The Mango July-August 2021 by TheMango

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Letter from the Publisher We all deal with those pesky priorities, especially when it comes to money and time. What’s more important than something else? I drive a 14-year-old car because spending money on a new one is not a priority. I don’t spend a lot of time rummaging through my wardrobe or shoes. There’s not enough of either one really to rummage through, and shoes are there only because they are necessary. I navigate my days with a few bucks in my pocket, buying as little as possible while enjoying a bakery bagel or a deli sandwich on the go. Gorilla glue, duct tape and WD-40 come out before I consider buying something new. It’s almost a challenge to see how far I can stretch a buck. When I am tempted to make a large purchase, I have a one-track mind: Where can that money take me and how long can I stay? (And will I have to wear shoes when I get there?) I cruise the web for beach deals, multi-day packages, short cruises, island adventures. But --- and here’s the really fun part --when I get where I’m going, money is no object. $15 for a small turkey wrap by the pool? No problem. A $40 nylon fanny pack that says “Life’s a Beach”? Sure, let’s all three of us get one! A 1” x 1.5” x 2” piece of fudge with nuts for $6.50? Can we buy a box of that stuff? Even if we never eat it and it melts in the back window of the car? Of course! My vacation philosophy is that if I can’t do and buy the fun things when I am there, do I really want to go? Having a long-running love affair with print media, I usually come away with a few local publications and maps. Sad, I know. Souvenirs just aren’t my thing, but my wife does double duty in that department. She loves magnets, shirts, hats, carry bags, yard flags, coffee mugs, visors, beach towels … the list goes on forever. I see them once or twice around the house and then never again. For me, being there is the prize, especially when it involves sand, beach, salty air, endless water, a large pool, margaritas and bare feet. I will take 300 photos to remember all the things we did. Then I can go back to that time when we were traveling, exploring, seeing new sights, meeting

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new people and experiencing new places – or in the case of Margaritaville resorts we like, experiencing old places with unbridled excitement all over again. July and August are my favorite months because it’s warm and sunny. School is out, and so are the lightning bugs. Rather than weeklong vacations, we grab 3-4 day jaunts scattered throughout the year. Advance planning is about a week, from not knowing where or how long to nailing down the road to get there. Like Jimmy Buffett sings: some of the best navigators are not quite sure where they are going until they get there, and then, they’re still not sure. No matter how you travel or what you do while you’re there, the important thing is to go. If money is tight, call that friend on Facebook who always says “we should get together” and let them know you’re dropping in to say hi (for a few days). Spending money and time on experiences, especially beach and island trips, fills your heart and soul with memories that last a life time, along with the magnets and photos.

Phillip Vaught July/Aug

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INSIDE 8

SIGHTS UNDER THE SEA Mike Papish

PIRATE LORE One-Eyed Willy

DESTINATION O’ahu

BACKYARD TIKI BAR Frozen with Salt - Keith Bowen

SEA TURTLES - Part 2 Relocation, rescue and rehab

ADAM CAPPS Island Impact 4

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July/August 2021

A1A COASTAL DECOR Surfboard Furniture

LAST MANGO Jimmy Buffett’s Dream Boat

TROP ROCK SPOTLIGHT Donny Brewer

DESTINATION Dominican Republic

LAKE LIFE Lake Michigan - Oval Beach

DEEP TRACKS Pacing the Cage mango-mag.com

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Vo l u m e 1 Is s ue 4

Photo by Jenn.jpeg

M A N G O - MAG.COM info@mango-mag.com

PUBLISHER Phillip Vaught Country Media, Inc. P.O.Box A Rich Creek, VA 24147 MANAGING EDITOR Joanne M. Anderson WRITERS Emily Alberts Joanne Anderson Emma Beaver Kameron Bryant Johnny Cate Krisha Chachra Jo Clark Karl Kazaks Nancy Moseley

PHOTOGRAPHERS Kristie Lea Photography Laura’s Focus Photography Corey Agopian Olivier Guillard David Troeger Alexandra Tran

© 2021 Country Media, Inc. This publication is not affiliated with Jimmy Buffett or the Margaritaville companies. Features do not represent an endorsement by this publication. Content cannot be reproduced Mango without consent from Country Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 writtenThe

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Letter from the Managing Editor

rum in two ways – with Coke and lemon wedge over ice in summer, and hot buttered in winter. I think his trop rock music going to create a wonderful atmosphere in my rural property where music plays most of the time – classical and country, of course, plus Broadway, jazz, Christian rock, folk, instrumental and now trop rock. I’m going to blast it, too. You can do that in the country. My idea of re-decorating is to move things I already have to new places. I recently relocated this “Music” quote by Red Auerbach to the kitchen counter:

My mother was a classical violinist, and my dad listened to country & western back before they dropped the “& western”. So, I easily recognized “The Blue Danube” and Smetana’s “The Moldau” at a young age, as well as “Sixteen Tons”, “I Walk the Line” and “Mockin’ Bird Hill”. At a symphony, Mom would tell us to listen for the little streams as they flowed into larger and larger ones on their way to the mighty Moldau, the longest river in the Czech Republic. For me, it was folk music and rock with a splash of bluegrass and bagpipes, the latter two in short doses. They start out delightful and can turn abrasive at the halfhour mark. So, trop rock is the new kid on the block for me. Of course, I can sing along with Buffett’s “Come Monday” and “Margaritaville,” and I am a fan of crossover artists like Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown. But the island escape in music was a bit elusive until I wrote the article on page 54. Not being familiar with Donny Brewer or his music, I figured the first step would be to hear a tune. I chose “Island Time” at random. I fell in love with the hammock with the fringe. The view’s quite nice, too. The initial conversation that kicks off the song and the entire song did not transport me to an island, but oh my, did it ever create a yearning to be there. It’s a very happy song that makes me want to toss out my alarm clock and chill in that hammock, with or without the view. Then I heard Brewer’s “A Little More Rum.” I am a long ways from my college days and 20-something years, but my memory is sharp. I have a little history with mango-mag.com

But wait a minute. Arnold Jacob “Red” Auerbach (1917-2006) was a legend in the world of basketball. He said this? About music? Something didn’t add up. A little spin around the information superhighway finds that the quote is really from Berthold Auerbach (1812-1882), a German-Jewish poet and author. He sounds like a real champion of the common folk. I like that. Island time, common folk, music washing away from my soul the dust of my everyday life - I can embrace all this in a big way. The Canadian artist who crafted my piece -- bought at some street fair a long time ago -“finds inspiration for her designs in the words of famous authors.” Well, so what if she got a little mixed up on the Auerbachs? Chalk it up to artistic license. It stays in my kitchen because I like it. And trop rock? I love it!

Joanne M. Anderson

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Sights Under the Sea

Text by Jo Clark Photos courtesy of Mike Papish 8

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Underwater photographer Mike Papish was born 41 years

Mike Papish

ago — in New Jersey! Growing up, he developed an interest in scuba

diving, and shortly after becoming certified, 16-year-old Mike took a trip to the Florida Keys. He was hooked!

The diving experience in the Keys launched a lifelong love of

the ocean and everything in it. Mike says he is “more at home on the

bottom of the ocean than in my own living room.” He confides: “The

second I get back on the boat after a dive, I say to myself, ‘I need to go diving.’ And I jump right back in the water.” Finding complete peace in the water, sometimes he just sits at the bottom and meditates.

Papish returned to New Jersey, finished school, started a

career in the mortgage industry, and continued diving as a hobby. The pull of the ocean was strong. He relocated to Florida, still working in the mortgage field, and dived as frequently as possible. He also

noticed the local dive shops had some videos of underwater life, but not of local life.

The photos of underwater life made him decide he should

be documenting his dives. He picked up a GoPro camera and vest

and started videoing dives. He asked local dive and snorkel shops

if they would like to show his videos in their stores. Soon they were requesting videos of specific reefs. The videos allowed store customers a preview of what they might see underwater.

For training, Mike sought out online videos to learn how

to take better pictures and videos. He also taught himself postproduction techniques.

Mike doesn’t usually have a specific video assignment; he

shoots first, and the film finds its home. Many of his videos originate

in his favorite place—Alligator Reef—or the living room, as Mike calls it. This coral reef is located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Acclaimed as one of the best scuba diving sites in the Keys, it is teeming with more than 500 species of marine life. It sits just four nautical miles offshore from Islamorada.

There is an Alligator Reef Lighthouse. Built in 1873, the

lighthouse is named for the USS Alligator. A Navy schooner charged

with recapturing ships taken by pirates in The Caribbean, the Alligator, ran aground on the reef. When seamen were unable to save it, they

set the ship afire to keep it out of the hands of pirates. When diving

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in this area, you may be lucky enough to spot some of

first thing I see—and that leads me to something else,

just what he means.

the remains of the schooner.

and something else.” As a nature photographer, I know

restoration. Mike is active with the organization

and artificial issues have wiped out the coral. The water

trunkfish looks like a miniature iron or a hovering jet ski

storms, the pounding action of the waves uproots the

pollution and warming water.

hogfish inspect and clean other fish. Mike says these are

different sea life is active. He says that there are fish,

work (cleaning teeth). Big fish come to the reef to be

those he sees during daytime hours. They even have

The big fish get cleaned, and the hogfish gets lunch, a

camera. Maybe they see fewer divers at night, so the

their turn for cleaning. A fish usually opens its mouth

Cleaner fish will be cleaning a fish that will later eat them

Today, the reef is the focus of coral reef

He especially likes what he calls “goofy-looking

planting staghorn coral on Alligator Reef. Hurricanes

fish;” fish like the balloon fish or the trunkfish. The

is shallow, only eight feet in some spots, and during

underwater.

coral. Other causes of damage to the delicate coral are

captivate Mike’s attention. In a section of the coral reef,

Mike frequently dives at night because

the hardest workers on the reef—they even do dental

octopus, shrimp and crabs of more unique colors than

cleaned—the hogfish picks off parasites and eats them.

different mannerisms, and some swim right up to the

win-win! Mike has witnessed fish lined up and waiting

creatures are curious.

to indicate to cleaner fish that they want a cleaning.

responds: “Everything! When I dive, I just follow the

for prey—evolution in action.

When asked what fascinates him, Mike

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Interesting happenings in the undersea world

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Mike Papish mango-mag.com

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Mishaps

can

occur

when

you

photograph anything—batteries or SD cards fail, settings are off, or the photos are blank. But shooting underwater brings a host of new challenges. While shooting footage of bull sharks, Mike had his GoPro on a long pole and was surrounded by bull sharks.

Apparently, the sharks were accustomed to

spearfishing poles with a snack (bait) on the

end. One of the big bulls snatched the camera

right off the stick! The shark did spit it out, but it plummeted 300 feet to the ocean floor, so the evidence of that adventure was lost.

In addition to camera equipment

failure, tanks get loose and have slipped right off. All the camera equipment had to be removed, the tanks retrieved, and everything

reattached. Once Mike returned to the boat

from a dive and put his camera (still filming) on the rail. Naturally, as he got on board, a

wave knocked it off. The camera fell straight down, panning as it floated to the bottom,

and kept filming. The resulting video was some of his favorite ever and has been used in

many of his films. People frequently comment: “Man! How did you get that cool video?” He just smiles and refuses to share his secret.

Diving alone means to get pictures

of himself, Mike has to leave a GoPro on

the bottom and “go about doing my thing,

then collect it and see what’s been captured.”

Sometimes the film leaves little to the imagination…he once got home and found he had filmed eel porn!

Some of his proudest moments

include when the first person asked to buy a

print, or when the first magazine (The Mango) approached him, or when people come to

snorkel because of his pictures, and when a tiny shrimp released thousands of hatchlings into the water. But the absolute best moment

was rescuing a sea turtle, alone, at night. He

had cameras on his wrist, head, body and in mango-mag.com

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Tips for Underwater Photography • When you dive/snorkel—be calm and just breathe • To take interesting underwater pictures—get your subject in the frame to get a good shot • Get up close and personal— preferably within 12 inches. Water reduces color, contrast and sharpness • Try to move around (slowly) and get good angles—without scaring the fish away (so again, be calm and breathe) • The best composition will be an upwards angle, don’t shoot “down” at the subject • Make sure the flash is turned on, preferable in “forced flash mode” • When depending on natural light, shoot in less than 20 feet of water and keep the sun at your back

his hand and ended up with great footage that resulted in sea turtle organizations contacting him.

Early in Mike’s underwater photography career, he had one

of his most memorable adventures. Usually, he counted himself

lucky to see one or two spotted eagle rays, but this day he saw

six in a circle. He managed to get in the center of them without frightening them and coasted along in the middle for nearly half an hour. He says this was when he “learned how to remain calm when you see the coolest thing you’ve ever seen!”

Fortunately, Mike’s girlfriend, Rebecca, shares his passion

for all things “ocean.” A marine biologist, she teaches high school

oceanography and frequently dives with him. But more days than

Mike cares to count, Rebecca has asked: “Have I lost you to the ocean today?”

Mike’s go-to gear: A Sony Alpha A7R3 has replaced that early GoPro as the workhorse. This mirrorless camera has both still shot and video recording capabilities. It is protected in either a SeaFrogs Underwater Housing or a Nauticam Underwater Housing, and his backup camera is a Canon G7X. A GoPro is still available for use, especially when Mike needs shots of himself in action.

Jo Clark is a travel, food, wine, and nature writer and photographer. www.HaveGlassWillTravel.com

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One-Eyed Willy

The Original Goonie Text by Emily K. Alberts

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Have you ever gone on a bona-

fide treasure hunt? Not a scavenger hunt

or a wild goose chase, but a grab your map, don’t fall in the trap, give it all you got, X marks the spot TREASURE HUNT?

Maybe

you’ve

panned

for

gemstones in a nearby mine, fancying yourself a prospector in the great gold

rush of ’49 … but whatever you managed

to find, it was likely pennies compared

to the wild riches of One-Eyed Willy: the most legendary pirate of all time.

William B. Pordobel was born

without an eye. He suffered from some variant

anophthalmia,

which

his own pirate crew and stole millions of dollars’ worth of treasure from the king.

Inferno, One-Eyed Willy was a master

of deceit. When the king began to fight back, sending his entire armada after Willy in an all-out war, Willy hid out in a

cave, booby-trapping the entire place to thwart anyone on his trail.

hitting the cavern walls and creating a cave-in, trapping Willy and his riches inside the cave forever.

Until…

exceedingly rare cases, such as Willy’s,

alert, this is what we see when Mikey lifts Willy’s eye patch in the final scene of Spielberg’s movie, The Goonies.)

Thus, One-Eyed Willy was the

original goonie, which, according to Urban Dictionary, means oddball, outcast, weirdo.

And he certainly was. As court

jester for the Spanish in the late 1600s,

he was banished from the kingdom for telling off-color jokes and pulling pranks

on the royals. But he would have the last laugh. After he was outcast, he formed

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Although they could not get to

him, the navy began firing at the cave,

usually just a totally absent eye, but in the eye develops into bone (*spoiler

As pirate captain of the ship

Fast forward to the summer of

1985, when a wayward bunch of misfit

pre-teens from Astoria, Oregon, became desperate to save their homes from

being bulldozed by greedy developers and decide to attempt the impossible.

Their journey jolts them from their monotonous lives in the “Goon Docks”

and thrusts them into the underground world of Chester Copperpot, the only crew member of the Inferno who made

it out of that cave alive -- with a map, a medallion and a copper doubloon.

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But even Chester Copperpot could not outwit

Willy’s intricate system of foils and booby traps when

he returned to the cave many years later in search of

the lost riches. He inevitably perished in the cave like so many others.

Three centuries would pass before Mikey and

the rest of The Goonies would serendipitously find the map leading to Willy and his treasure. After their own follies and foibles and fated dumb luck (like Chunk

being clumsy and Mouth being able to translate 17th century Spanish and Andy knowing the chords to play an organ made from human bones), the crew even eventually found Willy himself, perched upright in his

captain’s chair, surrounded by his own faithful crew -- and piles and piles of gold, rubies, emeralds and pearls!

Three hundred years had passed, and yet

somehow Willy’s eye patch still sat snugly in place over his tell-tale missing eye.

Though the evil Fratellis eventually caught

• June 7 was officially declared “Goonies Day” by the Mayor of Astoria (where the movie was filmed) during the 25th Anniversary Celebration in 2010. • The booby-trapped brass scales that held Willy’s personal treasure -- the gold coins that Mikey luckily told Mouth not to touch -- sold for $24,000 in 2019. Not bad for a tiny movie prop! • The pirate ship was entirely real. It was a fullscale 105-foot-long ship modeled after the one in the 1940 Errol Flynn movie The Sea Hawk. It was made specifically for The Goonies movie and took two and a half months to construct. The cast was not allowed to see it, and their reaction in the film is genuine. • The movie Free Willy was also filmed in Oregon and mirrors Mikey’s farewell to One-Eyed Willy. • Though Spielberg wrote the story behind The Goonies, Chris Columbus wrote the screenplay. How apropos!

up to the Goonies and stole almost all of the riches

Was there a real William B. Pordobel?

Chunk had pressed into his chipmunk cheeks), they

Sadly, no. The last name “Pordobel” seems to have derived from a Panamanian port (Portobelo) frequently visited by pirates in the 17th century. And of course, the name One-Eyed Willy is an off-color joke in and of itself.

they had pocketed (and even a strand of pearls overlooked one tiny marble bag in Mikey’s pocket, which happened to contain just enough rubies to save their beloved Goon Docks from the bulldozers.

But according to Goonie fandom, and

according to international maritime salvage law, the rights to a salvaged vessel and its contents go to

the person or persons who first successfully bring something off the vessel in question. Since Mikey

brought the jewels off the ship, the Inferno and everything on it belongs to him!

Can you visit this historical area? Yes and no. The house from the movie The Goonies still stands today, and though a sign welcomes visitors to walk (not drive) by and take photos, it seems to depend on the mood of the neighbors. But the Oregon Film Museum in Astoria is a FANtastic place to visit, pun intended.

Did you know?

Writer Emily K. Alberts has never even been in a cave. She

• Apparently One-Eyed Willy’s skull was an actual human skull. Today, Willy’s head sits in the home of director Richard Donner, along with a model of the pirate ship.

once found a briefcase floating in a lake and was sure it contained $100 bills. But when she popped open the lock, it was just a bunch of office papers. She returned it to the man whose address was on the papers and he gave her $20, so there is that.

The Mango

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Beach Drinks Mango Margarita

Serves 8

2 Limes 1 1/2 cups tequila 1 1/2 cups triple sec 1/2 cup granulated sugar Two 20oz. jars of mango chunks Drain mango chunks and toss in to blender. Pour in the tequila and triple sec. Add the sugar and squeeze in the juice from the limes. Fill blender with ice and blend. Garnish with paprika salt and a lime on the rim and enjoy!

Mermaid Rum Punch 12 oz can frozen lemonade 2 oz pineapple juice 5 oz white rum 4 oz coconut cream 1 banana 1 cup ice 4 oz Blue Curacao liqueur

In a blender, add the frozen lemonade, pineapple juice, rum, coconut cream, banana and ice. Blend well. Pour the frozen cocktail into glasses. Add a splash of Blue Curacao over the top of each drink. Gently swirl a bit of the liqueur into the drink while adding the straw. Do not blend completely. Add more crushed ice to the glass if needed. To make this mermaid rum punch frozen without adding ice, freeze the banana and pineapple juice ahead of time.

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What You Must Do in O’ahu Text by senior writer Krisha Chachra

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With restless travelers dying to make dream destinations a reality, the Hawaiian island of O’ahu and the famous Waikiki Beach are getting all the attention they deserve as the popular summer tourist hot spot. Meaning “Spouting Waters” in Hawaiian, Waikiki’s 2-mile stretch of sugary soft sand and shallow sapphire water is alive with tourists who are bursting with pent-up pandemic energy to explore, shop, eat, drink and dance along the beach. Of the eight most well-known Hawaiian Islands, O’ahu is the most visited by mainlanders with direct flights to the state’s capital, Honolulu. Referred to as “The Gathering Place” by the kama’aina, or locals, O’ahu

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has every type of accommodation including the luxurious Hilton Hawaiian Village on the west side, the famous pink Royal Hawaiian, the historic Moana Surfrider and the boutique hotels near Kapi’olani Park in the east. A stop at legendary Duke’s barefoot bar through the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort on Kalakaua Ave is a must – try the Duke’s nachos and coconut shrimp while sitting right on the sandbar with the famous Diamond Head mountain in the background. Make sure to save room for hula pie made with fresh macadamia nut ice cream and watch the sun set behind body surfers and tourists trying their luck with outrigger canoes.

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Hawaii is paradise. It sounds cheesy to say it, but there’s music in the air there. -- Bruno Mars

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Pearl Harbor National Memorial

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Once you settle in your Waikiki beach hotel and make a stop at the international market place lined with shops and vendors, jump in your rental and drive east around the coast for the best snorkeling experience just near Hawaii Kai in Hanauma Bay. This spot is a designated marine life conservation district and is home to more than 400 species of fish and an abundance of sea turtles. Visitors watch a quick movie on preservation and how to carefully navigate through the coral reef before heading down to the bay to discover the living ocean. If you’re still up for an adventure after snorkeling, continue around the coast past the beautiful views of Waimanalo Beach and stop at Lanikai Beach for lunch and a photo of the Moku Lua (The Moks) – the unmistakable twin peaks jutting out of the water. If you’re a strong kayaker, you can make your way out to them but if not, pose for a snap in the

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flat, jade water and carry on up to Chinaman’s Hat that sits in the water across from Kualoa Ranch, where they filmed part of “Jurassic Park.” There you can ride ATVs through the authentic, lush, rugged terrain of Hawaii’s mountains. Further up is the Polynesian Village – a popular living Hawaiian museum where tourists can experience hula dancing and locally-performed luaus complete with dinner and a show. On the west side of Waikiki up Interstate H1 is the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Entry to Pearl Harbor is free but if you would like an audio tour of the grounds and a ferry ticket to the USS Arizona Memorial, you’ll need to buy a ticket. Same-day tickets are hard to come by so plan ahead and purchase online before you visit. If the tickets are sold out for the day, you can still tour the grounds and visit the Pacific National Monument. It houses a wealth of information about that fateful Dec. 7, 1941, day and has memorabilia on display.

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Finally, you cannot call a trip to O’ahu complete without exploring the laid-back, North Shore surfer town of Haleiwa. Take the H2 highway north from Waikiki and plan a stop at the Dole Plantation for fresh pineapple ice cream, a quick run through the maze or a fun train ride around the grounds. And save room for the fresh seafood food trucks on Kamehameha Hwy once you hit the North Shore. Grab a spicy shrimp and rice basket from Giovanni’s and plop yourself on the beach. As the surfers elegantly angle themselves over 15-foot waves and the kids run along the beach, relaxation will suddenly sink in, and you’ll truly understand what it feels like to hang loose and live the Hawaiian lifestyle.

If you are traveling to Hawaii, you

need to book a rental car early. There is a vehicle shortage as companies rebuild the inventory they needed to sell when tourism

plummeted. You can always get to know the local Hawaiian scenes by using ride-share alternatives.

70% of Hawaii’s economy

depends on tourism, so everyone on the islands appreciates your visit. They’ve been

hit hard by the pandemic, and are bouncing back with an all-consuming, community

Aloha spirit! Consider Uber or Lyft to help

Krisha Chachra is a freelance writer who has lived in Hawaii and traveled to over 50 countries and 6 continents. She resides in Charlotte, N.C., and escapes to the islands whenever she can. Visit her at Krishachachra.com or fb/insta @destinationsanddelish

mango-mag.com

Insider Tip:

keep the locals in business, recommends

Kiran Polk, executive director of Kapolei Chamber of Commerce.

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Backyard Tiki Bar

Frozen with Salt bringing Margaritaville to your own backyard Text by Nancy S. Moseley

Photos courtesy of Keith Bowen

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“To me, tiki bars are Hawaiian. I wanted my bar to be more Jimmy Buffett and Margaritaville themed, so I modeled it after two Florida bars. I now have a really cool place to sit outside and watch football,”

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The biggest threat to any backyard tiki bar is a homeowner’s association. That’s why when life took Keith Bowen from Charlotte, N.C., to Sacramento, he swore he would never buy a house at the mercy of the often-prickly governing body again. “When I lived in Charlotte I had a big backyard. I really wanted to build a tiki bar. But my homeowner’s association kept saying, ‘No!’” Bowen grew up, he laughs, “as normal as you can grow up in New Orleans.” He graduated from Louisiana State University and headed straight to Panama City Beach to work for a department store chain investigating credit card fraud. He could walk out of his condo and be on the beach in less than 10 steps. Eventually he relocated to slightly inland Tallahassee and went to work for an insurance company. After Tallahassee came the move to North Carolina, taking him even farther away from the coast. To Bowen, vacations have always been beach-bound. Growing up, his family headed to Pensacola, and in North Carolina he escaped to the popular Outer Banks. 28

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He always managed to seek out the salt life wherever he was. Bringing the beach as close as possible, to his own backyard, was the next logical step. After the move to Sacramento, out from under the hands of the neighborhood, Bowen finally had the freedom to begin the transformation. “I started out with a simple brick paver patio, but I decided that looked pretty bland, so I built a gazebo on top of it.” During Bowen’s Florida days, he frequented the Flora-Bama bar in Pensacola, a famous beachfront watering hole that straddles the state line. He also patronized a bar called Schooners in Panama City. It was within these two bars he first started listening to Jimmy Buffett in earnest. “To me, tiki bars are Hawaiian. I wanted my bar to be more Jimmy Buffett and Margaritaville themed, so I modeled it after those two Florida bars. I now have a really cool place to sit outside and watch football,” he chuckles. The bar is 12 feet long with a 65” TV right in the middle of it. His outside television is bigger than his inside television. Bowen had no master plan for the

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space, he simply went to the store, bought a bunch of wood and concrete and went to work, building it piece by piece as ideas came to him. He purchased old wine barrels from Napa Valley to use as tables between Adirondack chairs and recently acquired a Margaritaville-branded margarita machine. He used extra concrete to preemptively pour the pad for an eventual outdoor kitchen, Bowen’s next addition to the backyard. Back in North Carolina, Bowen had a client who owned a New Orleans-themed restaurant. “One evening I stopped by and noticed the Landshark surfboard hanging by the bar and thought, this has nothing to do with the theme of the restaurant. Maybe I can convince him to sell it to me!” Typically used for advertising in commercial establishments, the surfboard was, sadly, not for sale, so Bowen offered the owner a trade instead. “I had a New Orleans print signed by the artist, who has since died, so the print is worth some money,” Bowen states. Now the surfboard hangs proudly on the corrugated metal wall stretching across the front of his not-yetnamed bar. Bowen hasn’t hosted any major soirées but hopes to break out the new margarita machine for mass consumption soon. He recently discovered there is a Parrothead club in Sacramento. During the pandemic, Jimmy Buffett’s website has been replaying some of his best concerts on Saturday nights. He hopes to make full use of the impressively-sized television and host a viewing party for the club. mango-mag.com

Bowen has seen Buffett live in concert at least 10 times, but one of his favorites was when he learned he was going to be a father right before it started. “My daughter got to go to a Jimmy Buffett concert before she was born. Now she’s been to three more with me.” At a comically young age, his daughter, now in college at Loyola University, learned the words to Buffett’s “Let’s Get Drunk and Screw.” He laughs. “I think she did it because she knew it ticked me off!” He also got to see Buffett close-out the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest the first year he took over the spot previously held by the Neville Brothers for more than a decade. “It’s just fun music. There’s no lecturing, there’s no politics. It’s all about enjoying the life and having fun. You can’t really be in a bad mood and listen to it. There’s no negativity to his music whatsoever.” In his spare time, Bowen enjoys mountain biking and fly fishing and takes periodic vacations to a small lake community in Northern Idaho. The beach life philosophy is time-tested: Make the best of whatever you have, of whatever is in front of you. Bowen is a self-proclaimed bourbon drinker but understands while you listen to Jimmy Buffett in a backyard bar you singlehandedly built, what’s in front of you should only be one thing: Margaritas. And if you’re drinking anything else? “It’s sacrilegious!” Nancy S. Moseley is a writer whose standard margarita order is on the rocks with salt. Unless, of course, there are ocean waves in the background, then it’s frozen all the way. With salt. And an umbrella.

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PART

Sea TURTLES

The Three R’s: Relocation, Rescue and Rehabilitation

Text by Jo Clark 30

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Turtle Rehabilitation

In the course of patrolling so many miles of shoreline, occasionally someone finds a sick or injured turtle. When this happens,

They just have to work to be more conservation-

In 2020, 154 sea turtles washed ashore in

oriented. Do your part to keep beaches clean—pick

South Carolina. They were found sick, injured or dead,

up your cigarettes, Styrofoam items, plastic bags and

many hooked by pier anglers. Some were evaluated

other trash. And no bright white lights at night!

on-site and released into the ocean. At the same time,

28 turtles were admitted into the South Carolina

The South Carolina Aquarium’s hospital unit

currently houses 10 patients: three loggerheads, three

Aquarium Sea Turtle Care Center. After rehabilitation,

Kemp’s ridleys, and four greens. They range in age

17 were successfully released, and eight are still

from an estimated two years old to well over 30. All

receiving therapy. Three of the turtles died. The Care

the patients have been given names, and you can

Center takes in an average of 30 turtles each year.

track their progress on their website, www.scaquarium.

Although these breeds rarely nest in South

org.

Carolina, many of the turtles caught on hooks are

Kemp’s and green turtles. These turtles are primarily

Queen was found stranded, weighed only

143 pounds, and was in poor overall condition. When

juveniles who ride the Gulf Stream currents up from

examined, vets determined that she had bilateral

southern locations. The habitat near the piers is

cataracts; the poor girl was losing weight because

perfect for hungry turtles. Green turtles love the sea

she couldn’t see to catch her dinner. The center’s eye

marsh grasses, and the young Kemp’s and greens both

specialist, Dr. Anne Cook, a veterinary ophthalmologist

seek shrimp and crab for high protein sources. When

at Animal Eye Care of the Lowcountry, has removed the

the green sea turtle matures, they are 100 percent

cataracts. Queen’s depth perception will be affected,

vegetarian. When they develop sexually, they find their

but she will learn to compensate for that just like a

way home to Floridian and Caribbean waters.

person would.

Shrimp dangling from an angler’s hook

looks like an easy meal to a young turtle. Frequently,

Valentine, a juvenile green sea turtle, has

faced a series of hardships. She was pulled up from

veterinarians find that many of the hooked turtles

about 45 feet deep in sandy, muddy sediment during

are also fighting other health issues, which may have

dredging in the Charleston Harbor shipping channel.

caused them to go after the “easy meal” on a hook.

She weighed 5.6 pounds and was also missing a flipper,

The underlying problems also make their stay in rehab

but that appeared to be from a previous trauma. She

a little longer.

mango-mag.com

Relocation of endangered nests is a big part

piece. People have the power to make good choices.

South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources.

of turtle protection; rehabilitation is a much smaller

by Charlotte Hope, one of the wildlife biologists with

Katelyn McGlothlin, the sea turtle biologist at

the S.C. Aquarium, says:

swift action is taken to transport the

turtle to Charleston. The treatment team is headed

has been a patient for over a year.

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Rainbow, a little 4-pound juvenile Kemp’s ridley,

was caught on hook and line. The hook appeared to

Things You May Not Know:

be deep into the jaw. Luckily, the J hook was not too

Disturbing hatchlings is unlawful.

surgery.

Don’t get too close, and don’t pick up the turtles—it can

deep into his esophagus, and it was removed without

Angel Oak tipped the scale at 258 pounds. This

loggerhead is estimated to be over 30 years old. Angel

be harmful, and it is illegal.

was brought in after sustaining a severe boat strike as

Turtles dig deep and swim away.

A nest is about 18” deep, with the topmost eggs lying 10”

she made her way to the beach to nest.

You may notice some patients, especially the

older turtles, are covered in marine leeches, contributing to anemia. Freshwater dips and reducing the tank’s salinity helps them detach and die. By the time turtles are released, most are clear of these pests.

Whenever practical, turtles who recover are

released near where they were found. Many are brought

to Cape Romain, where they are freed to return to their ocean home. Through a partnership with Coastal

Expeditions, transportation to Cape Romain’s pristine

Bulls Bay is provided. Releases here have easy access to the open ocean and a perfect environment for the juveniles to remain in the marsh to avoid predators, find food and grow into strong, healthy adults.

There are moments of excitement in turtle

work, too. Last July, the SCDNR Sea Turtle Research Program learned a female was nesting on Bald Head

Island, N.C. She turned out to be a loggerhead captured as a juvenile in 2006 in Charleston’s shipping channel.

Scientists have tagged 2,500 loggerheads over

the past 20 years, two-thirds female—but only two have been reported nesting on a beach. “The significance of

this is that she is pushing her species forward,” says Paul Hillbrand, coordinator of the Bald Head Island Sea Turtle Conservancy Program. “She made it to sexual maturity and is reproducing. That’s huge when it comes to sea turtles.”

And, of course, there is the stunning beauty of

desolate islands ~ islands where you really are the only person alive (well, except for the other two people on

your team). At the coast, we like to say: “When you are lucky enough to be on an island, you are lucky enough.”

The Mango

from the surface. Digging is done by the back flippers.

After laying her eggs, the mother swims away and never sees the nest or hatchlings again.

From an egg the size of a ping pong ball, loggerhead

turtles grow to 3 feet in length and nearly 3 feet in width and between 250-350 pounds.

Lightbulb in the sand … A nest resembles an upsidedown light bulb, with the egg chamber about 18-24 inches below the surface.

Crawling serves a purpose, so don’t “help” by carrying

hatchlings to the water. Turtles build muscles through

crawling—muscles that they will need when they hit the water and have to swim for their life.

Unfortunately for the turtles, nesting season is also tourist season, so please walk without using flashlights or cell phones.

Sea turtles really DO dig the dark … Adult females dig and nest at night. Hatchlings are guided to the sea by

the light shining on the ocean—but they will also follow a flashlight, mobile phone light, white t-shirt or even tennis shoes.

Maturity comes late and lasts long … A sea turtle will be 20-30 years old before nesting. Some females have

been documented to nest every year, or every other

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year, until the age of 80 or 90. As turtles age, growth slows; this makes it difficult to estimate their age after they reach about 30 years old.

When the turtle is ready to lay eggs, she returns to the

beach where she was born, even if she has not been there in 30 years.

Meet some of South Carolina’s Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge Workers: Sara Dausey, Refuge Manager,

Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge Michelle Pate, Program Coordinator,

SCDNR Marine Turtle Conservation Program Charlotte Hope, Wildlife Biologist, SCDNR

If you hook a turtle instead of a fish, gently bring it to

Edward “Jerry” Tupacz, Wildlife Refuge Specialist,

line and tape it to the back of the shell to help the vet in

And, me, Jo Clark [writer] ~ I have been a volunteer

shore with a dip net, cut the line leaving an extra foot of the removal process.

Use a circle hook as it significantly reduces sea turtle mortality because the shape helps prevent them from becoming hooked if they eat your bait.

If you or your kids like to “dig to China” on the beach, fill

Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge

for three years. Now retired, I look forward to

spending more time with turtles. Holding that first hatchling and releasing it to struggle to the sea melted my heart—and I was hooked.

adult turtles can fall in and become trapped.

What should you do?

Dunes are not just piles of sand, they are fragile. You are

If you find a dead, sick, or injured sea turtle in

or sit on them.

hotline at 800-922-5431.

Turtles are rarer than you realize; only 1 in 1,000

• The exact location of the turtle

of every 10 nests.

• Whether the turtle has spray paint on its

those holes at the end of the day—hatchlings and even

not allowed on some dunes—don’t climb, walk, stand

South Carolina, call SCDNR’s around-the-clock They will ask you:

hatchlings survive to maturity—that’s only 1 turtle out

• The condition and size of the turtle

back (this indicates a dead turtle that is already

Turtles Don’t Need Sunscreen. Hawaii and Mexico are

documented)

the first to ban sunscreens using ingredients that wash off

• The location of the closest access point (i.e.,

(found in over 3,500 sunscreens worldwide), octinoxate

• If the turtle is alive, please stay with it until help

Rub It On—Don’t Spray It. Use lotion or cream instead

Jo Clark is a happily-retired teacher, travel writer, photographer, food and wine lover from South Carolina’s Grand Strand. She is also a turtle volunteer whose heart melted the first time she held a hatchling before releasing it to make its struggle to the sea. Her website is www. HaveGlassWillTravel.com.

and coat the ocean. The worst offenders are oxybenzone (even more toxic than oxybenzone) and octocrylene.

of a spray, which is likely to stick to the sand when you

spray. The tide comes in, and then carries this chemicalcovered sand into the ocean. When it rains, this oily residue seeps underneath the sand, possibly where sea turtles will lay their eggs.

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road numbers or names, beach access road)

arrives.

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Island Impact how a loyalty for lyrics drives goodwill

Text by Nancy S. Moseley

Photos courtesy of Adam Capps 36

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One might think . . . One might think growing up in a town with

off with “Nautical Wheelers,” which is not a frequently

a population around 450, that the dating pool is a bit

played concert song. To Capps, it was a spiritual

... shallow. But Adam Capps and his wife, Emily, both

moment.

grew up in Salemburg, N.C., and still live there today.

It would be a better story if they were high school

moment was when Capps connected with Dan Smith,

sweethearts, but not everything can be a fairy tale.

curator of the Classic Buffett Facebook group, host of

“We each dated different people in high

“Stories We Could Tell” podcast, and founder of the

school, then she started coming to the church I’ve

non-profit organization, Back to the Island. [Dan Smith

attended my whole life. I had a crush on her for a

is profiled in “Suit Life to Salt Life” in The Mango’s May-

while,” Capps muses. The two decided to jump out of

June 2021 issue.]

the pool and got married in the spring of 2020.

Capps graduated from Midway High School

remembers. Capps was getting ready to launch the

a golf scholarship. He majored in communications

“Under 40 Victims of Fate” podcast, which chatters

with a concentration in journalism. Now he’s a high

about a younger generation of fandom. The gesture

school English teacher, which he loves. Emily is a

kickstarted a genuine friendship between the two and

mammography technologist and is, just missing the

now Capps serves on the Back to the Island board of

“better story” once again, a lukewarm Jimmy Buffett

directors.

“She supports my obsession. But it’s also

through our love of Jimmy Buffett.” All fundraising

much,” he laughs.

efforts benefit three main charities started by Jimmy

In 2010 Capps, a life-long Kenny Chesney

Buffett: Singing for Change, Save the Manatee Club

devotee, tuned in to the Gulf Shores benefit concert

and Last Mango Boatworks.

on CMT. The event, billed as “CMT Presents Jimmy

Buffett & Friends Live from the Gulf Coast” gave Capps

for November 2021 at the original Margaritaville. He’s

year in college when he heard reggae artist, Mishka,

hoping to make the trek and meet Smith in person

perform a cover of “Trying to Reason with Hurricane

for the first time. The event aims to convert a shared

Season” that he began a deeper Buffett dive.

reverence for classic Key West Buffett into something

“’Trying to Reason’ led me to A1A, and once I

with wider reach, something that benefits the greater

heard that, I was gone. And I’m not back yet.”

community.

He attended his first and, due to covid-19, also

his last, Buffett concert in Virginia Beach in 2019. “It’s

the music. It’s about the song-writing and the lyrics

of living.” A highlight was an acoustic encore leading

“There is a difference in Parrotheads and

Buffett fans. With true, die-hard Buffett fans, it’s about

still one my favorite days I’ve ever had the pleasure

mango-mag.com

Capps has never been to the Keys, but the

inaugural Back to the Island fundraising event is slated

a first look at Buffett music. But it wasn’t until his junior

“I love everything that’s going on there and

the people and the organizations we are able to help

probably the reason she doesn’t like Buffett that

“I sent Dan a message on Instagram to

assure him both of our podcasts could exist,” he

in 2012 and attended Fayetteville State University on

fan.

Perhaps another spiritual, or perhaps fated,

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“The great thing about writing of any sort is how you as the reader, or you as the listener, connect to it and see your world through the lens of that song, or article or book.” and how that touches your life as an individual and how you can relate to it,” Capps offers.

Still, picking a favorite song is elusive. As

Capps has come to understand during his tenure as a

Buffett fan, a favorite song is more of a conversation

because it shifts and changes so rapidly. As an English

teacher, he has even found a way to weave Buffett into

lesson planning. His students have explored ballad deconstruction using Buffett lyrics, and they recently studied “A Diamond as Big as the Ritz” because it was inspired by an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story by the same name.

“The great thing about writing of any sort is

how you as the reader, or you as the listener, connect to it and see your world through the lens of that song, or article or book.”

Capps, save for a couple of extremely rare

demo pieces, owns every Jimmy Buffett studio album on vinyl. He may focus on the “under 40” sect for his

podcast (and his favorite generation of Buffett music

is appropriately the 90s), but his appreciation for retro relics is strong.

“Jimmy, through his music, has done so

much for so many of us, it’s really cool to be a part of

something that is helping people. It all goes back to the songs, or the music, and how it’s affected so many people’s lives for the better,” Capps concludes.

Sometimes the better story might just be

helping someone else write their fairy tale. Sometimes

the galactic, universe-shifting concept of fate is best

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appreciated on a micro level, one connection, one spiritual moment, one song at a time. Anything that helps keep the conversation going.

Nancy S. Moseley is a freelance writer who - fingerscrossed - will enjoy an all-expenses paid adventure to Key West to cover the first ever Back to the Island fundraiser for The Mango. A reasonable expectation, right?

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Beach Snacks Mango Pudding Serves 6

1 cup hot water 1 cup white sugar 2 packets Knox® gelatin 26 oz. canned mango pulp 1 ½ cups evaporated milk 1 cup cold water Blend hot water, sugar and gelatin in a bowl until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. Mix mango pulp, evaporated milk and cold water in another bowl, then add hot water mixture and stir well. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

No Booze? No Problem!

NOGO Mango 3/4 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup mango juice 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 8 oz. ginger beer Pineapple wedges and/or mango slices for garnish Place the pineapple, mango and lime juices in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously. Strain and pour over ice in glasses and top with a splash or more of ginger beer. Add fruit garnish and serve.

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From Pirate Chest to Surfboard Furniture ~ and More

Text by Joanne M. Anderson Photos courtesy of Justin MacNeal

Many people have that state line or highway

number, welcome sign or street corner which, when it comes into view, brings a big sigh and an even bigger smile.

For Justin MacNeal, it was State Road A1A

[SRA1A], the north-south thoroughfare in Florida which runs through most of the eastern coastal towns on its

way to ending in Key West. The 338.75-mile stretch

was originally State Road 1. The number was chosen in 1945 for it being the easternmost north-south road, but then it was often confused with U.S. Highway 1.

The latter is 2,369 miles long also terminating at Key

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West in the south, and ending up north at the Clair-

Fort Kent Bridge on the border with Canada. Thus, the state road number one was flanked by capital As.

“That sign was burned into my brain,” MacNeal

says. “I would come down from Maryland on vacation

to Florida as many times a year as I could afford. And

when I saw the State Road A1A sign over the Georgia

line, I smiled. Now I knew I would be warm, see the ocean and have a good time.” It’s simply a bonus that

A1A is also the 5th studio album – and the best one,

in MacNeal’s opinion – by Jimmy Buffett. “I’ve been to a couple dozen of his concerts in several states,” he explains.

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Just over a decade ago, during an exceptionally

Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Reef Charity

bad snowstorm in Maryland, MacNeal’s brother Lee suggested, not for the first time, that Justin come for

a visit at his home near Daytona Beach. “I just thought ‘enough is enough’ here, and I packed up my little dog

and headed south for a week.” Well, it was warm, the

ocean is there, and he had a good enough time to return home, put his house on the market and take the plunge, move to Florida.

“The job I lined up fell through,” he recalls,

“so I fell back on my ol’ bartending skills. Things were pretty lean the first year, and I thought maybe I had made a mistake.” But not so fast.

he started following one of Chesney’s charities, No Shoes Reefs. This arm of No Shoes Nation, seeks ways

to preserve the well-being of the oceans for all to enjoy one reef at a time. Someone at the charity noticed

MacNeal’s fine furniture and contacted him about

getting involved. “So a portion of what I sell goes to No Shoes Reefs,” MacNeal relates.

hospital and the Reef Ball Foundation.

When his nephew was turning 4, he asked

never built anything before,” MacNeal explains. “I had no idea what I was doing, but I did it. I designed and

crafted a pirate chest which turned out amazing. Then

and RePatriot Flag to raise awareness and dollars for ocean habitat.

[www.reefballfoundation.org].

The Business Model

from there. I was 40 years old [at the time].” The proverbial wake-up call came calling.

Inspiration came from decorating his home

with beach furniture. “I didn’t like a lot of what I saw,”

he states. “So much beach décor and furniture is either tacky or so expensive only the elite can afford it. So,

following the pirate chest success, I decided to bridge

that gap by making relatively affordable, hand-crafted

furniture in solid wood.” He slowly began to create his own designs, seeking sources of reclaimed wood.

Mahogany might be his favorite wood,

especially sapele mahogany from Africa, but then he speaks lovingly of reclaimed cypress and white oak and red oak. He’s made some surfboard table tops

out of maple. It’s very beautiful, he concedes, but very

hard, taking a long time and lots of effort to sand. But fairly soon MacNeal was making more money in two to three days a week than the long bartending hours.

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The Reef Ball Foundation joins Kenny Chesney’s

No Shoes Reefs and its partners Deep Apparel, Silipint

I started building other things, and it mushroomed

His signs are selling, and MacNeal loves that

some of the money is going to a turtle and manatee

Uncle Justin for a pirate chest for his birthday. “I’d

MacNeal is also a huge fan of Kenny Chesney

and has been to many of his concerts. For that reason,

The Pirate Chest

So, the wake-up call woke him up, and

MacNeal knew he’d found his passion, his purpose, his niche, in designing and handcrafting handsome, solid

wood furniture with a beach theme. He cranks Buffett music while he’s working. His reclaimed wood source is a top secret, and his business comes in all kinds of ways

including Facebook and Instagram. “People find me

there,” he relates, “and two months later, I’m building them a new dining room table.” He made and delivered

one surfboard coffee table for the HGTV program “100 Day Dream Home”.

He is living inland near Orlando currently and

plans to eventually move back to the beach and open a

furniture store where it feels and smells like a surf shop. Does he surf? Sort of, maybe. “I get in the water with a surfboard. I try to surf, and I have a lot of fun.”

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I am one beach nut through and through. ~ Justin MacNeal

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When he’s not woodworking, Justin MacNeal, the long-time Jimmy Buffett fan and erstwhile bartender, is known for his top shelf margarita.

He uses all fresh ingredients and an all-natural homemade mix to create the perfect balance between sweet and sour without it being too

“heavy”. Word on the street is that his margaritas are distinctively luscious.

OneTreePlanted.org While MacNeal favors and uses a pile of reclaimed wood, he does buy some wood products. When

he uses purchased wood for something, he gives $1 to One Tree Planted when it sells to replenish the resources he has used. “At the end of the day,

my company is not going to plant a million trees or single-handedly create a new forest. My goal is to raise awareness so millions can band together,

and we can plant a million trees or create a new forest. I mean, who knew you could plant a tree for a buck?” mango-mag.com

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Last Mango Jimmy Buffett’s Dream Boat

Text by Karl H. Kazaks

The Mango

Photos courtesy of Jimmy Buffett

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In Jimmy Buffett’s song “Last Mango in Paris,” the singer refers to going to Captain Tony’s to get out of the heat. In real life, when Buffett boards his boat Last Mango, he is going somewhere with his captain of 16 years, Vinnie LaSorsa.

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Buffett has had a number of boats named

70 mph – the kind of boat you can take in the morning

Last Mango, but the current vessel is a one-of-a-kind

from your Florida mooring to the Dry Tortugas – or to

creation, to match its owner. Last Mango is a hybrid

the Abacos, depending on your mood. They are also

of a 42 Freeman Boatworks catamaran topped with

designed to be used to fish on flats for bonefish or

a Merritt Boatworks-built enclosed pilot house. It’s

go in deep water for trophy pelagic fish – in short, a

a sportfishing and cruising masterpiece capable of

sportfisherman’s dream.

ranging easily from the Caribbean to George Bank, all

the while keeping its occupants comfortable.

open air consoles. You can put up side enclosures to

Freemans are well known for their thoughtful

protect against spray or to protect against a Florida

design and attention to detail. Standard Freemans are

winter, but the enclosures aren’t really the most

equipped with plenty of storage as well as practical

suitable for fishing and exploring the cold waters of

features like twin live wells, double-sided fish boxes

the North Atlantic.

and side tuna doors. They are also known for speed,

capable of easily cruising at 50 mph and even exceeding

just want to go after bluefin off Cape Cod, which

The Mango

Standard Freemans are built with covered but

And if you’re Buffett and LaSorsa, you might

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might lead the two of you to dream about putting an

a hull for Buffett, outfitted with quad Yamaha 300-hp

enclosed pilot house on top of a 42 Freeman. That

engines, to take to Merritt Boatworks.

dream became a reality for Buffett and LaSorsa in

2019. In January of that year, they took a 42 Freeman

mashup was the weight. Would putting on an enclosed

hull to Merritt Boatworks, and the construction of the

custom house – together with a fridge, freezer, head,

chimera began.

bunk, a 16,000 BTU air conditioning unit, and battery

banks – and a topside tower - reduce the speed which

The idea for this Last Mango came from a 33-

The biggest concern about building the

foot, enclosed helm Freeman that Buffett and LaSorsa

makes Freemans so alluring?

used one year, 2018. It was purchased for interim use

when their 42 Rybovich was in dry dock for repowering.

counting the windshield, at just 875 pounds. The

Buffett loved the 33 Freeman and just wanted a

tower, fabricated by PipeWelders Marine, weighs 500

bigger one. They approached Freeman about building

pounds. Buffett decided to go with 300-hp rather than

one, but the shipwright was backlogged with orders

325-hp engines to conserve weight, saving about 230

for its standard console ships. They did, however, build

pounds per engine.

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Merritt was able to build the house, not

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LaSorsa figures the overall weight added to

70-gallon live hulls. The “fins up” Last Mango logo is

the initial Freeman hull to be about 2,300 pounds.

found throughout the ship – including under hatches

Last Mango can’t quite get to the speeds of a factory

and on cushions and pillows.

Freeman, but it can cruise at 40 to 50 mph and top

out at 60 mph. The boat holds 800 gallons of fuel and

Last Mango is impeccable. JL Audio sent a team to test

gets between .7 and .8 mpg. The boat doesn’t have a

the boat to engineer the system so the tunes coming

generator, but it does have batteries, recharged by the

from the speakers in the tower, cockpit, helm and bow

outdoor motors.

all reach your ears at the exact same time.

Last Mango has other custom touches

Befitting a music legend, the sound system on

The boat was ready in July of 2019, and Buffett

speaking to Buffett’s love of the sea. The rod holders

and LaSorsa took it straight to Montauk on the eastern

number 58. There are magnets on the underside of

end of Long Island. Since taking possession, the boat

hatches to hold pliers and knives. Side hull doors

has travelled 12,000 nautical miles, from Massachusetts

swing inward to let passengers easily board. The

to the Caribbean. In winter, they mainly fish for wahoo,

typical Freeman design of twin live hulls in the transom

in the summer for snapper. Off New England, they

was modified into one large 150-gallon hull, able to

like to hunt giant tunas. And when the open seas

hold a 50-pound wahoo. There are also two additional

are rough, there’s the more calm waters around the

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Bahamas for shore fishing.

“Speed and comfort are the best things

about the boat,” LaSorsa relates. “It’s really a remarkable boat they’ve built.” The enclosed house makes it less wearing on the captain when you’re pushing 50 knots on the open seas – there’s no wind burn.

LaSorsa was at Merritt during the building

of the boat. At the end, the boat builder was even running two shifts a day to get the build done in the remarkably quick time of just four months.

The song “Last Mango in Paris,” refers

to “still so much to be done.” With this new Last Mango, Buffett and LaSorsa will be able continue getting it done, following La Vie Dansante.

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Buffett’s three must-haves on board are the

retractable awning, shock absorbent captains’ chairs, and pilot house windows which go

up and down rather than side to side. Lenco

electric rams were used to make vertically opening windows. That design eliminates

the issue of sliding windows creeping further

open as the boat runs. The SureShade awning extends back from the house almost all the way

to the transom. It’s not as wide as the cockpit, but Buffett likes that because it gives him more room to maneuver rods, without having to worry about a rod’s tip hitting the awning.

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Donny Brewer

Trop-rockin’ and Wally-dockin’ Text by Joanne M. Anderson Photos courtesy of Donny Brewer 54

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Trop rocker Donny Brewer was raised in Texas on surf music, oldies, Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix cranked to the max by his father. He might have heard a country music song or two on his mother’s radio. “Although I’ve been writing trop rock since 1990, I wasn’t aware of any following for it, certainly not in Austin,” Donny relates. “So I played in every rock, blues, country and wedding band in Texas. It didn’t become clear to me until after my first album in 2012 when I played a house concert for my first Parrot Head group, how an audience, and really a music community, is supposed to act. They listen to your music and actually pay attention. They follow you, they support you, they’ll do anything for you. They invite you into their home, feed you, house you, and go on trips with you to all those places you sing about.” “And,” he continues, “they’re not just your fans, they’re your friends. My only regret in my career so far is that I didn’t listen to my beautiful wife Michelle’s advice sooner to put all the songs I’d been writing on a CD, because these are my people, this is my music, and this is the life people work their whole lives to try and live.” Donny has been playing songs about the beach since he was a teenager and is adept at bass, keyboard, drums and random other instruments. He played those for most of the tracks on his four albums and is working to improve skills on the steel pan. For his band, the Dock Rockers, he reveals: “Apart from the typical drums, bass, keyboard and an occasional rhythm guitar player, I make sure to always have a pan player and a percussionist, because I think they are an essential part of the trop rock sound and certainly the Donny Brewer & the Dock Rockers sound. I take care of the lead guitar duties as well as nylon acoustic. I have stuck with the nylon in full band and solo shows because it gives off a kind of island and Latin vibe and for me, it sounds better for lead work than a steel string acoustic.”

Making Music Creativity runs naturally through his head, and Donny’s early ambition was to be a visual artist rather than an audio artist. “The efficiency of the computer took the paint brush out of a lot of hands,” he observes. He gets his artistic visual satisfaction doing website work and promotional material, but his passion lies in studio audio production. “Taking songs from concept mango-mag.com

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to finished product is my favorite thing to do, even more so than performing or writing. Lately I’ve been blessed to work on albums for trop rock staples Jerry Diaz, Thom Shepherd & Coley McCabe, Bob Karwin, and several more in the works.” Asked about the best place or time of day to write music, Donny enthuses about the advent of voice recorders on cell phones, available all the time. “There are way more songs discovered at 4:00 in the morning when you wake up to pee than ever before.” As far as the best place? “You know there are a lot of talented songwriters out there who can be inspired to write hits in a brick wall room with no windows in Nashville somewhere with a co-writer they were appointed to write with by the publisher, but I’m not one of them. I need a nice view of the ocean or the open countryside to get me in the mood and let my imagination wander.” Playing cover bands offers the widest musical influences, and Donny cites stand-outs like the Ventures and Beach Boys, the Motown Otises and Marvins, Rock ‘n Roll from Chuck to the Stones, and the genre non-specific like Van Morrison and Lyle Lovett.. 56

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“Oddly, there was no specific artist like Jimmy Buffett who brought out my tropical side,” Danny declares. “It was more just those one hit Caribbean and Latin flavor songs that were sprinkled through my sun-soaked life on the rivers, lakes and beaches of Texas. It was only later that I discovered the great many catalogs of not only Buffett, but also great trop rockers like Sunny Jim, Jerry Diaz, Jim Morris and many others.

Mobile Lifestyle Donny’s always been a guy on the move. He quit college to go on the road with a band thinking: “What could possibly go wrong with this plan?” Donny and Michelle traded living in a 3,000-square-foot house for a 300-square-foot Winnebago. “It was quite an adjustment at first,” Michelle explains. “You quickly learn you really don’t need the things you thought you did. If you don’t have a lawn, you don’t need a mower or a weed eater, or a shed to put them in, or tools to fix them, or a gas can .... well you get the idea.” Donny adds: “So yeah, the fridge is small but

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when you’re boondocking in a Walmart parking lot (aka wallydocking), you’ve got a whole store full of fresh food at your disposal.” The Brewers get to see places all over the country and never have to pack a bag to stay in a hotel. Maybe the very best part they both love is that they can enjoy a new front porch view every week, or every day of a week. And he can step fresh from home to the stage in his signature nappy old beach hat made in Jamaica and purchased long ago in Port Aransas, Texas. It could be paired with a tee shirt with some stupid saying or happy face or name of a friend in trop rock, along with a flowered shirt or his preference for Hawaiian shirts with a tribal pattern. In response to inquiries about his age or height, know that Donny Brewer is not as young as he used to be and not as tall as he used to be. He’ll take ice cream in any color or flavor, though he’s partial to Blue Bell Creameries brand, headquartered in Texas, where else?.

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Tropical Places and Phlocks “One of my favorite things about the kind of music I play is that it’s connected to tropical places, which means that part of my job is to take fans to the British Virgin Islands on sailboats or Mexico all-inclusives and even Europe and Australia. We do a Karavan to the Keys with 20 RVs from across the country. It’s like a rolling tailgate party with music every night where we form long-lasting friendships. People come together with a common mind to escape - not just the cold, but the mundane. Yeah, one person in a flamingo hat and a grass skirt is a whack job, but a whole Phlock together is a wonderful thing.”

Songwriters almost always have the song

radar on, especially for lyrics. At least Donny

Brewer does, so watch out what you say around him. You may end up in a song. July/Aug

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One Toe Text by Jo Clark Claude and Kathy Ryan spent their working life crisscrossing the United States. Once the decision to retire early was made, Kathy began researching in earnest. Their requirements: • • • • •

close to the U.S. stable government reasonably priced health care acceptable cost of living tropical paradise

The Dominican Republic [DR] offered retirement visas. Since the couple had visited numerous resorts on the island, the decision was easy. With property liquidated and essentials stuffed into seven bulging suitcases, they were soon in the DR looking for housing. Ryan says the only thing he regrets was bringing that seventh suitcase! The Dominican Republic occupies two-thirds of the island, and, separated by a mountain range, Haiti fills the western third. The government

in Paradise quickly repatriates people crossing the border back to Haiti. To reach the mountains and the country’s highest peak, Pico Duarte, you drive through farmland to the Jarabacoa area. The region produces most of the world’s organic rice crop. The Caribbean’s largest lake, Lake Enriquillo, is in DR. There is a desert near Barahona, and close by is the world’s only larimar mine. Larimar is a light-blue-colored semi-precious stone. The world’s secondlargest gold mine is also here.

Beach Life By definition, an island is bordered by water—but not usually two different oceans. The northern coast is buffeted by the Atlantic, with rocky beaches covered in rough tan sand derived from coral. The south is caressed by the Caribbean, and the white, fluffy sand that washes ashore is formed from sandstone.

With nearly 1,000 miles of coastline, there is variety among 200 beaches; some are steep; others wide and level. Mangroves or streams break up the seashore. You can stand on the beach and look up into the jungle from almost anywhere. One area has a gondola that goes from sea level to hilltop. Usually, a band plays at the bottom with a second band and Merengue dancers at the top. Bachata is a popular form of dance, and in many places, you will see dancing on the beach—as much fun to watch as it is to participate.

up a mountain with your guide and come back through the falls. Some you slide down, others you jump across on this half-day trip. Cora Gnegy, a tourism director in Virginia, warns: “Don’t go when a cruise ship is doing a tour.” You can see Cascada Limón on horseback. Sosua Beach is home to world-acclaimed windsurfing. An interesting fact: The town was founded by escaped Jews during World War II. Beach bars abound. Buy a drink (anything, even water), and you can sit on their chairs all day. Bring a board game, your friends, and enjoy yourself.

Atlantic Beaches

Caribbean Beaches

The Samaná peninsula is home to Las Terrenas (the earth), an almost endless beach itself with breathtaking, easily walkable beaches. Playa Casón is a broad, flat, gorgeous beach, with 40-50 foot cliffs down to the water. Some restaurants are located along the coast, but it is a relatively quiet area. The next beach to the east is Playa Bonita. Bonita is a steeper beach, with a beautiful malecón (seawall walkway) filled with restaurants and ending at a short, wide beach. On the tip of the peninsula is Playa Las Ballenas (beach of the whales.) There is a steep drop, with trees down to the sand line. From this point, you view three islands, “The Whales.” If you visit between December and March, you may spot right whales or North Atlantic humpbacks which use Samaná Bay for a birthing ground and nursery.

Cora Gnegy loves the Caribbean side of the island, especially La Romana, a historic fishing community, and Isle Saona, a government nature preserve. This uninhabited island boasts fluffy white sand, tiki bars, fresh seafood, hiking, natural palm trees and tropical flowers. Crafter and vendor huts dot the beaches. Selling food, produce, drinks and African-inspired beadwork and paintings, they are excited to share their wares. Cora thinks people have the perception that DR is not safe or comfortable. “Every place I’ve been is beautiful. The country is improving, and you see more waterfalls in one day than anywhere I’ve ever been,” she explains. “It’s easy to get around. Most people speak some English, accept the dollar, and there are plenty of ATMs.”

So Much To Do…So Little Time!

Across Samaná Bay, there are Taíno caves with petroglyphs (natives when Columbus arrived.) If you hire a boat from the point, it is only a 30-minute trip, but the driving time from Punta Cana is 4 hours. On Plaza de Espania (Plaza of the Spaniards) is Alcázar de Cólon, the 1512 palace of Columbus’ son, Diego Columbus. The home is now the Colonial Zone’s most popular museum. The AME Church in Santa Barbara de Samana was founded by former U.S. slaves who relocated to the island.

Fishing in streams and hiking interior trails are common. Snorkeling is popular, and dive shop excursions are available. Coral reefs start 100 yards out and run nearly to the beach. “Almost anybody can see fish within five to 10 yards,” claims Ryan, “And the water is glassy unless a storm kicks it up.” You can tour the rainforest, coffee and cocoa plantations, caves, and 18 national parks. Travel can be on a rented scooter, ATV, car, by bus or a GuaGua. Claude describes GuaGuas as “a bus that’s not a bus; usually a truck or van with seating.” In the northwestern section, beyond Porta Plata, is a little-known gem called simply 27 Waterfalls. You hike 60

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History Lessons

Capital City Santo Domingo became the first permanent European settlement in the Americas. Today it is a

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bustling capital city. Its Zona Colonial (colonial zone) has buildings that date back five centuries, like the Cathedral Primada de America. Claude Ryan says the best sangria in DR is found here, in the New World’s oldest tavern, Pat’e Palo European Brasserie, circa 1505. The tavern is in Parka Espania (Spanish Park), where you can sip your sangria outdoors, overlooking the park.

Tourist and Snowbird Destination Pescadores was a sleepy fishing village called Las Torenas when French and Italian vacationers started building summer houses 30 years ago. Now with a population of over 30,000, the town is featured at least once a season on HGTV’s Caribbean Life. DR’s population is about one-third expatriates: French, Italian, Canadian, British, German, and a growing number of Americans. This mixture explains the international flavors in restaurants. DR is also a huge snowbird destination for Canadians. Cora has vacationed in DR since 2010, often at all-inclusive resorts. It is her go-to escape because: “It’s just easy! And economical—you can hop on a plane and in three hours be on the beach, drink in hand!” The resorts are popular wedding destinations with packages that include a wedding planner. Cora talked her cousin into having her wedding at the Sandals Resort.

Tropical Weather With year-round temperatures in the 80s and a balmy 70 at night, the weather is perfect. There is a rainy period in October and November, but the storms pass 62

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quickly. The island is in hurricane alley, and hurricanes are closely monitored. DR acts quickly to repair damage and get back to “business as usual.” Since the last major hurricane, building on the beach is forbidden.

After A Day in the Sun Pizza is everywhere, and Claude insists that the best is in Playa Punta Popy. His tip: You can find Happy Hours because all the expats are there! The locals go to small markets or liquor stores and gather in groups outside. Sunday is their day for this, as the work week is Monday through mid-afternoon Saturday. The national beer, Presidente, is served in three sizes: • • •

12 ounce grande (16-18 ounces) jumbo (22 ounces)

Conch is prepared every possible way (think Bubba’s shrimp list in Forrest Gump). There is an African influence, with lots of lamb, yogurt, goat cheese and seafood. Gnegy says the jerk chicken is the best of any island—from street vendors or in a restaurant. Fruit trees grow throughout the countryside— coconut, mango and avocado -- free for the picking. During mango season, people gather on the side of the road, peeling and eating their fill as well as filling tote bags. The Ryans were in Playa Morron, taking the wooded path to the beach. An enormous mango tree had dropped its fruit, which was fermenting in the heat. Claude chuckles: “Two wild pigs were gorging themselves—you don’t see a drunk pig every day!”

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PHOTOS BY CLAUDE RYAN

Best Photo Ops The unanimous answer? Any beach! Other suggestions come fast: Hills, jungle, wildflowers, wildlife, rock formations, fish, coral and windsurfers. There are stunning views along the main road; you just need to get up high. Even the cemetery has murals. Las Terrenas and Santa Barbara de Samaná have Carnival (Mardi Gras) parades. And in June there is a fantastic flower festival.

Locals

Dominican people are friendly, caring and giving. Kathy Ryan complimented their housekeeper’s shirt. She went about the day’s errands and returned to find the freshly-laundered shirt drying on the line. She literally gave Kathy the shirt off her back!! “The pace of life is quintessential island life – comfortable and relaxing, but you can find something to do no matter what your interests may be.” ~ Cora Gnegy Jo Clark is a happily-retired teacher, travel writer, photographer, food and wine lover. www.HaveGlassWillTravel.com mango-mag.com

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Lake Life

is a Beach

Text by senior writer Krisha Chachra

Beach lounging in the United States usually

conjures up images of escaping to a body of water that

connects to one of two oceans. But you don’t need the

Atlantic or Pacific to furnish those dreams for you if you

expand your imagination to the greatest of lakes. In fact, some of the best beaches in the country on are Lake Michigan where the sun still shines on the sand and the waves still crash on the land. Throw in a camping

adventure or a winery tour nearby, and you’ve got yourself the ultimate summer beach vacation.

There are seven main beach towns along the

200-mile stretch of Lake Michigan’s sandy shore, each with its own authentic character and charm. 64

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The most popular destination is Saugatuck/

Douglas with the pristine Oval Beach - named one of the

most beautiful beaches in the nation. Nearby restaurants and accommodations make it a fun, one-stop shop for vacationers looking for a hassle-free destination.

If you’re into breweries, Saugatuck Brewing

Company has more than 15 taps in two tasting rooms

and serves hard cider, wine, a full menu and even has an outdoor patio for your family to enjoy. According

to the visitor’s site, Michiganbeachtowns.com, it is the only brewery in Michigan to offer a “Brew on Premise” program which allows participants to work with the brewery to produce their own suds. If you’re more in

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•

The Great Lakes are the largest fresh

•

Michigan has the most freshwater

•

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater

•

The largest freshwater sand dunes in

water system in the world. coastline of any U.S. state.

lake in the world by surface area.

the world lie along Lake Michigan’s shore.

•

More than 20% of all the world’s fresh

•

Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake

water is in the Great Lakes.

entirely in the U.S., bordered by Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

•

Of all the water in the Great Lakes,

•

Lake Michigan divides the state’s land

Lake Superior holds half of it.

into two unique peninsulas - the

heavily forested Upper Peninsula,

which is less than one-third of the

entire state; and the Lower Peninsula, shaped like a mitten.

the mood to taste homemade cider, Virtue Cider in

Fennville makes farmhouse ciders from heirloom apples grown locally. Taste and sip their ciders while touring

one of their cider houses and wandering around the

gardens to greet the farm animals. If wine is more your

speed, pop into Fenn Valley Vineyard and Winery which offers tasting, tours and many events throughout the year including cooking classes, festivals and live music. They also have a tasting room in downtown Saugatuck.

While in Douglas and Fennville, you can check

out the many galleries and the Ox-Bow School of Art where faculty and students create their wares and occasionally auction off their work. Visit the farmer’s mango-mag.com

market and local fruit stands for a snack before heading to dinner at Butler Deck where you’ll experience waterfront views and enjoy live music in the summer. But the water is the main draw when you visit Michigan’s shores. The Star of Saugatuck paddlewheel board cruise gives you a different water experience along the Kalamazoo River but since you’re there for the beach, you’ll want to get back on the lake and end the trip with an unforgettable sunset cruise on the Schooner Serenity.

Krisha Chachra is a freelance writer who has lived in Hawaii and traveled to over 50 countries and 6 continents. She resides in Charlotte, NC and escapes to the islands whenever she can. Visit her at Krishachachra.com or fb/insta @destinationsanddelish

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DEEP TRACKS

Pacing the Cage

Text by Johnny Cate Monitor your oxygen, diver — in this edition of Deep Tracks, we’re plumbing real depths. Drift like driftwood back to 1999. Here we find ourselves transcending terra firma for Jimmy Buffet’s Beach House on the Moon—a turn-of-the-millennium effort from Bubba that sums up, in one buried track, his mid-career milieu. We’re here to talk about “Pacing the Cage”, a ballad originally written by Bruce Cockburn, covered here by Jimmy in perfect form. It is a poetic account of restlessness, layered with vivid imagery that can leave the listener in a strange state of blessed mystification. The song starts with a simile that is both beautiful and ominous:

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Sunset is an angel weeping Holding out a bloody sword No matter how I squint I cannot Make out what it’s pointing toward... One can picture the crimson and ormolu colors of the sunset described here. It is, however, a symbol of celestial warfare that the spectator cannot understand. This is the opening image in a song about spiritual captivity. It is the singer’s acknowledgement that human life and human wisdom, however long they have to accumulate, are sadly limited. Sometimes you feel like you live too long Days drip slowly on the page You catch yourself Pacing the cage...

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A world weariness affects the singer with a compelling mental inversion—common feelings are that life is too short, but here his lament is that life is too long. The days “drip slowly on the page...” His story is no longer being written: It is a paused pen over paper, dripping. From this existential statis, the central metaphor of the song presents itself: ... pacing the cage. When we hear the phrase “pacing the cage”, we are naturally inclined to imagine a big cat — a panther, tiger, jaguar. Everyone who’s been to a zoo has seen the way these animals pace in their cages with a suspended shimmer of regality in their eyes. The singer is a contained being, but no less beautiful. Throughout the song, he’s going to acknowledge the reality of powers beyond his control that contribute to his sense of captivity, but never give himself over to them completely. I’ve proven who I am so many times The magnetic strip’s worn thin And each time I was someone else And every one was taken in Powers chatter in high places Stir up eddies in the dust of rage Set me to pacing the cage... The singer likens himself to a credit card, swiped until the strip is bare. He laments, to an extent, his consistently changing identity, and the forces above him that obscure his vision through their rivalries of power. It’s not hard to relate this verse to the music business—a consistent theme of Jimmy’s. He recorded this in the middle of his career, on a record that appears a flop for the most part. The entertainer is a commodity. His identity becomes a thing to be bought and sold—and vulturous label executives are always ready to pick the bones. I never knew what you all wanted So I gave you everything All that I could pillage All the spells that I could sing It’s as if the thing were written

In the constitution of the age Sooner or later You’ll wind up pacing the cage... The entertainer’s lament continues. He confesses he’s never really known what his audience wanted, so he “pillaged” his own heart for every “spell” he could sing. This is an image of self-plunder. He is not the captain of his own soul, but the pirate of his own soul—at the behest of people who claim to love him. He has pushed and pushed, but with clockwork certainty, has been subdued. He’s pacing the cage, and he’s ready to break free. Today these eyes scan bleached-out land For the coming of the outbound stage Pacing the cage... This communicates as a mortal idea: We are given the sense that this life is the singer’s soul-cage. Release from it represents release from captivity. His inner animal is freed, his eye is finally able to see where the sword of the angel is pointing. What makes this song so powerful is that we can all, at some time or another, relate. And it’s not a bad feeling with which to identify — Only the most amazing creatures pace the cage. Johnny Cate is a poet and advertising consultant based in Asheville, N.C. He daylights as a writer in association with Chameleon Collective, and moonlights as an authority on Jimmy Buffett’s lyrical catalog. DEEP TRACKS takes a forensic look at a Jimmy Buffett song, usually one considered a “deep track” or non-hit. It’s for Parrotheads, not posers. Johnny Cate rolls back through Buffett’s huge catalog, chooses a song and offers a creative analysis. One goal is to introduce new thoughts on Buffett deep tracks and bring joy to Parrotheads all over the world. But this is not really to provide answers as much as ask questions. This column is meant to be suggestive as much as it is conclusive. It has a stoner vibe, though Johnny is not stoned. And conveniently, “deep” is a great word for a column in a mag about oceans and deep waters.