Southern Tides April 2020 by Southern Tides Magazine

Southern Tides all about the water

April 2020

Visit River Supply for all your 3M marine products!

The premier marine, aerospace, and industrial supplier on the Georgia Intracoastal Waterway

Life Raft Sales & Service Inflatable Boat Sales & Service Marine Paints Fire & Safety Equipment Yacht Chandlery & Supplies Saltwater Fishing Tackle Expedited Shipping & Deliveries •Superior Products •Competitive Pricing •Outstanding Customer Service •Exceptional Product Knowledge

2827 River Drive, Thunderbolt, GA 31404 (912) 354-7777 • (800) 673-9391 www.riversupply.com

Visit us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/riversupplyriverservices

If you don’t see this behind your boat ...

$99

Southern tides special! Mention Southern tides magazine and get an annual memberbship for only $99. Offer valid through April 30, 2020.

Call us. We’ll come get you! Serving Beaufort, Hilton Head, Savannah and St. Catherines Island Service provides for ALL recreational boats you own, borrow or charter, anywhere in the world!

• Call your local tower for special signup discounts • Fast, experienced, and reliable service • BoatU.S. 24-hour dispatch services, call: 800-888-4869 • Towing service with ALL the benefits of membership in BoatU.S.

Towing • Soft Ungroundings Jump Starts • Fuel Delivery

For 24/7 Response, Call:

912-507-BOAT (2628) Visit us on Facebook!

$159

an mem nual bersh ip

The Boatyard ơ ǣ

Marina: (912) 897-2896 Boatyard: (912) 897-1914 606 Wilmington Island Road Savannah, GA 31410 www.sailharbormarina.com

Air Conditioning Installation/Repair Electronics Installation/Repair Canvas/Sail Repair Emergency 24/7 haul out Complete Painting Services Fiberglass/Blister Repair Prop/Shaft Repair Gas/Diesel Mechanics Sailboat Rigging Services Marina Facilities on Site Deep Water Pickup/Delivery Services Over Land Pickup/Receiving

50 Ton 17-foot Beam Travel Lift Now allowing DIY bottom prep & painting!

Southern Tides

In the Tides

all about the water

Issue No. 56 / April 2020

CREW Publisher/Editor Amy Thurman

7 Editor's Note

amy@southerntidesmagazine.com

The Bitter End Columnist Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill

9 Around the Reef

theoriginalcaptaingator@gmail.com

11 Fishing News

Around the Reef Columnist Michelle Riley

12 Featured Artist - Jim Marsh

michelle.riley@noaa.gov

15 Coastal Inspiration

Consulting Naturalist John "Crawfish" Crawford

16 Wildlife Annual Report

crawfish@uga.edu

19 Marine Sanctuaries at Home ome

Contributing Writer Kayla Clark

20 Community Updates

kayla270@uga.edu

Contributing Writer Hannah MacDonald

22 The Bitter End

hannah.macdonald@noaa.gov

Copyright ÂŠ 2015-2020 All content herein is copyright protected and may not be reproduced in whole or part without express written permission. Southern Tides is a free magazine, published monthly, and can be found at multiple locations from St. Marys, Ga., to Beaufort, S.C.

(912) 484-3611 info@southerntidesmagazine.com www.SouthernTidesMagazine.com Visit us on social media: www.issuu.com/SouthernTidesMagazine.com Facebook.com/southern-tides-magazine Instagram @southerntides_mag Southern Tides Magazine is printed by Walton Press, Monroe, Ga.

Subscribe to Southern Tides: Visit www.squareup.com/store/ southern-tides-magazine $25 for one year/12 issues. (plus $1.15 credit card processing fee) Thank you for your support!

About the Cover:

Manatee at Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Enjoy the National Marine Sanctuaries at home! Info on page 19. Because manatees tend to hang near the shoreline, munching pounds of seagrass, boat strikes have long been a threat to manatee population. By keeping our eyes out, motors up, and boat speeds low, we can all do our part to o help protect these lovable creatures. Photo Credit: Bob Bonde/USGS

April 2020

Southern Tides Magazine

Letters to the Editor: We love hearing from you! Questions, comments, ideas, or whatever you'd like to share, please do! Send your thoughts to any of our email addresses listed above.

SAVANNAH at ISLE OF HOPE

Club Boating comes to Isle of Hope Marina offering unlimited use of the club’s exceptional boats at a much lower cost and without the hassle of owning and maintaining a boat. Unlimited Usage As a Carefree Boat Club member, you can use a variety of boats at Isle of Hope Marina as often as you like at no additional cost. Our online reservation system allows you to pick the day, time, boat ... easily. A one-time initiation fee and a monthly membership fee cover all club costs except the gas you use. These expenses and hassles go away! • Boat purchase • Marina slip fee • Insurance – all boats are fully insured by club • Maintenance • Repairs • Cleaning • Taxes Great Availability With low member to boat ratios, an easy to use online reservation system & spur of the moment walk-on access members can enjoy boating how they like when they like. Nationwide Access to All Clubs That’s right, our members enjoy reciprocity at Carefree Boat Club locations throughout the U.S. and Canada at no extra cost. Travel to any of our 20 Florida clubs, or Charleston, North Carolina, the West Coast or any of our 85+ locations and enjoy boating privileges as a Carefree Boat Club member! (The Landings Club excluded from reciprocity.)

More Member Benefits • Coast Guard approved boating safety course included with membership • In-water training by a licensed captain on all boats in the club’s fleet • Boats are clean, fueled and ready for you to hop onto and go • Complimentary ice and bottled water every time you go out • Exclusive, limited March offer to Isle of Hope and neighboring islands* *Exclusive and Limited offer to our neighbors on Isle of Hope, Dutch Island and Wylly Island $2,000 discount on Initiation Fee – limited to first 10 members only Complimentary Pavilion Rental ($800 value) – limited to first 5 members only Discount offers valid until March 31, 2020

50 Bluff Drive - Savannah

(912) 660-6400 savannah@carefreeboats.com

Editor’s Note changes due to covid-19

hat a month. Our whole way of life has been disrupted due to COVID-19 and we’re all trying to adapt to meet the circumstances the best way we can. For Southern Tides, that means several changes and we hope you’ll find them useful. 1. We’ve made the decision not to print this issue. While this was a difficult decision to make, it was also the only possible way. Due to the quarantine it would be nearly impossible to deliver the printed magazines to our distribution locations, most of which are not currently open to the public. It also seems prudent to conserve our cash flow until we see how things shape out over the coming weeks. I assure you that as soon as the quarantine is lifted and businesses re-open to the public, we will begin printing whichever issue is most practical. Hopefully May if it’s too late to print this April issue. 2. In lieu of the print issue, we have compiled this full digital issue for April. It is exactly the same as if we’d gone to print, but available online instead. The biggest benefit to this is that all links are active. You’ll notice that many ads now have social media icons. Clicking on these icons, or on web addresses, will take you to the desired online site, or in the case of email addresses, will open an email to that address using your default mail program. Most websites have some form of tracking to determine where site traffic originates, but please let our advertisers know, when you visit their social media pages or email them, that you arrived via Southern Tides. This helps them see the value of their ad. This digital issue will continue going forward, even after we resume printing on paper. 3. We have built a website. It’s not to the scale of Garden & Gun or National Geographic like I’ve hoped for over the past few years, but it’s a navigable site that complements the print and digital issues and includes web exclusive content. It will be available at SouthernTidesMagazine.com within the next few days – as soon as I get the articles from this issue uploaded to it. In the days after launch, and going forward from now on, new content will be added on a regular basis as press releases and news comes in. The website will not replace or surpass the print issue, but support and enhance it. As we work to improve the site, we’ll add features you’ve asked for, such as tide tables, and other fun and/ or useful things like surveys, reader photos and news, resource Things to Do During Quarantine links and lists, link swaps, classified ads, and more. The website will remain, even after things return to normal and we begin · Read Southern Tides Magazine and visit our website at printing again. SouthernTidesMagazine.com That sums up Southern Tides’ adaptions to our current · Get your boat ready for family and friends when the circumstances. It's been a trying time for all of us. I hope quarantine is lifted that each of you are healthy, safe, adjusting to the difficulties · Go fishing — can be best enjoyed solo and puts life into COVID-19 has presented, and happy. If I can be of assistance in any way, please contact me and I’ll do my best to help you find perspective again the resources you need or share what others have done to meet · Visit one of the state WMAs, state parks or wildlife the situation. We’ll get through this and get our lives back; we’re refuges, some of which are still open (practice social strong, determined, resilient and driven. distancing of course) Enjoy the issue and the website, and please share them with · Plant a garden anyone you know who has an interest in the water or our coastal area. Thank you! · If you own a business, work on the goals you never seem to have time to look at during normal times See you out there! (Hopefully soon!) · Catch up with old friends on social media, video chats, or just a phone call · Learn something new, such as fly tying, how to throw Editor in Chief a cast net, how to gig flounder, how to start plants from amy@southerntidesmagazine.com seed, or some other endeavor that will get you outside in the fresh air · Go for a drive and explore back roads you've never been down · Support local business in any way you can There are many other ideas listed throughout these pages. if you have ideas to share, send them to me!

Amy Thurman

April 2020

Southern Tides Magazine

Visitor Services Partner of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Canoe and Kayak Rentals Guided Paddling and Boat Tours Authentic Swamper Homestead Boardwalk and Observation Tower, Gift shop and Cafe www.okefenokeeadventures.com

4159 Suwannee Canal Road Folkston, GA 866-THE-SWAMP

sea kayak

georgia Kayak, SUP, & Canoe Tours Instruction Group Educational Tours Sales 1102 Highway 80, Tybee Island

912-786-8732

seakayakgeorgia.com info@seakayakgeorgia.com

Attention Paddlers • Kayaking • Canoeing • SUP • Resources for paddlers • Instruction & How To • Great photos • Ad space available

Join us for the 2nd Annual May Paddling Issue! 912-484-3611 amy@southerntidesmagazine.com

Southern Tides all about the water

Around theReef

By Mary Dillard Communications Intern Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

f you were wanting to pinpoint plentiful sources for medicines, you certainly wouldn’t be blamed if the ocean wasn’t exactly at the top of your list as far as places to look. Most drugs derived from nature come from land-based sources. However, NOAA’s research suggests there could be some medicinal components lying at the bottom of the sea. Researchers at NOAA say that invertebrates – animals without a backbone – could be key to discovering the medical benefits of marine life. Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is teeming with invertebrates. They create much of the living carpet that covers the rocky ledges and outcroppings in the sanctuary. The group's scientists call them “especially promising” for their medicinal properties include: sponges, tunicates (also called sea squirts), bryozoans, octocorals, some mollusks, some echinoderms (such as sea stars and sea urchins), and certain annelids, which are segmented worms. Above: An Arrow Crab pictured swimming among a bryozoan, an invertebrate said to have medicinal benefits. Photo provided by NOAA This image: Sponges, corals, and other invertebrates are important in structuring benthic habitat. Photo by Greg McFall, NOAA

Although this kind of research has not yet taken place in Gray’s Reef, perhaps it will as science progresses. And while the exact medicinal value of our oceans is not yet known, the initial research is promising and shows that the ocean, as well as the creatures who call it home, is extremely versatile. The idea of marine organisms potentially providing life-saving treatments brings to mind a number of other issues. For instance, preserving the habitats and integrity of our ocean. Good stewardship and conservation methods certainly help protect what could be life-saving proteins that reside in the depths of the ocean. Taking that and many other factors into account, NOAA works to manage marine resources very carefully. Hopefully, the knowledge we gain from marine science can be applied in a myriad of different areas. Indeed, if anything, new research has demonstrated that sometimes solutions can be found in unexpected places. If we continue to push boundaries and think outside the box, who knows what we can achieve. For Information contact Michelle Riley: (912) 598-2417 michelle.riley@noaa.gov

Southern food with Caribbean flair, prepared pared with fresh local ingredients! ingredien

Your authorized Yamaha dealer, serving

South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

Let us help you get on the water today!

(912) 201-3630 2815 River Drive Thunderbolt, GA

We’re still serving! Info at: tortugasisland@yahool.com www.tortugasislandgrille.com

2827 River Drive (912) 354-7777 2323 Rowland Avenue (912) 354-0400 Thunderbolt, Georgia

Spring has arrived - let us get you on the water! Ask about kayak and boat rental specials! 912-897-3474 36 Wilmington Island Road Wilmington Island Visit us on Facebook!

Doc Dockage • Dry Storage • Bait House • Fuel Kayak & Boat Rentals • Snacks & Drinks • Parts • Tackle

Fishing News Old articles still valid This article on black drum is from the Coastlines Georgia publication, March-April, 1980 (Volume 3, Issue 2). Coastlines Georgia was a publication of the Coastal Resources Division of the GADNR.

Advisory Group Applicants needed The GADNR is seeking qualified applicants to serve on a variety of advisory groups. Advisory groups play an important role in policymaking by providing input and advice to DNR’s Coastal Resources Division (CRD). CRD has the following volunteer openings available for advisory groups: • Blue Crab Advisory Panel: Three commercial crabbers. • Finfish Advisory Panel: Two commercial fishermen and one recreational angler (must be a resident of McIntosh, Glynn or Camden county). • Shrimp Advisory Panel: Three commercial castnetters, two commercial trawlers, and one recreational shrimper. • Shellfish and Mariculture Advisory Panel: One recreational shellfish harvester or coastal county resident. Anyone wishing to apply for the advisory panel may contact CRD’s communications specialist, Tyler Jones, at tyler.jones@dnr.ga.gov or by calling (912) 262-3140. The deadline for applying for an advisory panel seat is April 30, 2020.

seeking fishing columnist Southern Tides Magazine is seeking a fishing columnist. Must be a coastal charter captain, able to commit to a monthly column of 500 - 700 words, and have the ability to tell a story. For more info or to apply email us. amy@southerntidesmagazine.com For more fishing news visit: southerntidesmagazine.com/fishing April 2020

Southern Tides Magazine

featured artist: Jim Marsh Southern Tides is pleased to feature Tybee artist Jim Marsh!

in my waters

rowing up and living around water all my life, I learned early to appreciate the marine, aquatic, and seascape environments, from the Gulf Coast to the Mississippi Delta to the Atlantic Coast. Throughout my childhood I sketched and painted these subjects. I continued to develop my skills with a bold color, impressionistic pallet. My work currently hangs in Hawaii, California, Colorado, Washington, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. About 5 years ago, I launched a hobby of printing my art on apparel. I now own equipment to process from canvas to the apparel and â&#x20AC;&#x153;in my watersâ&#x20AC;? has become my brand. My apparel line can be found at my website, www.inmywaters.com, which also includes an art gallery. Along with my art and the apparel business, I love cooking, music, and of course fishing and being on the water with my wife, Lee Ann. We live on Tybee Island, Ga.

Southern Tides Magazine

April 2020

Opposite page, top: Artist Jim Marsh with his paintings. Bottom, left to right: Marlin, andTuna. This page, clockwise from top left: Fish Camp, Flat Bridge, the kayaking painting is called Yakin', a shirt featuring a mahi mahi, and a painting of pelicans titled, Say What? Photos provided by Jim Marsh

www.inmywaters.com April 2020

Southern Tides Magazine

Join us at Fish Tales and Ft. McAllister Marina! Come by boat! • Apps, burgers & fresh local seafood • Full bar • Indoor & outdoor dining • Live music on weekends • Open seven days

912-319-2174 Drink specials • Great menu items Live bait Dockage Dry Storage

ZACHRY'S - Providing fresh seafood in Glynn County for over 35 years!

JEKYLL HARBOR MARINA • • • • • • •

Dockage and Dry Storage Gas/Diesel Wifi, Cable TV Courtesy bicycles Pool Pump-out Ship’s Store

912-635-3137

Fish Tales 727.3473 • Ft. McAllister Marina 727.2632 3203 Ft. McAllister Road • Richmond Hill, GA • SM 605

Tight lines everyone! But stay tayy away from my Daddy’s trout rout ǯ ϔ you!

inquiry@jekyllharbor.com www.jekyllharbor.com

1 Harbor Road Jekyll Island, Georgia

Get out on the water with one of our Mercury Re-powers! 2604 Causton Bluff Road • Savannah, GA (912) 376-8776 • HaleMarineInc@gmail.com

Coastal Inspiration A Stewardship Short By Kayla Clark, Anne Lindsay, Cecilia Nachtmann

Georgia’s coastline has long been a source of creative energy for artists. Whether you enjoy art or create it, gather ideas and inspiration from the natural and cultural resources of the coast. Action 1

Connect with the Past

Viola Martin, a member of the Gullah Geechee community of Pin Point leads a crab drop-net knitting class. Photo provided by UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant

Experience the culture and history that shaped coastal Georgia. Respect the relics and structures that remain. • Listen to the locals! Talk to people who have lived on the coast for a long time. • Visit a state historical site, join a history tour, or check out a cultural museum. • Leave all archaeological artifacts found on historic sites, state or federal land. • Do not dig or use a metal detector on private property without the permission of the landowner and the GADNR.

Action 2

Resources Arts on the Coast, Richmond Hill Coastal Museums Association Geechee Kunda Museum, Riceboro (912) 884-4440 Georgia Archeological Site File Georgia Council for American Indian Concerns Georgia Council for The Arts Georgia Department of Natural Resources Georgia Historical society Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Glynn Visual Arts Green Scene of Coastal Georgia Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor Jekyll Island Arts Association Loop It Up National Parks Arts Foundation National Park Service Ossabaw Island Foundation Pin Point Heritage Museum Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society (SICARS) Savannah Art Association The Society for Georgia Archeology South Arts

Celebrate Local Artistry

Seek out galleries and art exhibits that feature local artists. Celebrate Georgia’s unique spirit and culture by attending art, music, film and literary festivals. • Learn from Gullah Geechee artists during the annual Cultural Day Festival on Sapelo Island and the Georgia Sea Islands Festival on St. Simons Island. • Check out a local film festival such as the Green Screen Film Festival or the Gray’s Reef Film Festival. • Attend or volunteer for music or book festivals on the coast.

Action 3

Get Creative

Let the natural beauty of the Georgia coast inform your art. Use your art to engage and inspire others to conserve the coast. • Join a local arts association to participate in workshops, classes or contests. • Explore wild barrier islands during an artist or writers retreat or check out what opportunities your local wildlife refuge offers. • Lose yourself in novels, poetry and non-fiction books set in coastal Georgia • Share your work by volunteering with an arts after-school program. • Donate your artwork to causes that support coastal conservation.

connect · Celebrate · Create

This Stewardship Short was prepared by Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant under grant award #NA17NOS4190164 to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources from the office for Coastal Management,NOAA. The Statements, findings, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of DNR, OCM or NOAA.

April 2020

Southern Tides Magazine

Wildlife Annual Report The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division has released their 2019 Annual Report. Here are some exceprts. You can view the entire report at GeorgiaWildlife.com.

Waterbirds

sea turtles

Georgia’s barrier island beaches, salt marshes and coastal freshwater wetlands support 86 species of seabirds, shorebirds and wading birds. These species, collectively known as waterbirds, are the focus of DNR’s Waterbird Conservation Initiative. This effort involves: · Protecting important colonial waterbird nesting habitats. · Conducting surveys to determine the status and habitat needs of resident, migratory and wintering waterbirds. · Creating partnerships for long-term conservation of wetlanddependent bird species. Conservation actions include protecting and managing five sand islands for beach-nesting and migratory birds. While this is especially valuable for seabirds, resident and migratory shorebirds also benefit from protected nesting and resting areas free from disturbances. One of the areas, a dredge-spoil island near Brunswick, supports one of the largest colonies of nesting seabirds on the South Atlantic Coast. Highlights and challenges in fiscal year 2019 included: While least terns did not nest on St. Simons’ East Beach in 2018, there were at least 40 nesting pairs in 2019, and Beach Stewards volunteers helped educate beachgoers about the birds and protect the colony. In 2018, Pelican Spit essentially merged into the beach on Sea Island, leading to significant foot and dog traffic on Pelican Spit and limiting its habitat quality. Fortunately, before the 2019 nesting season, Sea Island helped by removing the sand bridge between the beach and Pelican Spit, resulting in far less traffic and a more successful nesting season. As of mid-summer 2019, there were more than 200 nesting pairs of black skimmers and 50 pairs of gull-billed terns nesting on the spit. Many chicks were produced, and some were beginning to take flight. Three American oystercatcher chicks also were banded from Pelican Spit this year. After setting a state record for oystercatcher productivity in 2018, the state was approaching that record again in 2019. While as of the June 30th end of the fiscal year birds were still nesting, 57 chicks approaching fledging age had been confirmed and 44 had been banded. More than 50 chicks were documented and as many as 60 fledged in 2018. The Brunswick dredge island proved highly productive again in 2019. Approximately 10,000 royal terns nested on what many call Bird Island, along with 500 sandwich terns, 176 brown pelicans and 584 laughing gulls. An American oystercatcher pair also fledged two chicks on the island, the first productive pair in St. Simons Sound in recent memory. DNR also joined with a team from Virginia Tech and 25 volunteers for Georgia’s first banding effort focused on royal tern chicks. Some 1,500 chicks received colored leg bands, and overall more than 2,000 were banded. Satilla Marsh Island, which was damaged by Hurricane Matthew, began to recover and brown pelicans returned to this favored nesting site, with 248 nests producing more than 240 young. Wildlife Conservation staff and partners tracked seabird colonies on Little Tybee Island, Ossabaw Island, Blackbeard Island, Little Egg Island Bar, Little St. Simons, Pelican Spit, St. Simons’ East Beach, Brunswick dredge island, Satilla Marsh Island and Cumberland Island.

Loggerhead sea turtles are found in Georgia’s coastal waters yearround and nest on all barrier island beaches. In accordance with the NOAA/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recovery plan for this species, DNR management efforts focus on surveying and protecting loggerhead nests and managing nesting beach habitat. The Wildlife Conservation Section coordinates the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative, a group of volunteers, researchers and government employees who conduct nest protection and management activities on Georgia beaches. Wildlife Conservation also manages the nesting projects on the state-owned islands of Sapelo and Ossabaw, including hiring and supervising seasonal technicians. Nest management activities designed to improve reproductive success include relocating nests to protect them from tidal inundation, installing predator screening and predator control. In 2019, more than 3,900 loggerhead nests were documented on Georgia beaches. This is the highest nest count during the 31 years sea turtle nesting has been comprehensively monitored on Georgia beaches, surpassing the previous record of 3,289 nest in 2016. To develop a comprehensive understanding of the number and relatedness of loggerheads nesting on Georgia beaches, DNR and the University of Georgia have created a catalog of unique genetic profiles for Georgia’s nesting female turtles. Drs. Joe Nairn and Brian Shamblin, working with DNR staff, have identified an average of 555 loggerhead females using the Georgia coast annually from 2008-2018, with a range of 303 to 977 turtles per year. This ongoing project is providing a better understanding of loggerhead nesting ecology and interpretation of nesting trends.

Loggerhead hatchling reaches the surf. Photo by Caleigh Quick, GADNR 16

Southern Tides Magazine

April 2020

North Atlantic Right Whales

florida manatees Florida manatees inhabit tidal rivers, estuaries and near-shore ocean waters throughout coastal Georgia during the warm months of the year. The Florida manatee population numbers at least 6,600, with approximately half of the population found along Florida’s Gulf Coast, and the remainder along the Atlantic Coast and the St. Johns River. Each spring and summer an unknown number migrate into Georgia, returning to Florida in fall as water temperatures cool. Formerly listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, manatees were downlisted in March 2017 to threatened status thanks to sustained population growth throughout their U.S. range. Wildlife Conservation conducted the fourth year of a five-year manatee satellite-tagging project in 2018 in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium and others. The primary objective is studying fine-scale movements of manatees around Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay to assess the risk of watercraft collisions and other human impacts. Other objectives include investigating migratory behavior and identifying travel corridors. As part of the project, four manatees were caught near Cumberland Island in May 2018. Each was fitted with high-accuracy, GPS-linked satellite transmitters and released. Two other manatees that were tagged in 2017 remained tagged long enough to migrate back to Georgia in 2018. These six manatees spent a total of 514 days in Georgia waters during 2018. All six traveled into Kings Bay base during the year, each spending an average of 17 days inside the base. One manatee spent 58 days in South Carolina waters. Tracked manatees spent most of their time in brackish estuarine waters between the barrier islands and mainland, but four manatees ventured into the Atlantic Ocean and four swam short distances up freshwater rivers. The longest distance from north to south was logged by a manatee known as TGA028. This animal spent part of the winter of 2018 near Palm Beach, Florida, and spent summer 420 miles to the north near Beaufort, South Carolina. Results to date show that manatees rely heavily on the Intracoastal Waterway to migrate north and south between estuaries in Georgia. They also appear to spend more time along the marsh edges than in the middle of river channels, a behavior that could place them at lower risk of watercraft strikes while in Georgia.

Right whale no. 1204 with calf in April 2019. Photo provided by Center for Coastal Studies, taken under NOAA permit 19315-1

North Atlantic right whales are a critically endangered species numbering fewer than 425 individuals. The species was nearly driven to extinction by centuries of hunting and has been slow to recover because of reduced genetic diversity, natural variability in food resources and human impacts, including collisions with ships and entanglement in commercial fishing rope. Right whales forage on zooplankton along the coast of New England and Canada during spring, summer and fall. Each December and January, pregnant females migrate more than 1,000 miles to the coast of Georgia and northeast Florida, the species’ only known calving grounds. Females nurse their calves for one to two months, until the calves are strong enough to migrate north in February and March. A varied number of right whales that are not calving – especially juveniles – also migrate to the southeastern U.S. each winter. The North Atlantic right whale population increased by more than 40 percent during the 2000s, suggesting the species was beginning to recover. However, in 2010 calving rates began to drop in response to changes in zooplankton distribution in New England and Canada – changes apparently driven by warming ocean temperatures and associated shifts in ocean currents. At the same time, right whales began suffering unprecedented levels of mortality and injury. About 10 percent of the species has died since 2012, mostly from ship strikes and entanglement in commercial fishing gear. More than 80 percent of surviving whales bear scars from fishing rope entanglements. Even worse, females are dying at faster rates than males. As few as 100 calving females remain. The species is clearly declining, and its future is uncertain. During the 2019 calving season, survey teams identified seven females with calves, four adult females without calves and four adult males. (In the 2000s, more than 20 females with calves and 100-plus other whales were seen in the Southeast some winters.) While the 2019 season was another below-average year, seven calves was an improvement over 2018 when no calves were seen – a first since surveys began in the 1980s. Population models show that 15-20 births are needed per year for the population to grow. Until calving rebounds, reducing human causes of mortality is key to the species’ survival. One silver lining: No dead, injured or entangled whales were observed in Southeast waters in 2019. April 2020

Southern Tides Magazine

Manatee temporarily stranded in tidal pool on Jekyll Island. Photo by Trip Kolkmeyer, GADNR 17

Marine Products, Services and More • Serving the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry

4+8'4 &4+8' /#4+0' )4172 Billy Gartside 912-844-1804 billygartside@yahoo.com

Waterline Up

Boat Protection Experts Serving the Savannah Area since 2003

Justin Hill 912-660-3763 a3opax@gmail.com

Marine Electronics Sales Troubleshooting Service Installation Wiring Installation/Repair

Garmin Authorized Service Center

Keeping you headed in the right direction!

912-777-4139

maricomnavigation@comcast.net www.maricomnavigation.net

Parties • Open Houses Fishing Tournaments • Poker Runs We’ll come to you! • Catering at your dock • Food cooked fresh to order • Menu designed to your needs • Call ahead service

(912) 695-2617 (315) 406-0804

steviedsenterprises@gmail.com

t-tops / half towers / bow rails / upper stations / crow’s nests leaning posts /poling platforms / custom aluminum /stainless needs

James Gartside 912-631-4104 j.gartside@comcast.net PROP DOCTORS LLC 3327-B 3327 33 27-B BR Russell usse us sellll SStreet treeet tr eet Thunderbolt, GA 31404

• Prop Scan Technology • Propeller Repairs & Sales • Locally Owned & Operated

info@propdoctorsllc.com

Now servicing outboard props!

Your Marine Sanctuaries At Home By Hannah MacDonald Education Specialist NOAA's Oﬃce of National Marine Sanctuaries If you are a teacher, parent, or student looking to learn about ocean science, conservation, and stewardship from the comfort of your home, we have the online resources for you. Explore the Depths of Our National Marine Sanctuaries For students of all ages While livestreamed explorations of the National Marine Sanctuary System won’t start until later this summer, you can explore national marine sanctuaries with photo and video highlights, as well as lessons from the 2019 expeditions, including footage from the epic whale fall. You can even rewatch a few of our live-recorded programs from Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Learn more about how NOAA has partnered with Ocean Exploration Trust, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration to bring the mysteries of the deep to you! Visit Sanctuaries Through Stunning Images and Videos For students of all ages Ready to get excited about marine life? Dive into the abundance of photos in our Flickr account to view and download high resolution, public domain photos. Print out some of your favorite photos to create a collage of your ideal underwater ecosystem. You can even take yourself on a virtual dive tour of national marine sanctuaries through our gallery of 360° photos and our new 360° dive video. Need more general ocean and atmosphere photos? Check out the NOAA Photo Library. Spend countless hours binge watching videos on our YouTube channel. From our #EarthisBlue videos of the week that teach you about the coolest critters in our sanctuaries to our Stories from the Blue series that share the stories of the people who call these special marine places home, you’ll find inspiration and entertainment while furthering your understanding of these special ocean areas. Get Creative with Games and Activities For elementary students Let the fun continue with virtual marine themed games and activities! Grab your favorite coloring tool and print out your favorite pages from the coloring book from National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. Check out the Ocean Guardian Activity Book for word searches, puzzles and even learn how to draw a Hawaiian monk seal. Become a Deep-Sea Coral Biologist For high school students Deep-sea coral communities, like the ones found in the national marine sanctuaries of the West Coast, are home to many diverse species. Using ROV footage—an ROV is an underwater robot and stands for remotely operated vehicle—this curriculum takes students to the deep-sea to identify soft and hard corals, invertebrates, and fish found in these communities. Investigate the unique biology of deep-sea corals and learn the threats these animals face and what we can do to help protect them. Research Future Marine Careers For students of all ages Have you ever thought of being a marine biologist, oceanographer, data analyst, or following any other NOAA-related career path? Whether you are interested in oceanography, weather, communication, biology, or anything in between, check out the various careers with NOAA. Learn from NOAA professionals April 2020

Southern Tides Magazine

A pair of masked boobies rest on top of two green sea turtles in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Photo by Mark Sullivan, NOAA

about their field and how they got there. If you find something you’re interested in, dive into the information on college, university, and other training that help you become an expert in that marine related area. Become a Scientist with NOAA Data For middle school students The NOAA Data in the Classroom project has developed curriculum for grades 5-8. This curriculum is designed to help teachers and students use real scientific data from NOAA to explore dynamic Earth processes and understand the impact of environmental events on a regional or global scale. Data in the Classroom enables students to use real-time NOAA ocean data to explore today’s most pressing environmental issues like El Niño, ocean acidification, sea level, and coral bleaching. These scaffolded lessons help students develop problem-solving skills. If you're interested in setting up an investigation yourself, try comparing historical NOAA data to the real-time data resources. Before checking the weather, see if you can create a forecast using weather and atmospheric data. You can also dive deep into other NOAA data resources for educators. Build a Remotely Operated Vehicle For middle school and high school students Explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through hands-on activities where students build a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from materials you can find around the house. Prepare to design the ROV by learning more about buoyancy, laws of motion, and properties of air, as well as how ROV’s support underwater exploration in the ROV curriculum. Test your ROV in your bathtub to see if it works! Shipwrecks and Maritime Heritage For students of all ages Maybe coral reef ecosystems and ocean data aren’t your thing? Would shipwrecks and maritime heritage captivate you? Monitor National Marine Sanctuary offers a variety of free activities, lesson plans, and guides, including social studies activities, as well as science, technology, engineering, art, and math. With this you can apply your favorite subject to shipwrecks. NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries aims to provide teachers with resources and training to support ocean and climate literacy in America's classrooms. You will find additional curriculum, lesson plans, and activities that will excite your students about science and technology in our For Teachers section. For more visit: sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/mar20/sanctuariesat-home-education-resources.html 19

Community Updates Youth T-Shirt Contest winners announced

CIRCA 1870

G OODBREA D HOUSE

BED BE ED & BREAKFAST INN Four andard gue r ms & two suites suites, all wi large private ba r ms. wi us and visit Cumberland ay w Island d and hi oric . Marys! Pet friendly. Dietary needs met.

Call for special Southern Tides Rates!

(912) 882-7490 0 www.g dbreadhouse.com com info@g dbreadhouse.com com 209 Osborne . . Marys, Georgia

Safe Harbor

Rigging Services, LLC Proudly Serving Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida

231-578-5087 info@safeharborriggingservices.com www.safeharborriggingservices.com

John S. Ramsey, Owner Authorized

Dealer

Four budding bird artists have been selected as T-shirt Art Contest winners in Georgia’s 15th annual Youth Birding Competition, the GADNR has announced. The grand prize winner was a peregrine falcon drawing by Alston Li, an eighth-grader at SKA Academy of Art and Design in Duluth. As grand-prize winner, the 13-year-old will receive a $100 Amazon gift card and his artwork will be featured on the 2020 Youth Birding Competition T-shirts. Grand prize winner, drawing of a peregrine falcon. Originally scheduled for April 24Drawing by Alston Li, 8th Grade 25, the Youth Birding Competition has been tentatively postponed to Aug. 29-30 due to COVID-19 precautions. Organizers have moved the registration deadline to July 31 and will reassess event plans this summer. Other division winners include: · Primary (pre-K through second grade): painted bunting by Jayden Lee, 8, a second-grader at Lake Windward Elementary in Alpharetta. · Elementary (third-fifth grade): black-throated green warbler by Aleena Huang, 10, fourthgrader at SKA Academy of Art and Design in Duluth. · High School (ninth-12th grade): American kestrel by Natalie Kassa, 14, ninth-grader at SKA Academy of Art and Design in Duluth. Photographs of all entries will be displayed electronically and division winners honored during the awards banquet Aug. 30 at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center. The winner for best artwork by a birding team participant will be revealed at the This painting of a painted bunting was banquet. selected for the Pre-K - 2nd grade division. Painting by Jayden Lee, 2nd Grade

change of plans for Arctic expedition The COVID 19 pandemic may delay the return of UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography scientist Chris Marsay from the Arctic icecap. Marsay has been on board the German icebreaker Polarstern for several weeks. The ship is deliberately frozen solid in the Arctic ice cap as the centerpiece of a major international research project named Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate or “MOSAiC.” R/V Polarstern Marsay had expected to complete Photo by Stephanie Arndt, Alfred Wegener Institute his work on the Polarstern and return to UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in early April. However, those plans have changed and Marsay and other scientists may not be able to return home until June. For more check out this article on NPR. 20

Southern Tides Magazine

April 2020

Butterfly Count - April 25 Join Coastal Wildscapes and the wider coastal Georgia naturalist community on this one-day self-guided Spring Butterfly Count. Spring is a great time to see migratory butterflies. Especially Monarchs as they migrate north. Record any butterfly species whereever you happen to be on this day in the 11 coastal counties. Observations of caterpillars and eggs would also be great. Help us capture the diversity of species utilizing the Georgia coast. Please continue to practice social distancing and other CDC recommendations. Create your profile on iNaturalist. Then join this project www.inaturalist.org/projects/ spring-coastal-georgia-butterfly-count. Learn more about other Coastal Wildscapes events by visiting www.CoastalWildscapes.org.

Ken’s Seafood Support Your Local Seafood Industry! Shrimp Fish Gator Tail Crawfish Blue Crabs Scallops And More!

FRESH! Tue - Thu 12-6 Fri - Sat 10-6 Sun 11-5

9270 Ford Ave.

Richmond Hill (912) 756-8868

Savannah Bird Cam is Live The osprey nest live-streamed from The Landings near Savannah has three eggs and two busy adults. These cameras follow ospreys nesting beside the Palmetto golf course at The Landings, a community on Skidaway Island near Savannah. This year, the ospreys are using a nest built by cam operators and volunteers in fall 2019, after the old nest tree, which died, had to be cut down. The female laid four eggs this year, one each on March 8, 11, 13 and 16. The first egg was buried in moss in the nest and apparently rejected. The pair is incubating the other three eggs. Stay tuned! In 2019, ospreys laid three eggs in March. All hatched and the young fledged in June. Ospreys have used the site since 2017. Using the original nest built by bald eagles, great horned owls raised two owlets each in 2015 and 2016. Visit the Savannah Bird Cam.

Clay George Named Southern Hero Garden & Gun Magazine named GADNR Wildlife Conservation Section senior biologist Clay George (left) one of its 30 Southern heroes for his and DNR’s work to conserve North Atlantic right whales, one of the world's most imperiled whale species. The Charleston, S.C.-based magazine with a readership exceeding 1 million includes George, “the whale watcher,” among the likes of novelist and poet Wendell Berry, singer/songwriter Darius Rucker, and Sara Ross, Wormsloe Foundation President and heirloom seeds advocate. Read the article in Garden & Gun here.

April 2020

Southern Tides Magazine

Call Ahead For Pick-up!

We’re working for you! • Protects, defends and restores the watershed by monitoring pollution and polluters. • Talks with legislators about bills that could better protect the watershed. • The 14,000 miles of the Altamaha watershed includes Ocmulgee, Oconee, Ohopee and the Golden Isles.

We can’t do it without you, become a member now! www.altamahariverkeeper.org

Fishable Swimmable Drinkable Water!

The BitterEnd Quarantine, Gator Style By Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill

ere we are with April in full swing, and what feels like an April Fool’s joke being played on us all. However, this is no joking matter as millions are self-isolating around the nation, around the world and right here in our own backyard. This is typically the time I’d be telling you about greasing trailer tires, or changing your impellors – oh wait, do those things anyways! Why? It’s simple: your boat is a great way to self-isolate. But what if you don't have a boat? What are some other ways to fill that waterless void, to get your water fix? And what if you have children at home? How do you educate and even get them involved in all things H2O? Let’s start with one of the great pass times here in the Lowcountry: fishing. One of the ways for you and the family to engage in fishing when you can’t actually fish is to practice your casting. Some of you may be thinking Gator’s cheese done slid off his cracker! Some of you may even feel insulted that I’ve challenged your most holy of holies! But I’ve seen some of y’all’s casting efforts, and God knows the Spartina and oyster rakes are littered with thousands of dollars in rattling rigs, and other tackle. So, get out your favorite rod and reel combo and a five-gallon bucket. Start out by placing it five paces away. See how many times you can land it in said bucket out of ten casts. If you make eight to 10 casts, move the bucket back another five paces. If you make four to seven casts, leave bucket in place and cast 10 more times. If you only make two to three casts in the bucket, move it one pace closer and cast ten more times or until you’re able to reach the desired results. If you still can’t make at least one cast in the buck, put your rod on Craigslist and get some knitting needles! Just kidding! (Or am I?) Remember, you can do this same thing with the kiddos. Consider setting up a few buckets at different ranges, or even different colors, then have one person be the tournament master and call out which bucket to cast for. You can also add water to the buckets just so you get your lines wet! Also, if your boat is at home on a trailer you can do all this from a boat to add realism. Either by boat or at the family table, use this time to learn some basic navigation, or refresh yourself on the rules of the road. Again, this is something I encourage you to do with children or spouses. As staunch boaters I’m sure you all possess a paper chart! Pick a spot you and the family don’t typically frequent and set a safe course to get you there. To add a bit of challenge try just using lats and longs. You could also take this time to teach the kids proper radio etiquette, and where safety and other essential equipment is located and how to use it. It’s also the perfect time for you check the serviceability of your safety equipment, such as dates on flares, 22

From NOAA Chart 11505

status of your onboard fire extinguisher, PFDs, and such. Being isolated at home is also the perfect time to catch up on some reading; anything from what I call “mental fluff ” to material of a more esoteric or technical aspect, the sky is the limit. Mental fluff, for me are things like Clive Cussler and his Dirk Pitt or Oregon Files series. These are lighthearted, often predictable and sometimes will have some pretty clever twists. If history is your passion, the Horatio Hornblower series, by C.S. Forester, and the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian, the same guy who wrote Master and Commander. Prefer something about your own backyard? Try A Georgia Tidewater Companion by Buddy Sullivan, a true treasure trove of local history and lore. Books not your thing? Then pursue the endless litany of movies and TV series that have been shot here in coastal Georgia. I watched The Poison Rose a couple of nights ago. Some of it was filmed on a little beach area beside where our tour operation is based. Low and behold, there it was , and wow, I see the boat I run everyday coming in at sunset, sadly they didn’t have it in sharper focus, but it’s the only huge black boat that runs in and out of there! So in theory I could say I was in The Poison Rose, in a manner of speaking. The new, live action Lady and the Tramp was shot in greater Savannah – a perfect family choice if you haven’t seen it. Try a quick Google search for movies and TV series shot around Savannah, Tybee Island, the Golden Isles, or St. Marys and you may be pleasantly surprised! Maybe see what music you can find that mentions or embraces our own watery backyard, like Chase Rice’s song Golden Isles, or of course, Johnny Mercer tunes. Anyways folks, that’s about it for me in this go round of Gator’s whack-a-mole writing known as The Bitter End. Except for this: Wash your hands! Peace and love, shrimp and grits, and I'll see you on the water!

Email: TheOriginalCaptainGator@gmail.com

Southern Tides Magazine

April 2020

!! NEW !!

209 E. 32nd Street This is the home you have been looking for in the Historic area. 3BR, 2.5 B. It has all the old feel but was built in 2005. From the front porch where you can rock and visit with the neighbors to the lush back courtyard, you are ready for entertaining. Great for a single family home. You can have your guests sit at the kitchen bar while dinner is in the oven. Have a drink on the back deck and enjoy the mature landscaping. Now, if you are looking for a perfect SCAD home, this works as well. Three bedrooms upstairs, 2 baths and still a half bath down. So close to all areas for walking and dining. Shopping as well. $357,400

BURNSIDE ISLAND

355 Island Road REDUCED