Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative
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Exploring the Dead Lakes Matt Godwin formed Off The Map Expeditions in March 2013, sharing the beauty and unique ecosystem with visitors from around the world. Read more on page 4. PHOTO BY HOLLIE HALLMARK
Protect Your Home From Vampires PAGE 6 Steps to Restoring Power PAGE 28 n
Gulf Coast
Members acknowledge that $3.96, plus actual postage, is the cost to publish 12 issues a year of Florida Currents (USPS8300). Published by Ruralite Services Inc., 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124—a not-for-profit Oregon cooperative corporation—the magazine serves the communications needs of consumer-owned electric utilities in Florida. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Hillsboro, OR 97123 and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address corrections to 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124. HOW TO CONTACT FLORIDA CURRENTS
Have a problem receiving your edition of Florida Currents? Utility members should contact the local utility office listed on the back cover. Nonmembers should contact Ruralite Services, 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124; (503) 718-3717; email info@floridacurrents.com. Subscription services: Nonmember subscriptions $12 (U.S.) per year; $25 (foreign) per year. Prepayment required. Allow 4 to 8 weeks for first issue. Be sure to identify which local edition you want to receive. Order online at www.floridacurrents.com. Extra copies: $2 each, prepayment required. Supply is limited. Identify edition, month and year. Contact Ruralite Services. Reprint permission: Direct all requests to Ruralite Services. MANUSCRIPTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
Please do not send unsolicited materials. If interested in writing for Florida Currents, query first. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for writer’s guidelines. Address requests and queries to Ruralite Services. DISPLAY ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
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Give Warmth and Happiness to a Child in Need of a Coat With the scorching temperatures of summer a not-sodistant memory, it may be difficult to think about winter coats. But winter is just around the corner, and temperatures are falling. Unfortunately, many children in Bay County are not prepared to stay warm in the chilly weather. You can help. As in past years, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative is helping Manuel & Thompson P.A. with its annual Coats for Kids Collection Drive by serving as a drop-off location. A collection tub is in the lobby of the cooperative’s Southport office. If you usually visit us at our Panama City or Wewahitchka locations, no problem! Our employees in those offices are happy to take your new or slightly used coats or jackets. The collection drive continues through October 27. n For more information about Coats for Kids, call (850) 785-5555.
Inside
October 2017 Vol. 6, No. 12
Shiver Me Timbers 10 Commodore Mayhem seeks to shift perception of pirates as leader of swashbuckling St. Augustine group. Also In This Issue In the Kitchen 12 Great Picture Hunt 18 Travel Journal 20
Festival Roundup 22 Outdoor Pursuits 24 Parting Shot 30
Your utility pages: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32
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New vegetation grows from the top of dead cypress tree stumps, which have become a small ecosystem in the unique Dead Lakes.
Exploring Dead Lakes Area Company shares the scenery with the world By Hollie Hallmark
Matt Godwin 4
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According to theory, approximately 150 years ago, the shifting of sandbars caused the Chipola River to be blocked off from the Apalachicola River, pushing water into a wooded area, and killing thousands of trees in the floodplain. Leaving behind only stumps, the swamp became known as Dead Lakes. Contradictory to the name, Dead Lakes is full of life. Through time, the black tannic waters have become home for hundreds of live and dead cypress trees, making it one of the most mysterious, yet beautiful, places in the Panhandle. The dead stumps protruding from the water have become small ecosystems for new vegetation, as well as an abundance of wildlife that lives within the waters. Along the edges of the lake are Tupelo trees used to produce Florida’s famous Tupelo honey. Little of Dead Lakes is visible from roads or boat launches. Visitors must take to the water to get to the heart of it. And there is no better way to take it all in than a guided kayak or pontoon boat tour. In March 2013, licensed Coast Guard Captain Matt Godwin started Off The Map Expeditions, teaming with the Gulf County Tourist Development Council to share the beauty of Dead Lakes with the world. By appointment only, Matt guides kayak and pontoon excursions, showing off all the scenery and
unique artifacts found throughout Dead Lakes. Through Off The Map Expeditions, Matt has guided filmmakers through the Dead Lakes and been part of scouting, filming and photography for the Discovery Channel and The Weather Channel. In January 2015, Matt was contacted by the producer of “Fat Guys in the Woods”—a survival show on The Weather Channel. He was the production manager for two episodes filmed on the Chipola River and Dead Lakes. Off The Map Expeditions provided guide services for “Anglers and Appetites” airing on Fox Sports. Matt taught them how to catch and prepare crawfish. Matt navigates visitors through the south end of Dead Lakes, known as West Arm Creek, introducing them to the diverse wilderness. Off The Map Expeditions welcomes people from around the world any time of the year. “My favorite part about guiding trips is being able to share my everyday life and teach others about the overlooked beauty in Florida,” Matt says. n Off The Map Expeditions launches guided trips from North Gulf County in Wewahitchka. For more information, contact Matt at (850) 819-3053 or at offthemapexpeditions@gmail. com. You can visit his website at www.offthemapexpeditions. com, or find the business on Facebook.
Every Second Counts:
Plan 2 Ways Out!™ Fire Prevention Week | Oct. 8-14, 2017
How fast does fire move? Very fast. You could have less than 2 minutes to get out safely once the smoke alarm sounds. 7 steps to practicing your escape plan 1
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3
4
Draw a map of your home. Include all doors and windows.
Find two ways out of every room.
Make sure doors and windows are not blocked.
Choose an outside meeting place in front of your home.
5
TEST
6 Push the test button to sound the smoke alarm.
7 Practice your drill with everyone in the home.
For more information about escape planning, visit: www.usfa.fema.gov and www.firepreventionweek.org.
Get outside to your meeting place.
Click here to add image.
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Protect Your Home From Vampires Use these tips to keep electronics running efficiently without driving up your bill By Tom Tate
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Perhaps you are familiar with an undesirable aspect of the electronic and internet revolution: vampire loads. They come from devices that use electricity even when they appear to be off. The primary culprits are chargers, set-top television boxes, instant-on televisions and gaming systems. Vampire loads are approaching 10 percent of average household electric use, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chargers take 120 volts of alternating current power at the outlet and reduce it to the voltage required by the connected device, usually 5 to 12 volts direct current. When your device is charging, the charger uses electricity, but you might be surprised to learn chargers still use small amounts of energy even when not connected to a device. Television set-top boxes also use energy when they appear to be inactive. Anytime the lights on the set-top box are on, it is using power. Like chargers, they use more when the television is on, but they are always working—even when the TV is off. This is especially true for devices with a DVR function that record your favorite TV shows. The instant-on television is another offender. The intention of the instant-on feature is instant gratification for the viewer, meaning no waiting for the TV to turn on and warm up. Unfortunately, that convenience requires the TV to be on at nearly full power. In this mode, it can be a real energy drain. The typical gaming console uses as much energy as a refrigerator even when not being used. Check the console settings and disable automatic updates. Games are frequently updated, which requires a lot of electricity. How does the average family combat dreaded vampire loads? Garlic garlands? Silver bullets? Fortunately, none of the remedies of fable are necessary. You just
need to change how you handle these energy-sucking electronics. Here are a few suggestions. • Unplug chargers when not in use. • Invest in smart power strips. These look like normal power strips, but one of the outlets is the master that receives power all the time. The others are off. When the device connected to the master outlet turns on, the rest of the outlets receive power, too—perfect for entertainment set ups. Have the television in the master outlet. When you turn it on, the set-top box, speakers and streaming devices turn on. Smart strips also are ideal for personal computers and their peripherals. • Turn off the instant-on function on your TV. • Turn off set-top boxes that do not contain a DVR function or use a smart power strip. • Disable automatic updates in gaming consoles. Turn off the console when you finish using it. • When replacing any device or appliance, look for an Energy Star-rated product. Vampire loads are a real problem that will only grow as the digital age advances. But with vigilance, you can fend off the vampires. n
Mary Cook
Brennis Smith
Melody Bailey
Lisa Brunn
Tammie Newsome
Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative Employee News Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative announces the promotion of two and the addition of three employees. Mary Cook moved from payroll specialist to accounting supervisor. She has worked at GCEC since 1998. Mary completed the accounting operations course at Haney Technical Center and the Rural Utilities Service borrower accounting course. During her career, Mary has attended classes and seminars such as payroll law, and taken on new tasks, including helping train new employees. Brennis Smith recently was promoted from line technician II to foreman of service in the Southport office. Brennis is a graduate of Vernon High School and Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi, where he earned an associate degree. He came to GCEC in 2003 as a helper in the right-of-way department. Since then, Brennis was promoted to line technician trainee, first-class line technician and line technician II before receiving his most recent promotion. Brennis completed the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association’s Line Technician Apprenticeship Training Program and the Florida Department of Transportation’s 16-Hour Maintenance of Traffic course.
In 2016, he received the Tony “T-Bone” Turner Hustle Award. Qualities management looked for when choosing a recipient included a sustained work and productivity record; exceptional efficiency; superior performance and dedication; keeping members, the general public and employees safe; and serving as a role model to others through positive interactions. Congratulations, Mary and Brennis! GCEC added three employees to its staff. Melody Bailey is contract administrator in the Tyndall office. She earned an associate degree in acquisition and contracts management and has more than 15 years of experience in the field. She is also a certified nursing assistant, with 30 years of experience in that field. Lisa Brunn is cashier/receptionist in the Wewahitchka office. She spent the previous five years working in banking. Tammie Newsome is cashier/receptionist in the Southport office. She previously worked for the cooperative for 15 years. During that time, she completed the Continuum Customer Service Training Program. Welcome, Melody, Lisa and Tammie! n
Reduce Electrical Demand With H2O Plus H2O Plus, a program available to you from Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative, can dramatically reduce the demand for electricity. But we need your participation. Using energy wisely has never been easier. A device is installed on your electric water heater that allows our power supplier to cycle your unit for short periods. By managing energy use
when demand is high— when you and your neighbors are using the most electricity—our supplier can reduce demand when electricity is most expensive, delaying the need to build facilities to generate more power, alleviating or pushing those costs out to the future. An added benefit is reducing the amount of greenhouse gases, thereby
helping the environment. You still will have enough hot water for showers and household chores. In fact, you shouldn’t even notice a difference in the amount of hot water available. For more information, please call GCEC Energy Services Representative Manuela Heyn. She will take down your information and, after ensuring the program
is a good fit for your household, schedule an installer to visit your home and install the device at no cost to you. For your participation, we will make a one-time credit of $25 to your electric bill. We look forward to hearing from you soon. n
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Right-of-Way Trimming Ensures Safety, Reliability
A crew is buried in vegetation as it works to clear overgrowth from power lines.
Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative will continue to clear rights-of-way in Crystal Lake and Fountain during October. GCEC has about 2,600 miles of distribution line. If vegetation comes into contact with power lines, it can interfere with your electric service and cause a dangerous situation. Vegetation must be cleared from power lines to provide reliable electric service and prevent hazardous conditions. When a person signs up to be a member of the cooperative, there is an agreement between the member and GCEC to allow right-of-way maintenance. The agreement gives GCEC the legal right to remove from the right-of-way anything
that could interfere with the cooperative’s ability to ensure safe, reliable electric service for all members. If the right-of-way clearance was not maintained, tree limbs and other growth coming into contact with power lines would greatly increase the number of power outages experienced by members. The cooperative tries to work with each landowner to preserve landscaping when maintaining rights-of-way. While most property owners regard trees as an asset, federal law requires GCEC to eliminate hazardous conditions. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to bring you quality, reliable service. n
Winter Wonderland Lynn Haven Sports Complex/Community Center Tuesday, October 31, 2017 5 to 8 p.m.
Free games and candy
Hayride
Haunted Maze
Food and drink for purchase
Costume contest for all ages
If you would like a booth, contact Lauren Corbin, special event coordinator, at Events@cityoflynnhaven.com or (850) 271-5547, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Florida Avenue—Lynn Haven Saturday, November 18, 2017 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. DEADLINE: November 3, 2017 (or when venue is full) Start and finish your holiday shopping at Winter Wonderland. More than 90 art, craft, jewelry, wood, direct sale, food vendors and others will be in attendance for your shopping pleasure. For information, contact Lauren Corbin, special event coordinator, at Events@cityoflynnhaven.com or (850) 271-5547, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Gulf Coast
Trading Post For Rent
Miscellaneous
Horse barn with five stalls, paddock and about 4 acres of pasture in Wewahitchka, one block from the old courthouse. Lease by the stall, with discount for multiple horses. (740) 334-0341.
Greenhead Turkey Shoot. Friday, October 20, at 6 p.m. 5725 Highway 77.
Three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Lynn Haven. Great room with open kitchen and a two-car garage. Large, wooded lot in a quiet neighborhood. $1,265 a month. (850) 271-0289.
Three-bedroom, two-bath double-wide lakefront home near Leisure Lake in Greenhead. Wooded lot with sandy beach. Open floor plan, fireplace, screened porch, new heat/AC. $110,000. Email Chasdimarco@msn.com for photo. (850) 445-4183.
Three-bedroom, one-bath cabin situated on 150’ on West Arm Creek. Large screened porch and dock. Rent to own or sale. (850) 814-9780.
For Sale Large organ, $100. Small organ, $50. Keyboard, $23. Dining room table, $100. (850) 408-2224. Stainless steel double sink with counter. May be used in seafood market or restaurant. $250 OBO. (850) 348-0138. Four 20” Hankook tires with MOTIV rims (five lug). Came off a 2015 Toyota Tacoma. $750 OBO. Danny Stewart, (850) 319-6760. Engine stand, Torin big red model #T25671, 1,250 lbs. capacity, like new. $65. John, (850) 387-5536. Miniature donkeys. Jacks and Jennys, black, brown, gray and paints. All ages. $300 and up. Make great pets. Also standard donkeys. Betty, (850) 899-7424.
Real Estate
Three-bedroom, one-bath cabin situated on 150’ on West Arm Creek. Large screened porch and dock. Rent to own or sale. (850) 814-9780. Three-bedroom, three-bath home on 1.069 acres (8833 Crook Hollow Road, Panama City). Hardwood floors, fireplace, two sheds, fenced in. (850) 571-5253. Three-bedroom, one-bath 888 sq. ft. home on two lots at 1234 7th St. in Southport. $49,500. (317) 254-1984. FSBO. Two adjacent lots, about 2.5 acres on paved road, 10 miles north of Wewahitchka, 45 minutes from beaches. Borders the Chipola River and Cypress Creek. Cleared and ready to build. Quiet and peaceful; no neighbors. Deeded restrictions, underground utilities, deep well and many fruit trees. $69,900. (850) 648-4214. ½-acre corner lot. (850) 639-2220.
Quarter horses. Ride well on trails, gentle, good for lessons. (850) 773-1957.
Prepare for Trick-or-Treating You know what happens on October 31. Small, strange creatures dot our roads, creeping up to homes with large bags, dashing from one place to another, often forgetting about passing cars and trucks. Halloween is a fun-filled night for kids. In their excitement, they do not always think about safety, so be extra cautious to keep Halloween a safe, special treat. Help youngsters plan for safe trick-ortreating. Buy flame-retardant costumes that fit properly and allow children to see. Decorate or trim costumes and bags with reflective tape that glows in the beam of a car’s headlights. Children should carry flashlights to see and be seen. Examine treats carefully for evidence of tampering before allowing children to eat the sweets or play with the toys. n
Trading Post is a FREE service to members of Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative. GCEC reserves the right to edit or reject ads. PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY OR TYPE. Please circle the category that applies:
For Rent
For Sale
Real Estate
Free
Miscellaneous
Trade
Wanted
Items:
Name:
Phone:
Address:
City/zip:
Mail your ad to: The Trading Post; Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative; P.O. Box 8370; Southport, FL 32409; return with your electric payment; or email ad information to tradingpost@gcec.com. ** Due to press deadlines, please expect up to 60 days from submission for your advertisement to appear.
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It’s Hurricane Season. Are You Ready? The 2017 Atlantic season reminds us of the devastation hurricanes can cause. Have you thought about the supplies you will need most when disaster strikes? It is important to plan ahead, since the most essential items are usually the hardest to come by. Here is a list of emergency supplies you should have on hand. Remember, you will need enough to last at least three days.
Battery-powered or hand-cranked radio with extra batteries Books, games, puzzles XX Can opener XX Cash XX Cell phone with charger XX Child’s favorite stuffed animal or security blanket XX Clothing and sturdy shoes XX Disinfecting wipes XX Dust mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape XX Feminine hygiene supplies XX Fire extinguisher XX First aid kit XX Flashlight XX Garbage bags XX Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper. When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. In an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color-safe bleach or bleaches with added cleaners. XX Important family documents (insurance policies, ID, bank records, etc.) in a waterproof, portable container XX Infant formula and diapers XX Maps XX Matches in a waterproof container XX Non-perishable food (dried fruit, canned tuna, peanut butter, etc.) XX Paper and pencil XX Pet supplies and food XX Paper plates, plastic cups and utensils, paper towels XX Prescription medication and glasses XX Sleeping bag or blanket for every member of your family XX Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and other personal hygiene items XX Water: at least a gallon per person per day, for drinking and hygiene. If you are unable to acquire bottled water, fill plastic bags with water and place them in your freezer. XX Whistle XX Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities XX XX
Don’t forget to keep your car filled with gas, and to check on the elderly or family members with special needs. If evacuating, think of a family member or friend who is closest to you who does not have to evacuate that you could stay with. If planning to stay in a hotel, make reservations early. Go to a shelter as a last resort. Remember to take your supplies. Keep in mind most shelters do not accept pets. n 26
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Gulf  Coast After a Major Power Outage
Steps to Restoring Power Step 1.
Transmission towers and lines supply power to one or more transmission substations. These lines seldom fail, but they can be damaged by a hurricane or tornado. Tens of thousands of people could be served by one high-voltage transmission line, so if there is damage here, it gets attention first.
Local Substation
Transmission Substation
Step 2. A utility may have several local distribution substations, each serving
Local Substation
thousands of consumers. When a major outage occurs, the local distribution substations are checked first. A problem here could be caused by a failure in the transmission system supplying the substation. If the problem can be corrected at the substation level, power may be restored to a large number of people.
Step 3.
Main distribution supply lines are checked next if the problem cannot be isolated at the substation. These supply lines carry electricity away from the substation to a group of consumers, such as a town or housing development. When power is restored at this stage, all consumers served by this supply line could see the lights come on, as long as there is no problem farther down the line.
Restoring power after a major outage is a big job that involves much more than simply throwing a switch or removing a tree from a line. The main goal is to restore power safely to the greatest number of members in the shortest time possible.
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The major cause of outages is damage caused by fallen trees. That’s why most utilities are involved in ongoing right-of-way maintenance programs. While restoration priorities differ by utility, repairs generally follow a plan similar to this one.
Step 5.
Sometimes, damage will occur on the service line between your house and the transformer on the nearby pole. This can explain why you have no power when your neighbor does. Your utility needs to know you have an outage so a service crew can repair it.
Area enlarged: The consumer—not the cooperative—is responsible for having damage to the service installation on the building or the meter pole repaired. Your co-op cannot fix this. Call a licensed electrician. Other Co-ops
During a major outage, neighboring utilities help one another by providing line crews, equipment and supplies to assist with restoring power.
Tap Line
Local Substation
Step 4.
The final supply lines, called tap lines, carry power to the utility poles or underground transformers outside houses or other buildings. Line crews fix the remaining outages based on restoring service to the greatest number of members.
Report your outage to the cooperative office. Employees or response services use every available phone line to receive outage reports. Remember, a major outage can affect thousands of other customers. Your co-op appreciates your patience.
Co-op Office
Tap Line
Individual households may receive special attention if loss of electricity affects life support systems or poses another immediate danger. If you or a family member depend on life support, call your cooperative before an emergency arises. When a significant outage occurs, your co-op will fix your problem as quickly as possible, or will call to let you know to seek shelter elsewhere.
DANGER! Stay clear of fallen lines.
Illustration by Katherine Fowler, Carolina Country (North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives)
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FL-154
Offices 722 West Highway 22 P. O. Box 220 Wewahitchka, FL 32465 (850) 639-2216 or (800) 333-9392 9434 Highway 77 P. O. Box 8370 Southport, FL 32409 (850) 265-3631 or (800) 568-3667 6243 East Highway 98 Panama City, FL 32404 Phone: (850) 481-1188 www.gcec.com
CEO/General Manager John Bartley
Trustees President Waylon Graham Vice President Jimmy Black Secretary Eddie Jones Treasurer Rupert Brown Doug Birmingham Robert Byrd Gary Cox Kinneth Daniels Betty Moore Trustees normally meet the third Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. CST. The board meets at the Wewahitchka office in even-numbered months (February, April, June, August, October and December) and the Southport office in odd-numbered months (January, March, May, July, September and November). The mission of GCEC: Fulfilling the changing needs of our membership and communities by providing cost effective, reliable and safe utility services through a dedicated and responsive workforce. 32
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GCEC President’s Message
Our History, Our Future Looking back provides direction for the path forward One of my favorite quotes has always been, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But sometimes, remembering our history with the goal of repeating it can be a good thing. As the nation’s 30,000 cooperatives celebrate National Co-op Month this October, it is a great time to take a look back—and a look forward. Take the history of your electric cooperative. Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative was founded when neighbors worked together to bring electricity to our rural community. Big investor-owned power companies thought they couldn’t generate enough profit, so they bypassed rural areas. Back then, there were frequent meetings among neighbors to discuss formation of the cooperative. Once established, annual meetings were the must-attend event of the year. On behalf of the member-owners, the cooperative committed to provide the community with electricity. Fast forward to today—and tomorrow. Gulf Coast Electric currently serves more than 16,500 members with nearly 21,000 meters. We understand that the spirit that helped create this cooperative must be continually nurtured. While times and technology continue to change, our commitment to you will not. Although we started out to provide electricity, our impact— with your support—has grown. As we continue to look toward the future, you can be confident GCEC will commit to explore new ways to help our members and our community. Through the years, we have listened to you and your fellow co-op member-owners. We know that we have to keep pace as technology and consumer tastes evolve. As always, we welcome your participation as we plan for the future.
Waylon Graham