Suffolk Living January-February 2020

suffolklivingmag.com

On the Water TYING FLIES AND HISTORY AT THE MARINA

january/february 2020 • vol. 11, no. 1

2 suffolk living

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FEATURE

18

A local craftsman has tied thousands of fly fishing lures over the past five years, reconnecting with his favorite childhood pastime.

CONTENTS jan - feb | 2020 17

WHERE AM I? | Think you know Suffolk well? Then see if you can identify this photo.

Advertising rates and information available upon request.

Subscriptions are $20 annually in-state; $25 annually out-of-state; $30 for international subscriptions.

Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439

12 In the News

Students from four local high schools recently created a permanent LOVE sign for Suffolk.

ON THE COVER suffolklivingmag.com

At the Marina

22 Brady’s Marina holds memories and history for a large contingent of Suffolkians.

On the Water TYING FLIES AND HISTORY AT THE MARINA

january/february 2020 • vol. 11, no. 1

By Troy Cooper

editor's note jan - feb

2020

On the water in winter?

The dead of winter may seem like an odd time to focus on stories surrounding being on the water. After all, most pleasure boaters and fishermen can be found safely and warmly indoors

EDITORIAL Tracy Agnew Editor

Alex Perry Writer & Photographer

during the winter months, leaving only those who make their living on the water year-round to brave the cold wind and choppy waves that can push even the most experienced sailor to the brink.

But I think it’s the perfect time to focus on life on the water, so you can curl up with this magazine and a warm mug of coffee or hot cocoa and think about

Jen Jaqua Photographer

that warm spring day when you’ll be able to get back out there

Jimmy LaRoue Writer

warmer, I know you’ll enjoy this edition.

news@suffolklivingmag.com

ADVERTISING

Earl Jones Marketing Consultant

once again. If you’re longing to be on the water once the weather is Alan Schubert swirls up old memories of fly fishing with his father every time he ties a new lure. He’s self-taught and keeps records of every fly he’s tied, sharing a crafting room with his wife, Connie, an accomplished sewer. You can read more about them

Lindsay Richardson Marketing Consultant

starting on page 18.

Kandyce Kirkland Marketing Consultant

who treasure its place in the watery history of Suffolk as a gathering spot, a hub for commerce and

Amanda Gwaltney Marketing Consultant sales@suffolklivingmag.com

PRODUCTION Troy Cooper Designer

ADMINISTRATION John Carr Publisher

Also out on the water on page 22 is Brady’s Marina and those recreation and an institution.

We’re always looking for your submissions to help us make Suffolk Living better. We need you for story ideas, submissions for the Through The Lens and On Vacation features, guesses for the Where Am I? feature and any other suggestions you may have. Please contact us at news@ suffolklivingmag.com, and connect with us on Facebook.

God bless.

Tracy Agnew, Editor

Cathy Daughtrey Business Manager Hope Rose Production

Suffolk Living is published six times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.suffolklivingmag.com • (757) 539-3437

suffolk living 7

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what to do Send us your news To submit your calendar or news item, simply email it to: news@suffolklivingmag.com

Black History Month Expo FEBRUARY 1

A Black History Month Expo will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the North Suffolk Library, 2000 Bennetts Creek Park Road. This free event will feature booths from black business owners, presentations, activities and more. There will be storytime with radio host and author Trevor Lucas, a Finding Purpose session with Beauty-N-We Health and Beauty Boutique owner and founder Natarsha Reid, Overcoming Adversity Discussion with authors and Suffolk natives Dr. Margaret Tolbert and Mrs. Jeanice Thomas, and a Comic Hero First Look with Willie Cordy Jr. You do not need to be a library member to attend.

suffolk living 9

what to do

JANUARY 25

Riddick’s Folly House Museum, 510 N. Main St., will have an American Girl program featuring Isabelle Palmer. Isabelle is a 9-year-old girl who lives in Washington, D.C. She loves to dance and performs ballet and modern dance. She enrolls in her dream school, Anna Hart School of the Arts, but gets performance anxiety and feels overshadowed by her big sister, Jade, who also attends Anna Hart. Isabelle soon discovers there are many things she is great at, including designing her own costumes and cheering up other anxious dancers. There will be three sittings at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Space is limited to 20 girls per sitting, and reservations are required. Ages 5-12 are welcome and must be accompanied by an adult. Call 9340822 or email riddicksfolly@verizon.net for reservations.

live and silent auctions, artwork from local artists and heavy hors d'oeuvres.

Registration starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person. Cocktail attire suggested.

All proceeds benefit the Suffolk Humane Society.

Don’t miss your chance to step back in time and feel the magic when Masters of Soul (formerly Masters of Motown) returns to the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave., from 8 to 10 p.m. Masters of Soul is a celebration of the legendary songs and performers that defined Motown and soul music. The 90-minute show features stylishly costumed fully choreographed performances of both male and female groups backed by a live band.

Visit suffolkcenter.org or call 923-2900 for tickets.

Arts Commission and is free and open to the public. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Call 925-0448.

FEBRUARY 6-14

Suffolk Sister Cities International sponsors an annual Young Artists and Authors Showcase that helps foster a sense of global citizenship and goodwill for young students. Winners from this juried exhibit of both artwork and writers will go on to compete with students throughout the country. Suffolk has two Sister Cities: Suffolk County, England and Oderzo, Italy.

The showcase will take place at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. The galleries are open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday. The opening reception and awards ceremony will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 6.

FEBRUARY 4-28 FEBRUARY 1

The Suffolk Humane Society and Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront will host the seventh annual Paws for the Arts, a semi-formal gala, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. This is a great event for both animal and art enthusiasts to attend. The event features

The Exhibit of Excellence: Suffolk Student Art 2020 will be held at the Suffolk Art Gallery, 118 Bosley Ave. This juried exhibition features artwork by Suffolk’s high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. The exhibition is sponsored by Suffolk Art League in cooperation with the Suffolk Fine

FEBRUARY 11

The Melissa Darden Odom Speaker Series will present Jeffrey Ruggles, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Speaker on the Arts, who will discuss “Intended and Unintended Meanings of the American Monument.” The event will take place at 7 p.m. at Lake Prince Woods, 100 Anna Goode Way, and is free

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10 suffolk living will also be available. In addition, the Peanut Pals (Planters Peanut collectors) will be displaying and selling items. Concessions are available on site with barbecue, Brunswick stew, chicken salad and more.

Admission is $7. Call 925-0448.

Suffolk Art League’s Antiques Show and Sale

FEBRUARY 22

Mardi Gras: Arts in the Big Easy will benefit the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts’ arts education program in the community.

Celebrity DJ WooWoo from 94.9 The Point Radio will emcee, with live music by Connected and Spare Change keeping the evening lively, and guests will enjoy delicious cuisine and libations. Silent and live auctions will add to the fun. Space is limited; 21 and older only. Visit suffolkcenter. org for more information.

FEBRUARY 27

and open to the public. Call 925-0448.

FEBRUARY 22-23

Suffolk Art League’s Antiques Show and Sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

LOCALS CHOICE

Feb. 22 and noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 23 at King’s Fork Middle School, 350 Kings Fork Road. This show will feature 37 antiques, collectibles and vintage dealers from the mid-Atlantic region. Crystal and clock repair

Poetry, Prose and Pizza will take place at 6 p.m. at the Suffolk Art Gallery, 118 Bosley Ave. This family-friendly open mic night will feature host Nathan Richardson, poet, educator and first-person presenter. Sign-up for mic time begins at 5:30. Open to writers and musicians, with a piano available in the gallery. Share your original work or favorites by others, or come enjoy the works of others. The event is sponsored by Suffolk Art League and Suffolk Art Gallery.

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suffolk living 11

In Memory of Sandra Krise Angus Hines, Jr. In Memory of Bob Marr Lisa and Harry Cross In Memory of Rev. Myrtle Frances Hatcher Angus Hines, Jr. In Memory of Mary E. Blair Sandra Reynolds In Memory of Alice H. O’Connor Heather and Scott Carr In Memory of Randolph Raines, Sr. Kim and Randy Raines Mabel Raines In Memory of Dwayne Earl Casper Heather and Scott Carr In Memory of George Barnett Angus Hines, Jr. In Memory of Yancey Birdsong Heather and Scott Carr Main Street United Methodist Church Obici Healthcare Foundation Juanita and Charles Pond, III In Honor of Whitney & Ellen Saunders Robert Saunders In Honor of Kim Raines Samuel Goldenberg In Honor of Les & Wanda Hall Paul Venable In Honor of George Birdsong Obici Healthcare Foundation In Memory of Mary B. Sherard William Hill In Memory of James Turner, Jr. Angus Hines, Jr. Elizabeth Turner In Memory of Wayland T. Pond, III Angus I. Hines, Jr. Family In Memory of Jane Spivey Robert E. Gillette

In Memory of Jerry Saunders Robert E. Gillette In Memory of P. B. Piland Robert E. Gillette In Memory of Wilbur Wright Robert E. Gillette In Memory of Anthony Mathews Robert E. Gillette In Memory of David and Jeffrey Halley Carmen and Michael Halley In Memory of Ruth Phelps Lynn and Marshall Bradley Stephen and Christine Cole Glenn and Sarah Rawlings Timothy and Judith Spear A. Wayne Vargo Eliza and James Rainey In Memory of Albert E. ( Buddy ) Krise, III Angus Hines, Jr. In Memory of Elsie Copeland Chuckatuck Class of 1961 In Memory of Elwood Matthews Chuckatuck High School Class of 1961 In Memory of Bobbie Chapman Cindy and Phil Ferguson In Honor of Frank Bray Susan and James Garrett In Honor of Charles Birdsong Pee Dee Peanut LLC In Honor of Ellen Harrison Saunders & Lisa Thompson Cross Katherine Rawls In Memory of Lorraine Skeeter Alice T. Cross In Memory of R. Curtis Saunders, Jr. Eric Anderson Lynn and Joe Barlow Maxine Barnett BB&T Whiteville Office Patricia Bennett Sue and George Birdsong Sandra and Mac Birdsong

Nancy and Robert Brewbaker Elizabeth Brooks Heather and Scott Carr Gloria and Billy Chorey Reginald Corinaldi Jean Cross Lisa and Harry Cross Anna Maria D’Antonio Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dankmyer William Darden Hunter and Bill Duggan Duke Automotive E. V. Williams, Inc. Environmental Controls of Virginia Mary Ann and Jack Eure J. Jerome Felton Frank Edward Sheffer & Co. Mr. and Mrs. Manfred Freeman, Jr. Sarah and Nathan Gardner Cecilia Gerloff E. Brooks Godwin and David Olli Ellen and James Godwin Wanda and Les Hall Mr. and Mrs. John Harlow Pearl and Robert Harrell Mollie Hassell Robert Hayes and family HBA Architecture & Interior Design, Inc. Donna and Charlie Henderson Pam and Billy Hill Angus Hines, Jr. Esther Jett Holland Mr. and Mrs. John Holland Martha James Asa Johnson William and Margaret Godwin Jonas Betsy and Tom Jones Mr. and Mrs. C. Frank Jordan Emeline and H. L. Keith Betty Kyle The Lane Construction Corp.

Anne and George Lankford W. Ashton Lewis Marvin V. Templeton & Sons, Inc. Bessie and Christina Mathias Mr. and Mrs. John McLemore Mardane McLemore Margaret Moring Nansemond Pre-Cast Concrete Joan Nelms

Ann and Jack Nurney Alice O’Connor Jeanette Ojeda and Martin N. Speroni J. N. Owens Lynnete Holmes Park Mary Park Mr. and Mrs. Edward Peabody, Jr. Phyllis Pruden Mr. and Mrs. James Rainey Reasor Enterprises Mrs. Woodrow Reasor Riddick Babineau, PC Saunders & Ojeda, P.C. Anne Saunders Emily Saunders Rob and Mary Ann Saunders John Sebrell Polly and Henry Simpson Mr. and Mrs. William Spain, Jr. Virginia Sullivan Sweetbriar Development Corp.

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Taylor, Jr. Terry Peterson Residential Companies, L.L.C. Mr. and Mrs. Howard Tripolsky Joyce Trump VA Transportation Construction Alliance Dean Vincent Alvis and Burwell Winslow Jane Womack Mr. and Mrs. Basil Yost, III Arlene and David Zeiler In Memory of Martha Saunders Anonymous Nita and Everett Bagnell Lynn and Joe Barlow Maxine Barnett Beazley Foundation, Inc. Patricia Bennett Birdsong Peanuts Sue and George Birdsong James Blair Elizabeth Brooks Martha and Linwood Callis Heather and Scott Carr Sue Chandler Gloria and Billy Chorey Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Clement Reginald Corinaldi, III

Mary Hart and Austin Darden Duke Automotive Jacqueline Edwards Mary Ann and Jack Eure Sarah and Nathan Gardner Cecilia Gerloff Robert Gillette Katherine Godwin Marion Grigg and Diane Grieder Becky and James Habel Wanda and Les Hall Hampton Roads Bankshares Pearl and Robert Harrell Sandy and Chet Hart Pam and Billy Hill Mr. and Mrs. John Holland Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Jaffe Asa Johnson Sara Ann and Bill Johnson Betsy and Tom Jones Mr. and Mrs. C. Frank Jordan Linnie and C.F. Jordan, Jr. Brenda and Doug Kincaid Erline Kingsbury Betty Kyle Alice McCarley Mr. and Mrs. John McLemore Mardane McLemore Jane and Jim Moore Margaret Moore Diane and Robert Nelms T. E. Norfleet Ann and Jack Nurney Tommy O’Connor Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Pollard Robert Powell, III Phyllis Pruden Kathy and David Rawls Dr. and Mrs. Mallory Read Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Stiff Suffolk News-Herald Pearl Taylor Terry Peterson Residential Companies, L.L.C. Joyce Trump Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Williams Alvis and Burwell Winslow Cynthia Winslow Jane Womack Sue and Tom Woodward Thomas Woodward, III Mr. and Mrs. Basil Yost, III

In Memory of Angus I. Hines, Jr. Scott Dean Waitzer Katherine Bennett Maxine Elder Bennett Susan Bowden Neri Jane Wommack Henry G. Simpson Ann and Robert Story Greta Gustavson and Gary Naigle Sue and George Birdsong Irma and Terry Mottley Carroll G. Frohman Patricia and Dennis Dehainaut James E. Floyd, Jr. Alice T. Cross Nansemond River Power Squadron Cheryl U. O’Connor Lauren Herterich James Reightler Leslie Friedman Christa Folkes BJ & AW Strattner Nancy and Joseph Webb In Memory of William P. Blair Mardane McLemore Martha and Linwood Callis, Jr. Linda and George Consolvo Anne and John Council C.W. Brinkley, Inc. Construction Alice T. Cross Nancy and Arnold Dempsey Mary Ann and John Eure Kay and Donald Goldberg Sandy and Chet Hart Nansemond Pre-Cast Concrete Co. Nancy and Wesley King Nancy and Joseph Webb Joyce Trump Lydia, Eley and Duke Automotive Juliet and Calvin Fancher Mary Lawrence and John Harrell Charnell W. Blair In memory of Bobby Spivey Robert E. Gillette In memory of Aleck Winslow Robert E. Gillette

12 suffolk living

in the news

When LOVE comes to town

Story and photos by Jimmy LaRoue

S

uffolk received a little more love on Nov. 23 with the unveiling of the latest LOVEworks sign outside the Suffolk Center For Cultural Arts.

Students from four schools — Lakeland, Nansemond River and King’s Fork high schools, along with Nansemond-Suffolk Academy — designed and painted each of the six-foot-bythree-foot letters, working on them for four weeks.

Though the sign was brought inside after the ceremony with impending inclement weather on the horizon, it will be on display outside the cultural arts center as one of more than 190 such LOVEworks signs throughout Virginia. It is the first permanent installation of the LOVE letters in Suffolk.

Susan Lawrence, the executive director for Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, noted that love is on the mind of everyone there. The Suffolk Center is celebrating its 14th season with the theme, “Discover What You Love at the Suffolk

Center” as it pays homage to the 50th anniversary of the state slogan, “Virginia Is for Lovers.”

“Suffolk Center is all about love of arts and love of community,” Lawrence said. “So we thought, what better way to show this love than to have a permanent installation of the Virginia LOVE letters.”

Leiloni Wooley, an Art 3 student at King’s Fork, designed and worked on the letter “L” in the sign.

“My main inspiration for this piece was the contradiction between nature and factories,” Wooley said in the program for the LOVEworks sign unveiling.

Lakeland students Emily Owens and Jordan Clark designed the “O” in the sign, with students in Art 1, 2, 3 and 4 working on it. It includes Mr. Peanut, a peanut, cotton and two hot air balloons.

The design for the letter “V” came from Cross Waldo of Nansemond River High School, with Olivia Taylor, Parker Forman and the Art 3

class creating it. Waldo’s design features herons, fishing, peanuts, downtown, river life, sailing, crabbing, history and the beauty of the natural world in Suffolk.

Brianna Barnes, a student in NSA’s Upper School, designed the “E,” and students in its Advanced Art I and II classes created it.

“These new LOVE letters will only add to the charm and the unique character of our historic downtown,” said Mayor Linda T. Johnson.

D’Arcy Weiss, marketing manager for the Suffolk Center, worked with Virginia Tourism’s reimbursement program, which provided $1,500 to go toward materials to create the LOVE letters, and then it worked with Suffolk Public Schools and NSA to get their students involved.

She noted that students were given the theme “Suffolk Loves the Arts,” and were to design “a thoughtful representation of love and the arts.”

Tourism Development Manager Theresa Earles is excited to have people share Suffolk’s LOVE letters on social media and promote the

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suffolk living 13 city in the process. Suffolk, like the state, is for lovers too, she said, but the city hasn’t had the sign to show it — until now.

“It reminds people all the wonderful things Suffolk has to offer,” Earles said.

“We are arts, we are culture, but we’re also outdoor recreation, we’re peanuts, we are change and innovation, and we are history and museums.”

Dr. Joleen Neighbours, SPS fine arts facilitator, praised the work of the students in designing and creating the LOVE letters.

“How wonderful that we can say in the city of Suffolk that we reflect love,” Neighbours said, “and love now reflects us. This is the work of teenagers, ladies and gentlemen, young men and women who reflect all they see around them and what they want us to see.

“I hope that when people come to the center, and come to the city, they see, hear and feel a message of positivity, inclusivity, progressiveness and most importantly, love, as these students’ work will show.”

A new LOVEworks sign was unveiled Nov. 23 outside the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. The sign was designed and created by students at Lakeland, Nansemond River and King’s Fork high schools, as well as Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.

WINTER

SALE!

14 suffolk living

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN US....

LOCALS CHOICE

2018

LOCALS CHOICE

2018

on vacation

suffolk living 15

Suffolk Living has been to lots of places recently, thanks to our loyal readers taking us along! Clockwise from below, Adela Warren, Brandy Dunn, Kristen Gardner and Ann Culley Crusenberry enjoy a New York moment in Times Square; Chris Hunt shows off Suffolk Living at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada; Wendy Phelps and her grand-dog, Cosmo, visit the Famosa Slough Wetlands Preserve in San Diego, Calif.; Edgar and Nancy Owens visit Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Send your vacation photos with Suffolk Living to news@suffolklivingmag.com.

16 suffolk living

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suffolk living 17

where am I?

I

n each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.

If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers.

So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner.

Go out and enjoy Suffolk!

18 suffolk living

A strong lure for fishing Story by Jimmy LaRoue Photos by Troy Cooper

A

s a child, Alan Schubert would tag along with his father on fly fishing trips to Back Bay. His father, Alfred Schubert, would wade in the water to fish and pull his son in the 24-foot boat behind him.

The lure for both was strong nearly 60 years ago when they were out on the water together.

And the lure is strong now in the memories of the son, tying together past and present.

But it was not until 2014 that 66-year old Alan Schubert, who lives off of Whaleyville Boulevard, got into the intricacies of tying his own flies.

That’s when he started watching videos on it, and the converted bedroom-turned-workspace got a lot more organized over time with binders of records of each fly he tied — nearly 12,000 now — as well as all the feathers, threads and other materials he uses in his corner of the workspace that he shares with his wife, Connie, an accomplished sewing master in her own right.

“I tied flies before that, but not like I’m doing now,” he says. “Just one or two when I needed something. And I’d use a cork and whittled it down, just a piece of feather I found somewhere, just to do something.”

See LURES page 20

suffolk living 19

20 suffolk living

LURES continued from page 18

Schubert got into making the ties, though, because it was less expensive than buying them, and because it caters to both his creative and meticulous sides. He says he couldn’t make the flies without either quality.

“That was my job at the city,” says Schubert, who worked as a land surveyor, a traffic engineer and also in public utilities before he retired in September 2018. “I reviewed plans, and I kept all the archives for the department, and so, I’m very organized in that kind of way. On my computer, I’ve had everything I’ve ever spent on this stuff, and who I bought it from, and all the pictures and all the images, and everything that I’ve tied.”

It’s the only way he could make the ties, and do as many as he does.

“Otherwise it’d be a total disaster up here,” he says.

Each binder has a table of contents and then an image of the fly. Without instructions to make many of the flies, he says it’s up to each individual to figure out how best to re-create it. Schubert watches the videos, makes notes, and then types them up as he prepares what he needs to make that particular fly. Each fly he makes isn’t an exact copy, just his rendition of it.

“It’s just very relaxing for me,” Schubert says.

“And I love that there’s so many different flies that you can tie. There’s literally thousands, and they’re all different.”

It’s satisfying for him to watch someone else use a fly he’s tied to catch something, and he likes catching something from his own fly, too.

“When you go out and catch a fish on a lure that you made yourself,” he says, “that’s the best.”

It’s hard not to think of his father when he puts together the flies, and then uses them on his fishing trips. But it’s when he goes down to his garage to shape materials with the lathe that his father’s influence comes to the fore.

See LURES page 21

suffolk living 21

LURES continued from page 20

The lathe was handmade by his father some 45 years ago, and it gets a regular workout.

“Every time I use it, I think about him,” Schubert says. “He made it for me shortly before I moved out when I was 20. My dad was an awesome guy.”

It takes a high level of imagination to be creative, his wife says, and make the variety of ties necessary to work in the region’s waters. It also takes a level of detail and organization to keep track of all the materials he uses to make them.

They sit together a lot in their shared workspace, and she talks with pride about what he did to create it. He notes the variety of material he’s collected over the years, marking them all in labeled drawers and clear boxes to make finding them easy. And he goes far and wide to get them.

“I like using all kinds of different materials. I find stuff in fabric stores, everywhere, Walmart, Michaels. I spend more money in Michaels than she does,” Schubert says, laughing and looking to his wife.

For instance, they both use spools of thread, but his is different. While hers is a sewing thread, his is a polyester thread — a thousand little, seemingly invisible strands, he said. He has many different types of feathers from different birds and uses many different materials, including wood and flip-flops, to make his flies.

He taught himself how to tie flies the modern old fashioned way — through YouTube

videos.

Schubert watches experts such as Davie MacPhail of Scotland — he ties what he describes as “super fancy trout and salmon flies” — and Barry Ord Clarke of England.

When he gets going on making flies, Schubert can get lost in his work for hours at a time.

“I watched a guy do a video of this particular fly — it’s a Japanese-style fly that I’m doing right now,” Schubert says. “I took notes and then I typed them up, so at the top is the material I’ll need to tie it, and then below is how I will tie it. So, I do that on every fly.”

Don’t believe him? Just pore through his binders, which date back to when he got serious about tying flies — 2014. For each fly, he has photos and instructions on how he does them, and he has each one in a binder on his shelf. They are also backed up on his computer.

Those 12,000 flies he’s tied represent about 700 different types, and he ties about a dozen at a time. Different ones will be used to catch different kinds of fish in different conditions.

“I feel proficient at it,” Schubert says. “There’s still some flies that I don’t tie yet that the pros do.”

Some are still a challenge, such as ones with deer hair wound around a hook — “I haven’t mastered that yet” — and others, such as salmon flies, that are cost prohibitive for him to do.

He gets to use his creations Friday, except when it is cold. He has a few favorite places, including the lower Chesapeake Bay, a small private lake, and yes, like he did when he was young with his father, Back Bay. But once out on the water, that’s the one area he’s not as detailed in tracking.

“I’ll just bring out what I want to use that day, and then, if I didn’t tear it up, I’ll put it right back if nothing hit it or nothing struck it or I didn’t catch a fish with it,” Schubert says.

That just gives him that much more incentive to get back in the workroom and create more flies.

But don’t be surprised if you find him in Michaels, or another store, buying brightly colored flip-flops. And don’t be surprised that he won’t be wearing them.

“Every time I find a new one, I buy it,” Schubert said. “I’ve used a lot of those, and they work really well.”

He’ll think often about his father as he’s tying flies, and some of those thoughts he’s turned into stories. He’s not short of them, and his wife notes that his humor comes through.

“It’s mostly stuff from my childhood and youth, the stuff that dad and I did,” he says.

He’s never far from a reminder of his father — never far from a story, never far from his true lure.

It’s in those ties that have bound past and present.

22 suffolk living

Memories at the Marina Story by Phyllis Speidell Photos by John H. Sheally II

A

narrow lane winds from Godwin Boulevard, past fields, flocks of wild turkeys and a century-old farmhouse. Fields turn to woods as the unpaved road slopes downhill to Reid’s Ferry Creek, an offshoot of the Nansemond River. Creek waters lap against the pilings and tired remains of what was once a flourishing marina — the first, some say, in Suffolk.

Three pickup trucks sit in a parking area that, during the 1960s and 1970s, filled regularly with dozens of pickups, boat trailers and a few campers. Those were the days when Paul Brady saw his dream of a well-used marina come true.

Brady grew up in Port Norfolk, a vintage Portsmouth community on the Elizabeth River. When he finished Woodrow Wilson High School, his family moved to Everets, where their extended family, the Kirks, owned and ran a lumber operation. Brady worked in the sawmill but, by 1935, opened his own business — a radio and, later, TV repair service — in downtown Suffolk. While he served in the Army during World War II, his wife, Lib, kept the repair shop running.

He came home from the war still eager to own a piece of waterfront land and, in 1946, found his property — 105 acres of farmland, mud flats and marsh with that old farmhouse on Reid’s Ferry Creek.

Brady’s daughter, Maribeth Zedd, remembers the future marina began as “a mud hole,” but Brady spent every Wednesday and Sunday building his dream. Working with a meager budget, Brady and a friend from the village of Holland, Lloyd Deir, sunk pilings and built decking and boat slips. By 1954, they had added a store for bait and snacks and a power crane to lift boats from trailers and into the water. In 1958, they added a boat ramp to launch boats from trailers.

The boat ramp operated on the honor system.

The little marina’s popularity increased through the 1960s as interest in water-skiing added customers to the fishermen and crabbers who already kept the place busy. Brady’s son, Kirk Brady, said his father added covered rental slips and, later, a covered dry dock.

Their mother hated the marina, Zedd said, because Brady spent all his free time there, but the couple went fishing every Sunday after church. As children, Zedd and Kirk Brady enjoyed roaming the woods, swimming in the river and playing in the sand pits.

In 1958, a Norwegian oil tanker registered in Liberia, the African Queen, ran aground on Gull Shoal, about 30 miles south of Delaware Bay. It was an economic and environmental disaster for See MARINA page 24

suffolk living 23

Crabber Brandon Faison docks at Brady’s Marina with the day’s catch.

24 suffolk living MARINA continued from page 22

the ship that broke in half and dumped thousands of tons of South American crude — but a promising opportunity for Brady, Deir and two other friends. The ship owners had hired a professional salvage company, but after about six weeks of attempts, the salvagers gave up and the owners abandoned the ship in February 1959. Private scavengers descended on the wreck, stripping everything of value they could find and carry.

But Brady, Deir and friends set another course to profit, rescuing the stern section of the $6 million ship and selling it for scrap. Six horrifying and life-threatening months later, the men managed to bring what was left of the ship into Hampton Roads, where it sold at auction for a reported — and disappointing — $134,000. The rescuers had spent $112,000 on the venture.

Zedd and Brady Jr. still remember, however, that there was a parade in Norfolk at the docks to welcome the four adventurers home. One news story noted that three of the men were still See MARINA page 25

The remains of the dock at Brady’s Marina. The marina is up for sale after many decades as an important location for commerce and recreation.

suffolk living 25 MARINA continued from page 24

Doug Whitehead and Brandon Faison discuss the impending sale of Brady’s Marina.

grimy with oil and smudge, but Brady had showered, cleaned up and emerged looking fresh and lively.

Doug Whitehead, from Franklin and retired from the paper mill, also held a commercial crabbing license for 18 years and operated out of Brady’s Marina. “After Hurricane Floyd, Brady had to rebuild the docks,” he said. “Isabel washed the boats out of the marina and up the hill into the farm fields. There used to be boats at every slip, the store was open and some people lived on their boats. We had a lot of get-togethers here — everyone was like family, only a phone call away.”

One of his marina friends is the grandfather of Brandon Faison, a younger commercial crabber from Suffolk, who had just pulled into the marina minutes earlier and unleaded his crabpots. The two men share concerns about the future sale of the marina and surrounding property. ”I’ve been crabbing commercially for four years but I’ve been down here since See MARINA page 26

Make yourself at home in one of our 79 air conditioned rooms featuring mini refrigerators, microwaves and Keurig Coffee Makers. Wireless internet is complimentary and the Flat Screen Televisions come with HBO. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Convenience includes desks with free local calls.

Our Business Center has two new HP Computers available 24 hours. Rent our meeting space which boasts 672 sq. ft., that can host 40 people comfortably.

Our fitness center is open with a cedar sauna and includes free hand weights.

For more information, Contact the hotel at 1018 Centerbrooke Lane Suffolk, VA 23434

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26 suffolk living MARINA continued from page 25

the day I was born — my grandfather was a fisherman here,” Faison said. “I hope it doesn’t sell, because I’d like to see the marina stay.

Bennett’s Creek, our only other access to the river, is too far away. “ Zedd said their father would not have sold the property. Brady died, however, in 2011 at 96 and about five years ago, the 96-acre property went on the market.

Brady had previously sold nine acres to fund his children’s education. The Zedds hope it will sell, but to a buyer who will maintain its character and hopefully keep the marina.

Paul Brady made his dream of a well-used marina come true with a 105-acre purchase in 1946 on Reid’s Ferry Creek.

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suffolk living 27

Brady’s Marina has been as much a gathering place as a boat ramp over the years.

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28 suffolk living

suffolk scene

Oyster Roast Hundreds gathered on Nov. 9 for the 16th annual Crittenden, Eclipse & Hobson Ruritan Club Oyster Roast. The oyster roast was held for more than 700 people at the C.E.&H. Ruritan Hall on Eclipse Drive, with the agreeable weather drawing a large crowd for an afternoon of good food and great company.

PHOTOS BY ALEX PERRY

Warren Pennil, Angel Rhone and Cleveland Wynne

Candy Howes, Kelly Parsons and Chris Wells

Courtney Buchanan, Andrew Kitchin and Casey White

Dawn Callis and Kris O’Reilly

Steve and Ellen Stone

Katie and Zack Hess

suffolk living 29

Grand Illumination The Grand Illumination Ceremony at Market Park Nov. 22 featured the lighting of downtown Suffolk’s 32-foot-tall Christmas tree, and the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Claus, to the delight of numerous local families. The Grand Illumination Ceremony is the official start of the holiday season in Suffolk, and crowds come out each year for good cheer and fun activities. PHOTOS BY ALEX PERRY

suffolk scene

Kalee Pino, 17; Bear Pino, 14; Abbigail Pino, 8; Max Pino; Crystal McClanahan; Luke Pino, 4; Montana McClanahan; Averi Pino; Elliana Pino, 16 months

Andrew Owen and Deborah Ward

Anita Fritzinger and Angela Fritzinger

Logan Bunn, 6, with Mr. and Mrs. Claus

Merida Kitchens, 6, and Zeppelin Kitchens, 4

Armani Powell holding Jax; Destini Sessoms holding Christan Wiggins, 5; Chantia Lewis and Tiara Chambliss

30 suffolk living

suffolk scene

Hotel Christmas party The Hampton Inn Suffolk on Centerbrooke Lane hosted the Hollydazzle Christmas celebration for about 30 children, and 50 people overall, on Dec. 23, 2019. Children had the opportunity to visit with Santa Claus and receive a small gift, and heard a Christmas story from Pastor Andrew Logue of Suffolk Bible Baptist Church. PHOTOS BY JIMMY LAROUE

Izzy Dickson with Santa Claus

Zyan Fisher with Santa Claus

Trinity Fisher with Santa Claus

London Hurt with Santa Claus

Treazure Freeman with Santa Claus

suffolk living 31

Home of the Brave The inaugural Home of the Brave 5K in downtown Suffolk received a warm reception from runners. The Nov. 9 event took place shortly before Veterans Day, and everyone enjoyed the atmosphere, the challenge of two bridges and the after-party.

PHOTOS BY TRACY AGNEW

suffolk scene

Ginet Hart and Antonio Diggs

32 suffolk living

through the lens: Kay Hurley

K

ay Weaver Hurley is a native of rural Suffolk and divides her time between her home in downtown Suffolk, her family farm in rural Suffolk and adventures traveling with her husband, Bucky. She has a stepdaughter, Laura. She enjoys taking photos on her phone, especially scenes of nature, capturing those moments in time and sharing those images. We’re always looking for amateur and professional photographers who want to share their views of Suffolk. If you’d like to have your work considered, send an email to news@suffolklivingmag. com.

suffolk living 33

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34 suffolk living

• Asphalt Paving • Stone & Mulch Sales • Grading • StreetPrint

Last edition’s Where Am I? Beyond Shears Hair Salon on East Pinner Street has a colorful, snippy sign, but only a few of our readers were able to spot it.

Jennifer Daugherty was one of three where am I? correct I guessers, and she was randomly chosen to receive a $25 gift card. Check out this edition’s cool challenge on page 17.

Parking Lots & Driveways

suffolk living 15

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n each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.

If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers.

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So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner.

Go out and enjoy Suffolk!

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Chicken Swap FOWL, FESTIVAL AND FUN TIMES AT RESPASS BEACH

KEEPING WARM AND CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY

january/february 2019 • vol. 10, no. 1

september/october 2018 • vol. 9, no. 5

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Community Garden AND VOLUNTEERS THAT LOVE BOOKS may/june 2019 • vol. 10, no. 3

suffolk living 35

scrapbook

OPEN FOR BUSINESS: The Obici House as it looked in December 2012, shortly before it opened for business as a special events venue. The historic home of Planters Peanuts founder Amedeo Obici and his wife, Louise, is located on the Sleepy Hole Golf Course.

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD FILE PHOTO

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