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Artist Laura Tillman - 10 Women of the Water - 14 May 2016
How to Filet Your Fish - 19
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I n the T ides 14
05 Editor’s Note 06 Turtle Trot Results 08 One More Cast 09
Did You Know?
10 Artist Laura Tillman 12 Point of Sail 13
ROV Competition
14
Women of the Water
19
How to Filet Your Fish
19
22 The Bitter End 23 Fishin’ For Jamie
About the Cover: This month’s artist Laura Tillman scours area beaches like the one shown here for the driftwood she uses to create beautiful lamps and frames. Photo provided by Jekyll Island Authority (with special thanks to Jessica Scott for the last minute save!) Photos Above: Top - Captain Judy holds up a grouper. Photo provided by Miss Judy Charters Bottom - Her first filets. Photo Cameron Rhodes May 2016
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Staff
Specializing in redfish (spot tail bass), tarpon, sheepshead, trout, flounder, striper, cobia, and shark.
Captain Brian Woelber (912) 308-5991 Savannah
Publisher/Editor – Amy Thurman amy@southerntidesmagazine.com Assistant Editor - Amelia Dence amelia@southerntidesmagazine.com SC Feature Writer - Cameron Rhodes thetailingfish@gmail.com The Bitter End Columnist - Captain J. Gary “Gator” Hill jgaryhill@gmail.com One More Cast Columnist - Captain Brian Woelber captainbrian@onemorecast.com Point of Sail Columnist - Peggy Riley sales@dunbaryachts.com Gray’sReef Contributor - Michelle Riley michelle.riley@noaa.gov Advertising – Jack Gandolfo jack@southerntidesmagazine.com Copyright © 2015-2016 All content herein is copyright protected and may not be reproduced in whole or part without express written permission.
It’s not just ART ... It’s a STORY.
Southern Tides is a free magazine published monthly and can be found at multiple locations from St. Marys, GA, to Beaufort, SC. PO Box 30724 Wilmington Island, GA 31410 (912) 484-3611 info@southerntidesmagazine.com www.SouthernTidesMagazine.com Visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/pages/southern-tides-magazine Follow us on Instagram at southern_tidesmag Follow us on Twitter at Southern Tides To subscribe, mail check for $25.00, payable to Southern Tides Magazine, to the address above. Subscription is for one year/12 issues.
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May 2016
E ditor’s N ote S
pring has finally arrived! The last of the bitter cold is gone, the marsh grass is in full green – and it’s seldom wrong. Aside from an end to shivering with the return of warmer air temperatures, what I love most about spring is the resurgence of life. In addition to the marsh greening up, jasmine and wisteria are in bloom and the air smells amazing, other flora is in bloom offering bursts of color everywhere you look, and our world is lush again. With water temperatures finally warming (72 as of this writing), horseshoe crabs are nesting on beaches, shrimp are returning to our creeks and rivers, as are the fish species that feed on them; migratory shore birds are making their annual visits, dolphin are entertaining us with their playful antics, and our world is waking up from winter. I love this time of year. Being out there on the water most days has given me an opportunity to see this growth and the daily changes firsthand. It’s inspiring and feeds my creativity and the urge to try new ideas and see where they might take the magazine. All of you – readers, advertisers, staff – have offered amazing suggestions and I wish we had the working capital to implement every single idea! But, much like our estuaries return to life slowly and in a logical fashion each spring, we have to move slowly too. With warming temperatures comes new life and with increased ad sales comes more content. Everyone reading this can help that happen in one way or another. Readers, by telling our advertisers you saw their ad and appreciate them for supporting the magazine. Everyone in business knows that keeping existing customers is as important as gaining new ones, and letting our advertisers know their ads are working is critical to them continuing to support us. For those of you currently advertising, a huge and heartfelt thank you! Each month I’m thrilled at the praise we hear as we deliver the magazine and without you we simply couldn’t. Your ad revenue makes this possible. If you feel your ad isn’t being effective, let’s revise it and see what we can do to make it entice the market you’re looking for. Whatever it takes, we’ll make it happen. And if you refer another business to me, I’ll give you a discount for as long as their ad runs. If you’re not currently advertising with us, we’re offering several new options. If your business operates in conjunction with another business, for instance, if you share a property, or you have a small engine shop that frequently works with a small generator shop, we can design a shared ad. You can each be billed separately and reduce the cost of advertising for each of you. For example, see the ad for Doggie Ladders and kayak racks on page six. Another new option we’re offering is geared to small businesses with limited marketing budgets who want to get their name out there or be affiliated with the magazine. This idea came from a brainstorming discussion with my friend Leo Peloquin, owner of Craftmasters Construction Company. Leo said, “Amy, I love the magazine and want to help you keep it going, but I can’t swing a large ad every month. What can we do on a smaller scale?” That sparked a memory from my high school days when I worked on the yearbook. We had booster ads in the back of the book; small one-line banners paid for by local businesses or individuals to help us raise funds for printing. Why not do something like that in the magazine? So we’ll offer small banner ads, for $20 monthly, to individuals and businesses who want to support the magazine and helps us grow. Let us know if you’d like to participate! Another new avenue we’re offering is similar in May 2016
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nature, but geared toward larger businesses that are thriving, but want to be involved in the community. This idea came after conversations with Billy Gartside, with Waterline Up, and Bubba Strickland, with Hogans’ Marina. While talking with Billy one afternoon he said, “Amy, I love what you’re doing with this magazine and I want to help, but I’m booked so far ahead right now it doesn’t make sense to advertise for new business. What else can we do?” A few days later I chatted with Bubba and as he’s done since the first day I met him years ago, he offered ideas for potential advertisers. “What about Ace Hardware? Why aren’t they advertising? Every boater in the area shops there and so do most of us in the marine industry. They need to be in the magazine.” He’s right, we all shop there, which is why they don’t need to advertise. But what if they could demonstrate their appreciation for the boating community instead? What about a display ad stating something like, “Ace Hardware is proud to support Southern Tides Magazine and the boating community!” Take a look at page nine to see what Waterline Up is doing to help and show appreciation for their customers. Want to see what we can put together for your business? We’d love to talk with you! Another new idea we’re working to implement is sponsorship of content. We’ll soon be bringing you tech tips – information on various aspects of boat maintenance, sponsored by local boat service companies. Want to know the best way to care for your boat canvas, or simple ways to keep your outboard running great? Local experts will share tips, get their business name out there, give our readers great content, and help us build revenue. Thank you Tim Hale for this great idea! We’re also working on a monthly boat drink recipe, seafood recipe, and other fun content that can be sponsored by area companies. Spring is the time for growth, both in the natural world and in our businesses. Let us know what we can do to help you grow. And thank you - for your praise, your ideas, and your support in helping us grow. This is your magazine.
Amy Thurman
Editor-In-Chief
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Turtle Trot Results The 12th Annual Turtle Trot took place on Saturday, April 30. The 5K and Kiddie Run were well attended and the weather was perfect! Funds raised directly benefit Tybee Marine Science Center’s Sea Turtle Conservation Fund, which helps support resident sea turtle Ike. The event also served as the kickoff for this year’s sea turtle season.
GameDay Sportz Participants in the one mile Kiddie Run crossing the starting line. Photo by Dana Gnann
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Proceeds from the event help fund the resident sea turtle, Ike Jr., a rescued straggler. Each season, the center rescues one turtle, always named Ike, and monitors his growth and habits to learn more about the species. Photo by Dana Gnann
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May 2016
OVERALL FIRST PLACE Male: Jimmy Markins, age: 42, Time: 18:20 Female: Ravishi Matthews, Age: 51, Time: 23:33 FIRST PLACE BY AGE GROUP Age 1-9 Male: Wade Johnston Age: 8 Time: 38:49 Female: Kira Cruz-Richardson Age: 8 Time: 39:24 Age 10-14 Male: Shane Martin, age: 12, Time: 25:43 Female: Candace Kieffer, Age: 12, Time: 26:09 Age 15-19 Male: Jacob Scholeno, Age: 17, Time: 18:59 Female: Mikyla Burgess, Age: 18, Time: 37:43 Age 20-24 Male: Kenneth Nealy, Age: 20, Time: 19:10 Female: Frankie Mesmer, Age: 22, Time: 24:28 Age 25-29 Male: Jackman Eschenrode, Age: 26, Time: 21:11 Female: Bonnie Kirkpatrick, Age: 29, Time: 26:54 Age 30-34 Male: Pierre Lantuas, Age: 31, Time: 18:45 Female: Jennifer Stoller, Age: 31, Time: 23:48
Age 35-39 Male: Nicholas Varvel, Age: 35, Time: 22:12 Female: Heather Rogers, Age: 39, Time: 25:07 Age 40-44 Male: Brett Mckie, Age: 43, Time: 25:53 Female: Noreen Hux, Age: 41, Time: 28:34 Age 45-49 Male: Mark Scholeno, Age: 47, time: 23:06 Female: Kelly Fato, Age 48, Time: 25:27 Age 50-54 Male: Saul Wilson, Age: 51, Time: 27:29 Female: Christine Cate, Age: 51, Time: 37:52 Age 55-59 Male: Joseph Shoemaker. Age: 55, Time: 23:55 Female: Vicki Dolliver, Age: 59, Time: 32:22 Age 60-64 Male: Arpen Deangelo, Age: 63, Time: 22:48 Female: Baynette Evans, Age: 60, time: 38:00 Age 65-69 Male: Alan Edmonson, Age: 66, Time: 27:25 Female: Gail Pomeroy, Age: 68, time: 34:31 Age 70-74 Male: John Pomeroy, Age: 72, Time: 29:59 Female: Faye Kirschner, Age: 71, Time: 43:30
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center also participated in the event and released two young kemp ridley sea turtles, Blackberry and Strawberry. Photo by Dana Gnann
To learn how you can participate in this year’s sea turtle season, contact Southern Tides Magazine and we’ll put you in touch with the sea turtle program in your coastal area. info@southerntidesmagazine.com
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One More Cast
By Captain Brian Woelber
T
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he past few weeks we’ve seen warmer water, with temperatures in the lowto mid-70s, and the bait and fish have followed. Recently pogies (menhaden) have flooded the sounds and now mullet are starting to show up; trout, reds, and flounder have welcomed the feast with a healthy appetite. Bait shrimp have become mixed, with big whites and tiny browns, and blue crabs are starting to hit the creek mouths. All of these factors equal a great fish bite! It also means to catch targeted fish, you’ll need to use different baits. On outings these past few weeks, I’ve taken live shrimp then thrown a castnet for pogies. Pogies are the perfect size right now for big trout and big red fish. Use them alive for trout, and alive or cut for reds. Bull reds are in the surf on sandbars right now but will be gone soon as the water continues to heat up. When weather allows and the tides are low (outgoing or incoming), try using menhaden (or Local Savannah fishermen with their cobia catch. mullet if you can get it) on Photo provided by Brian Woelber the bottom of sandbars in front of the beaches. Fish your baits on the bottom in five to ten feet of water. Look for signs like oil slicks on the water and feeding birds, but be careful – those sandy bottoms can shift from season to season. We’re still using popping corks and either live shrimp or clear DOA with sparkles for the trout bite. They seem to be everywhere, from inside creeks to the ICW and beach fronts. These big trout seem to be loners right now but soon they’ll school up for the spawn. We’ve also caught some trout over the five-pound mark lately, using live pogies, Carolina rigged, in a little deeper water. Look for them in 10 to 20 feet of water near structure, like docks and rocks. Flounder are starting to show up in good numbers. Recent trips have had 10 flounder or more in a day and a few over three pounds. No giants yet, but a good sign that this will be a great flounder season. Look for them on half-moon tides, along oyster rake points, in one to four feet of water, sometimes with black drum swimming nearby. Use live shrimp, finger mullet, pollywogs or live pogies, under a cork, near bottom. Look for subtle strikes – you have to let them eat to catch them. Nearshore and offshore, I’ve been catching and releasing limits of red snapper, catching black sea bass, vermillion snapper, and the occasional grouper. Spanish mackerel and kingfish are just showing up on the nearshore reefs. Try trolling Clark spoons for Spanish mackerel, or pitch silver spoons with light spinning tackle to them for a fun fight. Try trolling drone spoons and diving plugs for the kings. Cobia is starting to show up but it’s a slow bite right now. With luck, next month we’ll have a better cobia report. Good luck and good fishing! Remember – release a fish today so you can catch two tomorrow!
Email Captain Brian at captainbrian@onemorecast.com 8
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May 2016
D id Y ou Know? Conchs and knobbed whelks are not the same animal. • The knobbed whelk (Busycon carica), Georgia’s state seashell, is a member of the Buccinidae family, while the conch (Lobatus gigas), is a member of the Strombidae family, though both are gastropod mollusks, or sea snails. • Knobbed whelks are carnivorous, feeding mostly on clams and other shellfish, though they’ve been known to scavage on dead fish. Conchs are herbivors, which is why conchs aren’t often found in our coastal waters; they prefer the grassy sea bottoms of South Florida and the Caribbean.
Live knobbed whelk, found in Wassaw Sound. Photo by Amy Thurman
• Both conchs and knobbed whelks utilize their foot to move along the ocean floor, however, the conch has a unique and somewhat odd “hopping” motion asit advances, while the knobbed whelk slides more like a land snail. • Other whelks frequently found in our coastal waters include the lightning whelk, distinguished by it’s left-handed, or sinistral spiral, as opposed to the knobbed whelks right-handed spiral, and the channeled whelk, which has channeled grooves along the top of the spiral, rather than knobs. Both are also members of the Buccinidae family. Data contributed by Captain John “Crawfish” Crawford, with University of Georgia Marine Extension Service, and Amy Thurman, with Southern Tides Magazine.
Conch shells, also known as Queen or pink conchs. Photo by By H. Zell (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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Designs in Driftwood Wilmington Island artist Laura Tillman brings the beach into your home with her driftwood decor pieces. By Amelia Dence
“I
’ve been on the water my whole life. My dad used to travel around in a big boat, he would make a trip from Canada and back and I used to go and see him. We would walk the beaches and I would always see this beautiful driftwood everywhere and I really always loved the driftwood.” That’s the story Laura Tillman, of L. Driftwood Designs, told me when I asked her where she found her inspiration for her driftwood art. However, it wasn’t until many years later, about eight months ago to be precise, that Laura finally got the opportunity she’d been waiting for to delve into and discover her passion for driftwood and the beautiful art she renders from each piece she finds. Now you’ll find her art gracing the homes of those who also draw their design inspiration from the ocean and the magnificent artifacts it discards along our local beaches. Laura got her
start after spending many weekends on her boat exploring the various beaches along our coastline, “I just really started picking up pieces and looking at them and thinking God that would be beautiful in a mirror or that would be beautiful in a lamp and from that point it just kind of snowballed.” Laura’s pieces primarily consist of table and floor lamps, mirrors, and side tables but as her inspiration grows so do her designs, and her inventory will eventually include larger tables and custom pieces. And her ideas keep growing. Although there are many different materials one can find along the shoreline to create works
Tillman creates these home decor pieces using driftwood she collects from area beaches herself, such as the two lamps (inset), frames for photos or artwork (opposite page, bottom), or to frame mirros (right). Photos provided by L Driftwood Designs
To contact Laura about her designs, visit her on Facebook: L Driftwood Designs, or email laurahtillman@comcast.net.
of art, she particularly loves working with driftwood because “there’s just so much you can do with it … there’re so many colors and textures and different pieces and shapes.” For Laura the idea that each piece of art is not only unique but was once a piece of wood that she “picked up off of a beach somewhere” gives her the type of satisfaction felt when one is truly passionate about their work. While many artists find themselves striving to alter the medium in which they work to fit their vision, Laura’s ultimate goal is to stay true to the nature of each piece of wood she works with. She feels that the “actual textures and design of the driftwood itself” provide enough inspiration and uniqueness that she doesn’t need to alter the natural elements of the wood to fit her vision. Although she’s dabbled in art for many years, ranging from drawing and painting to distressing furniture, it was in driftwood that she found her true inspiration. Looking towards her future as an artist Laura spoke with enthusiasm and hopefulness that she would be able to continue living her dream. She has plans to open a shop on Wilmington Island and eventually design custom pieces for customers. Laura admits that as an artist she’d love to keep all of her pieces but knows that she would eventually run out of room. Not only is each piece unique, but they all reflect the respect this artist has for what nature has molded and the natural beauty of the beaches where the pieces are found.
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P oint of S ail
Cruising the Lowcountry
By Peggy Riley
Southern Tides Magazine is pleased to introduce our new monthly sailing column, contributed this month by sailing instructor Peggy Riley.
T
Peggy’s husband, Barney, lashes bikes to the deck in preparation for their trip. Photo by Peggy Riley
here are many ways to enjoy sailing in the low country, but my choice for enjoying spring sailing is to explore our beautiful barrier islands. Our first planning decision is always whether to take bikes or take the dogs. On this trip, cruising the lowcountry islands, we chose bikes so we could easily explore. We put the bikes on deck and tie them off to the shrouds. We monitor the weather a few days in advance but never decide where we’re going with absolute certainty until we leave the dock! Through our thirty-plus years of cruising the low country we’ve learned that the best plan is often only a basic plan: lash the bikes on deck, stock the galley with food and beverages, then let the wind and sea conditions dictate the destination. Our best bet is usually to catch the ebb tide out of St. Simons channel and spend the day offshore. Fernandina, Sapelo Sound, and St. Catherine’s Sound are easy offshore day sails. But this trip, strong northeast winds, kicking up 6- to 8-foot seas offshore kept us in the waterway. Since we use our boat for our ASA sailing school, we don’t
keep many supplies onboard. We spent two days loading It’s About Time, our Catalina 375, to prepare for our 5-day cruise. Most low country islands have docks for access but not for overnight stays, so we loaded the dinghy as well. On a previous trip, we’d anchored in a river one night, then loaded the bikes, one at a time, into the dinghy to take them ashore. If you can picture trying to lower a mountain bike into a small inflatable, you’ll know why we changed that plan. Now we find a small access dock to offload the bikes then settle at anchor and go ashore by dinghy to explore. Sapelo, Blackbeard, and Wassaw all have docks. On this trip though, we visited another favorite, Cumberland Island. With an offshore sail not an option for this trip, we headed down to the Sea Camp anchorage. We’ve biked Cumberland many times and it never disappoints, although I miss the days when we wouldn’t see another rider. These days with tours and bike rentals at the Sea Camp ranger station, Cumberland is a busy place, but still a pleasure. After a day of exploring Dungeness and Plum Orchard and enjoying a long ride on the beach, we took the dinghy back home to It’s About Time. We spent the evening with a glass of Malbec, a spaghetti dinner, a warming sunset on the water, and planned where to ride tomorrow.
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Gray’s Reef ROV Competition
ent classes of competition defined by skill level, not age. The competition demands excellence from well-rounded teams. In order to win, teams must not only build and successfully pilot an underwater robot, they have to create a company to market and sell their ROV. Students prepare posters, product spec sheets, safety procedures, design abstracts, business cards, and presentations to working professionals who serve as contest judges. Led by Jody Patterson, Events Coordinator at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, staff and sanctuary volunteers organized the regional competition and created simulated workplace scenarios for the ROV pilots. This year’s regionals focused on innerspace ROV tasks, including recovering equipment, conducting forensic fingerprinting of oil spills, analyzing deepwater studies of corals, and capping wellheads of oil rigs. The sanctuary’s Team Ocean volunteer divers worked all day with NOAA divers to continually set up the underwater task components. Other volunteers from Georgia Southern University, Savannah State University, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Hubert Middle School, Armstrong State University and Gulfstream, as well as off-duty professional engineers, served as judges and safety inspectors. “It is a privilege to host the Southeast Regional ROV competition each year,” said Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent Sarah Fangman. “To properly protect marine life and special areas like Gray’s Reef, we need tools to help us explore and understand the mysteries of the ocean. These students -- future engineers and scientists -- will create the next generation of instruments used at NOAA, NASA, and the maritime industries.”
By Michelle Riley
Communications and Outreach Coordinator for Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary
T
he noise-level rises to the rafters as one after the other, robots splash down in the far end of the Olympic-size pool. The water is calm, but poolside, the whoops and shouts of more than 100 young engineers make the thick air crackle with energy. With divers in full scuba gear assisting, 16 student teams from across the southeast compete in the 2016 Gray’s Reef Southeast Regional MATE ROV Competition. Only one team is eligible to advance to the international competition, where they will compete against teams from various locations including Canada, Russia, and Hong Kong. After a full day, the contest ends with seven-time regional champion Carrollton High School winning the right to advance to internationals, which will be held in June at NASA Johnson Space Center’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston, Texas. Carrollton HS, located near Atlanta, Georgia, has fielded strong teams that have placed as high as ninth in the global competition, and its team InnovOcean holds high hopes of taking home the top prize this year. Beginning in 2004, Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary partnered with the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center to offer underwater robotics as a vehicle to teach science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), which prepares students for technical careers. To the lucky observer, the regional event at the Chatham County Aquatic Center in Savannah is an inspiring display of young talent, skill, and salesmanship. The ROV competition requires students to construct tethered underwater robots – called Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) – from the ground up, then challenges them to perform tasks modeled after scenarios in the ocean workplace. Teams composed of students in middle, junior, and high school are able to choose from four differMay 2016
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Email Michelle with questions at: michelle.riley@noaa.gov
Middle school teams Carrollton and McClure, competing. Photo by Brian Greer Photography
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Women of the Water
A
lthough women in today’s world are taking on more and more non-traditional roles, it’s still rare to see a woman at the helm of a boat, in a leadership role in a marine business, working as a guide or captain, or running an organization that focuses on the water. Careers on the water are still largely male-dominated. For those of us who’ve chosen to build our lives around water-based careers, gender doesn’t even enter into it. We do what we do out of a passion for our chosen field, out of a love for the water, the natural world, and the elements, and maybe because we’re all marching to a drumbeat only we can hear that sounds oddly like water lapping against a hull or a stretch of sand. Southern Tides is proud to introduce you to some of those rare Women of the Water in this feature series. This month we’ll start off with two dynamic and amazing women who we here at the magazine are honored to consider friends: Marsha Henson and Judy Helmey. We hope their stories, and those we bring you each month going forward, will inspire you to live your own lives, and passions, to the fullest. 14
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May 2016
Marsha Henson By Amy Thurman
W
hen I first met Marsha Henson in 2008, I was delivering my boating newspaper to Sea Kayak Georgia, on Tybee Island, the business she co-owns with her partner Ronnie Kemp. That morning Marsha and I sat down in her shop, overlooking the marsh, and talked about our businesses, life in general, and of course, the water. I’d recently lost someone dear to me and was holding it together, barely, but after talking with her, I was able to find my perspective again and carry on. She just has that effect on people. From that point on, whenever we run into each other we exchange hugs, ideas, catch up on what each has been doing, and before you know it, an hour is gone and we have to get back to our busy lives. When the Southern Tides staff decided to do a series of features on women whose lives revolve around the water, I knew Marsha would be at the top of that list. Her love of the water began on Lake Junaluska, in North Carolina, where she grew up. She learned to swim at such a young age she doesn’t even recall it. “It’s like I was born knowing,” she joked. In addition to swimming, much of her time on the water was spent canoeing and aboard her
Marsha on an early morning paddle. Photo provided by Sea Kayak Georgia
family’s small motorboat. She later moved to Tybee Island to attend school and one of her first jobs was at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. Through her work there, she went through a kayak guide training course at Sea Kayak Georgia and experienced a pivotal moment. As part of the training, students capsized their kayaks and learned to right them safely. This particular lesson took place on the Back River off Tybee Island. In February, when the water temperature was about 45 degrees. While this would not be seen as an optimal experience by many people, Marsha found it empowering. The experience gave her confidence in her own strength, her skills, and her ability on the water. Soon afterward, she began working as a kayak guide for Sea Kayak Georgia and quickly became an instructor as well. In 2006, Marsha and Ronnie were given the opportunity to purchase Sea Kayak Georgia from the former owner and the business and partnership are still going strong. Part of the reason for Marsha’s success
Opposite page: An expedition in the marsh. Below: Marsh Reflection, a painting by Marsha Henson. Photos provided by Sea Kayak Georgia
May 2016
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as a guide, a naturalist, and an instructor is her passion for our coastal waters and how integral they are to her life. She recalled when she got her first kayak and the feeling of independence and freedom it gave her. “It was my own boat. I remember thinking, I can do this myself. I don’t need anyone to help me,” she said. The first day she took the kayak out, she loaded it with art supplies and paddled out to Little Tybee where she spent the day painting.
didn’t recognize it, she would research it and learn everything she could about it. “You see so much when you’re out there at eye level. I recently saw a black-bellied plover and I knew what it was! I love learning about the species that live here with us or migrate through!” Marsha loves sharing this knowledge with others. “We’re on this ancient coastal pathway. People these days are so into their phones, their digital lives, and it’s so great to be able to bring their attention to the natural world. Being out in it, not just talking to them about the marsh, but being able to touch it. You can’t teach that, you have to feel it.” She gets a chance to do that with school kids on a regular basis. “It’s this web of life. That’s the magic of the Georgia Coast. We’re so lucky to live here, to be in this place. So lucky. This is where I’m meant to be.”
Left: Marsha in the waters she loves. Below: Teaching is her passion. Photos contributed by Sea Kayak Georgia
In addition to her love of the water, Marsha also holds an art degree and is an accomplished landscape artist. “I immediately saw kayaking as a really cool way to get a new perspective for my painting. Instead of painting landscapes from land, looking out at the water, I could paint from the boat, at eye level, looking toward land.” When asked what she enjoys most about making her life and livelihood on the water, she didn’t hesitate in her response. “Instructing. I love that moment when your student gets it, when that lightbulb goes off and they make the connection. We aren’t born knowing how to deal with the water, we have to learn. There’s an intense joy in knowing that I know the path of least resistance when I’m out there and I love sharing that with others.” She describes teaching people to paddle as a way of giving them something separate from their daily lives that helps them renew themselves. “Being able to give people a way to gain more life enjoyment, that thrills me!” The self-confidence she’s gained from paddling and achieving goals she’s set for herself (including paddling the whole coast of Georgia, among others), has benefited her on multiple levels. “It allows me to be spontaneous on so many more levels. I have the confidence to take those leaps of faith that I might not take otherwise.” It isn’t only paddling that inspires her passion though. It’s the natural world she paddles through. She learned a lot about the flora and fauna in coastal Georgia during her time with the Science Center, but admits to being largely selftaught over the years. While out paddling, when she would come across some shell, bird, plant, or marine lifeform she 16
SouthernTidesMagazine.com
May 2016
Judy Helmey By Amelia Dence
S
Captain Judyproudly displaying a gag grouper. Photos provided by Miss Judy Charters.
he’s a story teller. Spend five minutes with Captain Judy Helmey, of Miss Judy Charters, and it’s apparent she loves to tell stories. That she has love and passion for her life, the sea, and the people she surrounds herself with was obvious as soon as our interview started. But how did she come to be the captain of the largest fleet of charter fishing vessels in southeast Georgia? It’s simple really. It’s what she was born into. “I’ve been fishing all my life,” she told me, “I started taking people fishing at the age of 14.” Her father was 51 when she was born and her mother died when Judy was just five. Even though Judy’s father had live-in help to take care of things, she “just always went everywhere with him” and “always went on the boat with him.” “He had a big ol’ 40-foot boat,” she told me “and I just stayed on the boat with him and it parlayed into this thing, which is fishing, and I still love to go on the boat and go fishing.” Some would say it’s in her DNA to love fishing, and even from the tender age of five Judy remembers always having a boat. Some with engines, some without, and one in particular had “a three-and-one-half horsepower Evinrude.” That one she remembers distinctly. Getting her start as a fishing guide at 14 happened almost by accident. Her father had too many people show up for a trip one day and he said, “’Well my daughter can take you’ and they said okay.” However, she couldn’t get her license until she was 18 and because she’s colorblind to certain colors the Coast Guard had to give her an oral test. She passed it, so at the tender age of 18, Judy Helmey became Captain Judy May 2016
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Helmey. “I love what I do. You never know what you’re gonna see when you go into the ocean. And I love showing all this to people.” It’s not just a love of fishing and the ocean that calls to Judy though. It’s the stories and connections she makes with people along the way that fill her voice with the passion I could hear when she told me about her life and the adventures she’d filled it with. It’s showing people “jellyfish, and the birds, and the turtles, and the sharks.” And it’s not only her own stories but the stories of her fellow captains that makes Miss Judy’s Charters so unique in its own right. They interview every customer that books a trip with them. That’s right, they interview them. Why? Because she believes each captain and crew has a uniqueness about that will best suit the individual needs of the groups they’re paired with. The older captains have stories and experience. The younger captains have youthful energy and the daring to take a little risk. And each and every one of them is overseen by a woman who spends her life doing it all. I asked her what it was like to spend her life in such a male dominated industry and she told me this, “it was in the 50’s when I started all of this. It was a little strange at first. But my father never said to me ‘oh you’re in a man’s world.’ He 17
Above: Captain Judy with a gorgeous red snapper. Below: At the helm of her boat. Photos provided by Miss Judy Charters
never mentioned that to me.” Because of this she never even thought about the fact that she made her living surrounded by salty men of the ocean. And although she never had any instances where someone refused to do business with her she did have one gentleman tell her “he doesn’t go out with lady captains … but he still got on the boat.” I found myself getting lost in her stories. From the black sea bass that is born female, turns into a male, then will change back to a female if there aren’t enough around, to the beautiful blue spotted coronet fish she caught on a fishing trip last year. “That was the most gorgeous fish I’d ever seen with some of the bluest spots and a bill on it like a duck ... and penetrating eyes. Anything that pretty has got to be poisonous,” she said. Whether it’s telling stories in her weekly fishing report, or writing books about her family history, or having an hour long conversation with a customer before they leave for their fishing trip, Judy is a story teller. And her stories are as vast and unique as the woman herself.
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SouthernTidesMagazine.com
May 2016
ISLE OF
How to Filet Your Fish A Beginner’s Guide
By Cameron Rhodes
HOPE
MARINA We Provide Loaner Cars!
This simple guide is a “how-to” from the perspective of a first timer. I fish often, but rarely keep my catch, and when I have decided to keep a fish, someone else has been responsible for the knife work. I decided it was time to change that.
F
or my first fillet experience, I cut into a spotted seatrout I’d caught at a favorite spot tucked away in a corner of an Edisto Island saltwater creek. I didn’t realize the number of tools required to properly cut up a fish. I suppose some of these are not necessary. But as the daughter of a toy enthusiast, I was fortunate enough to have access to some nice tools. You will definitely need a long, thin, flexible knife. I was also equipped with a fish scaler, a short carving knife, a cutting board, and towel. The not-so-necessary scaler, carving knife, cutting board, and towel all played a role in preserving my fingers. Step 1: If you want to keep the skin, you will need to scale the fish. Use a scaler or knife and run it systematically from tail to gills, removing all scales.
Photo by Steven Rhodes
Step 2: Place the towel over the head of the fish to provide you with some extra grip.
Step 3: With the carving knife, make an incision behind the pectoral fin. Once you feel the knife touch bone, keep the knife perpendicular to the body and continue the cut to the soft, fleshy spot behind the top of the skull. May 2016
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Step 4: Using the same knife or the fillet knife, separate the flesh from the bone by making an incision at that same fleshy spot behind the skull.
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Step 5: Without going all the way through the fish, run the flat side of the blade gently from head to tail, approximately one inch deep, making sure to stay on either side of the dorsal spines and dorsal fin. You will feel the tip of the knife careening along bone. Don’t push through. The knife will follow the line of the vertebral column if you just keep it flat and apply steady pressure.
Now allowing DIY bottom prep & painting! Marina: (912) 897-2896 Boatyard: (912) 897-1914 606 Wilmington Island Road Savannah, GA, 31410 www.sailharbormarina.com
Photo by Cameron Rhodes
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May 2016
Photo by Steven Rhodes
Step 6: Now use the fillet knife along the cut you just made. Push all the way through the fish with the blade flattened to the body. Slide the knife to the tail with the flat of the blade pressed against bone. Do not saw at the flesh. Apply steady pressure and the knife will cut through. Photo by Steven Rhodes
CIRCA CIRCA 1870 1870
GOODBREAD HOUSE
BED & BREAKFAST INN Step 7: You now have a detached fillet! Check for bones with your finger. Slice them away or pick them out. Serving family and friends a bony piece of fish is ill advised. Step 8: Repeat steps 2-7 on the other side of the fish.
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Whole house rental available for families & groups
(includes use of kitchen & two kitchenettes).
Step 9: Once you have your two fillets, you can choose to either keep the skin or remove it. If you don’t want it, firmly grip the tail end of the fillet. Insert your knife between the skin and the flesh. Push the knife through to the other side. Slide the blade along thWe length of the skin toward the head end of the fillet until you have fully removed the skin from the flesh. Throw your fillets on ice or in the fridge and dig up that favorite recipe. After you’ve cut your fillets, use whatever is left over for crab or bait traps. Nothing goes to waste! I must admit that my fillets were certainly not perfect. I had to pick out some persistent bones and there was a thin layer of flesh still on the skin when I removed it. However, I can say that after all steps were completed, the fillets were clean and ready for the kitchen. I don’t think any fish markets or restaurants will be calling to offer me a job just yet, but I can now fillet my catch whenever I want a fish dinner. It’s another way to become a more competent low country angler. Good luck out there. Fish on! May 2016
Four standard guest rooms & two suites, all with large private bathrooms.
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Full, hot, gourmet breakfast included with stay (dietary needs accommodated). Lovely parlor for socializing with your party and other guests. Walking distance to great restaurants, historic downtown, & the Cumberland Island Ferry.
Pet Friendly! (912) 882-7490 www.g dbreadhouse.com info@g dbreadhouse.com 209 OSBORNE STREET . Marys, GA 31558
T he B itter E nd
Watermen, Waterwomen, and Pie
By Captain J. Gary Hill
W
elcome back and thank you for taking a few minutes to spend here. Hopefully this month’s column won’t leave you scratching your head and wondering what weird little side-creek I’ve headed down. For years the words “watermen” or “baymen” has been synonymous with fishermen, crabbers, oystermen, pretty much anyone who makes a living fishing in some manner. However, a new breed of watermen, and waterwomen if you will, have come along, working in an industry a little different from the traditional roles mentioned above. I’m referring to the charter boat business, whether the charters be fishing, eco-tours, dolphin watching trips, or any other endeavor that gets paying customers out on the water. Our esteemed editor-inchief, Amy, is certainly a waterwoman, as are Captain Judy Helmey and Captain Elizabeth Johnson, all of whom I consider topnotch in their fields, as well as a host of other women who work on the water. It’s refreshing to see these strong, capable women sharing their knowledge and earning a living in these nontraditional roles, and I look forward to reading about more of these amazing women as our Women of the Water series continues next month. You may be wondering how pie comes into the story and I’m getting to that, although the route might twist and wind as much as our coastal rivers and creeks. Working in an industry that combines tourism and the water, I have come across many companies that would normally consider each other competitors in the mainstream business world. But in our water world, somewhat apart from the mainstream, these companies make every effort to work together when it’s possible and advantageous to do so. My partner and I have a charter business and we frequently work in concert with other charter operators when called upon. We oftentimes we have to rely on their help as well and I consider many of them friends. And this brings me to the pie. (Can I get some ice cream to go with that, please?) From the Hilton Head/Beaufort area, south to St. Mary’s, we have over 30 million visitors each year. If you take that number and divide it by the estimated 1000 charter businesses, tour companies, and boat 22
rental outfits on that same stretch of coast, it translates to each of us vying for about 30,000 customers annually. That’s a lot of pie to consume, though I, for one, am up to the task. Gators love pie. We all know that not everyone visiting the lowcountry will book trips on the water, but a great many will, which leaves a lot of slices of pie to be shared. Some of you may be shaking your heads, wondering if ol’ Gator is nuts, thinking that we can’t be giving away business to the competition. But maybe we need to stop thinking of the competition as the enemy. On the water, we should be blind to sex, color, creed, religion, or any other dividing description. The only description that matters is that we are all watermen and women. To that end, when I get a call from a potential customer that I’m unable to help, I refer them to others who can. Why do I do this? It’s simple: if visitors come to the area and are unable to get out on the water to pursue fun, when it comes time to plan their next vacation they might opt for Destin, Daytona, or Myrtle Beach. If you simply turn them away, it may cost you more than one charter, it may cost you repeat charters in years to come. One possible solution to losing trips might be to set up a booking network with those close to you, take the booking for a small percentage and let a charter operator who’s free during that time run the trip. It’s a win/win for both parties, as long as we all conduct ourselves in an honorable way and observe a code of ethics – such as not stealing the client referral. There’s plenty of pie for all of us and approach things from this perspective we can become a tight group of water professionals just like in years past. If you’re interested in working together to refer business to each other, shoot me an email and let’s brainstorm ideas. See y’all on the water!
Email Gary at jgaryhill@gmail.com
SouthernTidesMagazine.com
May 2016
Help Fight Melanoma!
Not just for grown ups! Kids are invited to participate in their own tournament and win great prizes! Golf Tournament Friday, July 29 Wilmington Island Club -
SAVE THE DATE: July 29 - 31
Shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. Four-man scramble - $100 per person Sponsor a hole - $100 Hole in one enters players in a chance to win a two-year lease on a car!
For golf tournament information, call: Marc Schneider (912) 441-4536 Have fun while supporting a great cause! Friday, July 29 - Golf Tournament at the Wilmington Island Club - Golf tournament awards, food, prizes, and live music by Jason Courtney at Hogans Marina - Tournament registration and captain’s meeting, poker run registration at Hogans Marina - Cornhole tournaments at Hogans Marina
To donate raffle prizes, call: Joy Wainright (912) 398-3395 For general information, call: Chris Caldwell (912) 667-4861 Visit us on Facebook for updates! Facebook.com/Fishin-For-Jamie
Saturday, July 30 - Adults and kids fishing tournaments - Poker run for boats and jet skis - Cornhole tournament at Hogans - Kingfish tournament Sunday, July 31 - Adult and kids fishing tournaments continued - Awards All weekend - great food, live music, raffles, and a waterslide for the kids!
All proceeds benefit the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer and Research Pavillion.
May 2016
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Before you head out there ...
Stop here: When in you’re ready to step up your game, come see the pros at Hale Marine! Hale Marine is your local factory authorized service center for all Minn Kota and Power Pole warranty and repair work. Need a new trolling motor or Power Pole? We can help you with that too! Call us for all your boating needs.
912-224-8313 2604 Causton Bluff Road Savannah, GA