of the 31st Annual Harvest Moon Regatta it hosted Oct. 5-6, 2017. Under clear skies and breezy conditions, approximately 80 racers embarked on one of two newly charted triangular courses from Galveston’s Pleasure Pier Thursday, Oct. 5 at 1400 hours. The fastest sailboats crossed this year’s finish line the following morning approximately 19.5 hours later.
Winners of this year’s major trophies are:
• • • • • •
Bacardi Cup - Al Goethe, Hamburg II Cameron Cannon - Ted Greak, Edelwiess Commodore/John Broderick Memorial - Jim Foster, Big D Founders’ Award - Scott Weaver, Vivace Bill Hall Memorial Trophy – JD and Susan Hill, Second Star / Ted Greak, Edelwiess Mayor’s Trophy - Scott Weaver, Vivace
•
Luna Trophy - Nancy Welch, Mischief
A complete list of race results can be found at harvestmoonregatta.com. “We made the right call to proceed with the 31st Harvest Moon Regatta after Hurricane Harvey caused so much devastation along the Gulf Coast,” says HMR Regatta Chairman Paul Dunphey. “Our friends in Port Aransas, where the race traditionally finishes was hit hard by the storm, and I’m happy to report that this year’s racers, organizers and volunteers raised more than $22,000 to benefit recovery efforts for Port Aransas through Judy’s Mission, various raffles and the Hurricane Harvey/HMR Port A Recovery Fund, which was held in conjunction with the race.” This annual race is organized by Bay Access, a charitable organization supporting amateur racing, and hosted by Lakewood Yacht Club. Aside from Harvest Moon Regatta title sponsor Bacardi U.S.A., other major sponsors of the 31st HMR included the City of Seabrook, Banks Sails, Blackburn Marine,
Lakewood Youth Sailing offering new programs
L
a k ewoo d Yac h t C lu b has added several new offerings to its year-round Seahorse Youth Sailing Program. LYC now offers 10 classes for children of varying ages and skill level, starting at age 4 all the way through 18. The classes cater to both racers and adventure sailors utilizing popular boat designs, including Optimists, Lasers, Club 420s, FJs and two different RS boats. No sailing experience is necessary. Kids as young as 4 can get an introduction to sailing with an emphasis on fun, teamwork and getting comfortable on the
Two of LYC’s Nutria kids getting comfortable on the water. Photo by Erin Crowley.
water. While many of the classes are designed to churn out ambitious racers, including highly competitive invitation-only fleets, other classes offer the opportunity for kids to learn safe boat-handling skills
Davis Marine Electronics, Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine, Little Yacht Sales, North Canvas & Upholstery, OJ’s Marine, True North Marine and Upstream Brokers. Additional contributors were Boatpix. com, Coast Guard Foundation, Faron Daigle Realtor®, Fishbones Safety Solutions and Energy Services, Laguna Harbor, Mantus Marine, Ocean Navigator Magazine, Optima Marine, RejeX. com, Sea Lake Yachts, Superior Marine Services, Texas Mariners Cruising Association, The Insurance Navigators, The Yacht Sales Company, Texas Coast Yachts and Windward Sea Ventures. “Enough cannot be said about our 2017 race sponsors, volunteers and the LYC staff, says LYC Fleet Capt. Rex Bettis.”We simply could not manage this regatta without all the generous support.” Mark your calendars! Anyone interested in sailing in next year’s regatta; the 2018 Annual Harvest Moon Regatta is slated for Oct. 25-27, 2018. Any questions about the HMR should be sent to HMR@lakewoodyachtclub. com.
appropriate for on-the-water fun with no competitive component. LYC even has an all-girls Pink Fleet that hosts monthly socials for different age groups to help the girls get to know one another. No matter what type of sailing your child is interested in, LYC’s sailing program affords them a chance to make lifelong friends. Many of LYC’s sailors race at the national and international level; the club has even had a few world champions. Lakewood’s Youth Sailing Program is among the best on the Gulf Coast, as well as the country. If your kids are interested in sailing, contact Sailing Program Manager MacKenzie McGuckin at sailingadmin@ lakewoodyachtclub.com. GulfCoastMariner.com
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THANKSGIVING SIDES Individual Traditions
B
eyond the turkey and dressing, everybody has their favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. There are green bean casseroles, candied yams (or the mashed with marshmallows on top version), and jello salads of every kind. These recipes, which include potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and relishes are part of a passing down of tradition, and make us feel like we are part of something that came before us. In addition to the standards, my family has a few sides introduced in the 60’s that were non-traditional.
Aunt Janice’s Artichoke Pie Ingredients:
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1 pre-made pie crust, uncooked
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2 eggs
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1/4 cup shredded parmesan
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2 cups shredded mozzarella
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1 package frozen artichoke hearts (or several drained cans), cut in bite sized pieces
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1 clove garlic, minced (or similar amount in dried or powder version)
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1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence or your favorite green spice
•
1 Tablespoon olive oil
•
Salt & pepper
Directions:
Saute’ defrosted artichoke heart pieces in garlic and olive oil. Season with herbs, salt and pepper. Cool slightly. Mix beaten eggs with cheeses and artichoke hearts in a bowl. Add mixture to pie crust. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour.
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
They have stood the test of time and pop up on our tables to this day. You might be interested in starting the tradition of adding a tradition and introducing something new. I now add cheddar cheese to that bean green, mushroom soup, french fried onion favorite; never going back. Scientists say that our olfactory sense is the most primitive and memory provoking, and perhaps that’s why Thanksgiving has always been a favorite holiday. There is nothing like the smell of roasted turkey and dressing and all the et cetera’s to warm your November heart.
Grandma Vera’s Zucchini, Basil, Cheese Casserole Ingredients:
•
3 medium sized zucchinis shredded or chopped
•
1/2 chopped small onion
•
1 clove garlic minced, or comparable in dried or powdered garlic
•
2 Tablespoons butter
•
2 eggs
•
1 Tablespoons each; dried basil and dried parsley
•
1/2 teaspoon pepper
•
1/4 teaspoon salt
•
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded colby jack
Directions:
Saute’ zucchini, onion, garlic and butter in large pan until tender. Set aside and mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add the zucchini blend and mix together. Pour into a greased 10” by 10” baking dish. Bake uncovered about 35 minutes or longer, until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Aunt Ethel’s Yoghurt Jello Salad Ingredients:
•
1 small package any flavor jello (raspberry, peach, lime, orange…)
•
1 cup fruit in the bottom yoghurt (mix or match jello flavor)
Directions:
Choose a glass serving bowl that will hold two cups, and dissolve jello in 1 cup boiling water until clear of granules. Cool 10 minutes. Whisk in the yoghurt until lumps are gone or nearly gone. Chill until set. Garnish with fruit or whipped cream if desired.
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
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AFTER THE STORM The Untold Story By George Dismukes In 2017, people along the Texas Coast were assaulted by the most devastating hurricane ever to hit this region. It wasn’t the wind, it was the relentless, non-stop rain. Oddly, the eye of the storm, where most of the wind damage happened was nearly 200 miles southeast of Houston at Rockport-Fulton, and they paid the price for sure. The water was deep and unforgiving. One intersection, the corner of Highway 45 and 646 at Dickinson was over 14 feet deep at the overpass. Rescue boats were tying up to the highway railings on I-45. This point was within yards of a strip shopping center where the rooftops of businesses were barely visible above the water-line. Damage to homes and businesses is estimated in the billions of dollars. Sadly, the devastation does not stop there. As with all catastrophes, there exists what is known as “The Echo Effect.” And just perhaps that is the saddest part of all. When the water recedes, people return to the homes they had to evacuate days earlier. Most, if not all, hold dear the things they have collected over the years, photos, memorabilia, a cherished locket from a grandmother who is no longer alive. When they can’t find those things, or worse, find that most treasured photograph obliterated by mud on the floor of their ruined home, a deep, no, make that a very deep depression begins to set in. This is not a short-lived malady such as one might experience from hearing that a long ago friend passed away. This one is more up close and personal than anything
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
else can be. How long it lasts usually depends on how long it takes that family to put their lives back together, rebuild their home, buy a new car, new clothes, make sense of it all in their minds because within the hearts of each and every person who lives through an event such as this is the silent question, Why? Logically, the mind says, it was a storm, nature’s wrath, fury without a mind. But the heart does not know logic, never has, never will. And so, the heart asks, why. No answer is forthcoming, and so, extended depression. Twenty percent of storm victims somehow manage to answer the why and go on producing in the market place. Eighty percent take time to come to terms with their losses. Meanwhile, inadvertently they add to those losses by not taking a deep breath and admitting that there just is no answer to the question of why. That is called the 20 – 80 factor. Twenty per-cent of the work force carries on, perhaps because they just do not have a choice, while 80% lick their wounds. This is the largest single factor that affects a post-catastrophe market. The trickle-down effect reverberates throughout the economy of a stricken area, it is unavoidable, it is inevitable. The only answer is time. How much time depends on the grit in a population’s belly. As Texans, we have more grit than most, more determination, more vision and more purpose than many in this country. Forgive my barnyard language, but anybody who says there is nothing different about Texans is just plain full of bulls- -t, and that’s a fact. So, here’s a word of encouragement from The Gulf Coast Mariner, remember who you are. That’s all you need.
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[ B O A T S
42
F O R
SA L E ]
2006 Four Winns 288 Vista
2013 Sea Hunt 29 Gamefish
Twin 5.0 MPI 260 HP. Bravo III, 250 Hours, Gen/Air, from Lake Conroe. Priced to Sell $59,900 281-549-6390 www.actionboatcenter.com
Twin 300’s, 260 Hours, 2-12� Garmins TACO Outriggers. Many Extras, Tri-Axle Trailer. $109,900 281-549-6390 www.actionboatcenter.com
2014 Sabre 42 Salon Express
2014 Hattreas 63 GT
$745,000 David Hunt 713-819-7426
$2,795,000 Randy Bright 713-816-2165
2005 Beneteau 473
2007 Caliber 47 LRC
$209,999 Generator, air, bowthrusters plus Yanmar 76hp diesel. Kent Little, 713-817-7216 kent@littleyachtsales.com
$499,000 Owner has spared no expense to outfit this yacht. David Jackson, 713-806-8953 david@littleyachtsales.com
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
[ B O A T S
F O R
2015 Cruisers 48 Cantius
2006 Rampage 38 Express
$679,000 Cory W. Webster 281-636-2228
$181,500 Jordan Butler 409-939-5524
2018 Lagoon 42
2016 Lagoon 450
$ 572,793.94 Sailboat Mike www.TheYachtSalesCompany.com
$ 625,000 Sailboat Mike www.TheYachtSalesCompany.com
2016 Privilege Series 5
2015 Gunboat 55
$ 1,250,000 Sailboat Mike www.TheYachtSalesCompany.com
S A L E ]
$ 1,863,000 Sailboat Mike www.TheYachtSalesCompany.com
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hole in water
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
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Galveston Bay Tides EAGLE POINT, TX NOAA Station Id: 8771013
NOVEMBER Wed 11/1 05:47 AM 12:21 PM 06:32 PM 11:49 PM Thu 11/2 05:28 AM 12:35 PM 08:03 PM
1.17 H 0.60 L 1.20 H
Fri 11/3 12:40 AM 05:05 AM 01:01 PM 09:32 PM
1.07 L 1.20 H 0.40 L 1.30 H
Fri 11/17 12:07 AM 03:13 AM 12:12 PM 09:40 PM
1.01 L 1.04 H 0.13 L 1.12 H
Sat 11/18 12:38 PM 11:07 PM
0.06 L 1.15 H
Sun 11/19 01:06 PM
DECEMBER Fri 12/1 02:19 AM 11:00 AM 08:29 PM 11:06 PM
0.81 H -0.14 L 0.90 H 0.88 L
Sat 12/2 01:52 AM 11:35 AM
Sat 12/16 11:47 AM 10:59 PM
-0.46 L 0.71 H
Sun 12/17 12:18 PM
-0.50 L
0.90 H -0.34 L
Sun 12/3 01:11 AM 12:16 PM
Mon 12/18 12:24 AM 12:52 PM
0.73 H -0.52 L
1.00 H -0.49 L
0.73 H -0.52 L
0.01 L
Mon 12/4 01:14 AM 01:02 PM
Tue 12/19 01:27 AM 01:26 PM
1.09 H -0.58 L
0.73 H -0.51 L
Mon 11/20 01:01 AM 01:38 PM
1.18 H -0.01 L
Tue 12/5 02:04 AM 01:53 PM
Wed 12/20 02:11 AM 02:01 PM
1.14 H -0.60 L
0.71 H -0.48 L
1.19 H -0.01 L
Wed 12/6 02:47 AM 02:46 PM
Thu 12/21 02:42 AM 02:35 PM
1.14 H -0.56 L
0.67 H -0.44 L
1.19 H -0.00 L
Thu 12/7 03:16 AM 03:41 PM
Fri 12/22 03:00 AM 03:10 PM
1.08 H -0.47 L
Sat 12/23 03:01 AM 03:44 PM
0.61 H -0.38 L
0.97 H -0.32 L
Sun 12/24 02:42 AM 04:18 PM
0.54 H -0.28 L
1.23 L 1.27 H 0.21 L 1.39 H
Sun 11/5 01:16 PM
0.07 L
Tue 11/21 02:11 AM 02:13 PM
1.48 H -0.02 L
Wed 11/22 02:57 AM 02:51 PM
Tue 11/7 02:58 AM 02:55 PM
1.55 H -0.04 L
Thu 11/23 03:30 AM 03:34 PM
1.17 H 0.02 L
Fri 12/8 03:22 AM 04:37 PM
Wed 11/8 03:38 AM 03:52 PM
1.57 H -0.01 L
Fri 11/24 03:52 AM 04:19 PM
1.14 H 0.06 L
Sat 12/9 03:10 AM 05:34 PM
0.85 H -0.15 L
0.46 H -0.15 L
1.54 H 0.07 L
Sat 11/25 04:02 AM 05:08 PM
1.09 H 0.11 L
Sun 12/10 02:57 AM 06:30 PM
Mon 12/25 02:13 AM 04:52 PM
0.73 H 0.03 L
Mon 12/11 02:45 AM 10:12 AM 02:33 PM 07:27 PM
0.64 H 0.24 L 0.31 H 0.21 L
Tue 12/26 01:44 AM 10:28 AM 12:38 PM 05:21 PM
0.39 H 0.04 L 0.05 H 0.00 L
Tue 12/12 02:33 AM 10:05 AM 05:22 PM 08:28 PM
Wed 12/27 01:18 AM 09:13 AM
0.35 H -0.14 L
0.58 H 0.04 L 0.41 H 0.38 L
Thu 12/28 12:54 AM 09:24 AM
0.37 H -0.35 L
Wed 12/13 02:19 AM 10:24 AM 07:09 PM 09:37 PM
0.57 H -0.14 L 0.52 H 0.51 L
Fri 12/29 12:29 AM 09:54 AM
0.43 H -0.56 L
Thu 12/14 01:59 AM 10:49 AM 08:28 PM 11:01 PM
0.58 H -0.28 L 0.62 H 0.60 L
Sat 12/30 12:03 AM 10:32 AM 11:44 PM
0.53 H -0.75 L 0.63 H
Sun 12/31 11:17 AM 11:34 PM
-0.89 L 0.73 H
Fri 12/15 01:22 AM 11:17 AM 09:40 PM
0.61 H -0.39 L 0.68 H
Thu 11/9 04:09 AM 04:55 PM Fri 11/10 04:26 AM 06:02 PM
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine November/December 2017
1.02 H 0.25 L 1.06 H
Sat 11/4 01:31 AM 04:39 AM 01:35 PM 11:13 PM
Mon 11/6 02:12 AM 02:02 PM
46
1.20 H 0.80 L 1.11 H 0.92 L
Thu 11/16 03:42 AM 11:47 AM 08:24 PM
1.46 H 0.19 L
Sat 11/11 04:30 AM 07:11 PM 04:26 AM 08:16 PM
1.34 H 0.32 L 1.23 H 0.47 L
Mon 11/13 04:19 AM 11:14 AM 03:26 PM 09:17 PM
1.13 H 0.75 L 0.84 H 0.62 L
Tue 11/14 04:11 AM 11:09 AM 05:33 PM 10:14 PM
1.06 H 0.57 L 0.90 H 0.77 L
Wed 11/15 03:59 AM 11:25 AM 07:05 PM 11:09 PM
1.02 H 0.39 L 0.98 H 0.90 L
Sun 11/26 03:59 AM 05:59 PM
1.02 H 0.19 L
Mon 11/27 03:45 AM 06:55 PM
0.93 H 0.29 L
Tue 11/28 03:26 AM 11:05 AM 02:50 PM 07:54 PM
0.85 H 0.48 L 0.52 H 0.42 L
Wed 11/29 03:05 AM 10:26 AM 05:20 PM 08:57 PM
0.79 H 0.30 L 0.62 H 0.57 L
Thu 11/30 02:43 AM 10:35 AM 06:59 PM 10:02 PM
0.78 H 0.08 L 0.76 H 0.73 L