The Mango Vol.1 Issue 6 by TheMango

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Letter from the Publisher

Marcel Wanders, the world-famous Dutch designer and art director at Powerhouse Studio in Amsterdam, took words right out of my mouth when he said: I collect memories. I look for opportunities to try new things, go to new places, and meet new people all the time. I tried a new thing on one of my trips to Jamaica, parasailing. More on that in a minute. My latest professional new thing is The Mango. As we wind up our first year of publishing this exciting, ad-free, 68-page, all color, high quality magazine, I reflect positively on having taken a chance to try this new thing. I am going to a new place and meeting new people very soon. What a privilege it is to be traveling to Key West for Meeting of the Minds 2021. And the most exciting part is that I will be, finally, connecting in person with so many folks who have not only been some of our most avid readers this first year, but also treasured advisors and friends. Eric Babin, Colleen Fuchs and Rob Hill to name a few. Rob was instrumental in developing and guiding our production of the MOTM 2021 Program and Convention Guide. Bob Haslett and Vinnie and Sarah LaSorsa might not be in Key West, so I’ll shake their hands virtually right here on this page. Parasailing in Jamaica was a genuine adrenaline rush. It doesn’t seem like it’s going to be that high from the ground, but once up there, oh lord. Cruise ships look like toy boats, and I was especially thankful that I was sailing and not free-falling! One big surprise is the mountainous terrain of Jamaica. I remember thinking it was akin to West Virginia have been dropped into the Caribbean. But, I knew I was definitely not very near The Mountain State when I strolled the most beautiful beaches offering the warmest, softest sand between my toes. I can’t really think about Jamaica without thinking about Bob Marley. His music

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has stood the test of time. He created a sound that connected with people who often didn’t really comprehend what he was singing about. We mostly relate his music to a chill-Caribbeanbeach vibe, but his lyrics were also complicated and filled with heavy subject matter about oppression and conflict. I guess those lyrics mirror the life of a Jamaican during his time. But Bob always made time for love (his 11 children proves it) and reminded us: Don’t worry about a thing….because every little thing…is gonna be alright. Thank you e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e. for a wonderful 2021, along with the enthusiasm to dance into 2022 with confidence and courage and, as often as possible, in bare feet.

Phillip Vaught Nov/Dec

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INSIDE 8

DESTINATION Aruba

PIRATE LORE Hayreddin Barbarossa

RECIPES Beach Drinks

TROPICAL ARTIST Nancy Blauers

BACKYARD TIKI BAR Winter Survival with Rich Barnes

BOAT PROFILE Endeavour 48 Power Catamaran 4

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November / December 2021

MICHAEL HOLLY A Parrothead Hall of Famer

EXPLORING Hidden Secrets of the Lowcountry

TROP ROCK SPOTLIGHT Jerry Diaz

IN THE CARRIBEAN The Rhythm of Jamaica

A SLICE OF PARADISE Port Aransas

DEEP TRACKS Please Bypass This Heart mango-mag.com

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Vo l u me 1 Is s ue 6

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 Kameron Bryant Johnny Cate Krisha Chachra Jo Clark Karl Kazaks Nancy Moseley Cindy Muir

PHOTOGRAPHERS Kristie Lea Photography Laura’s Focus Photography Corey Agopian Olivier Guillard Red Charlie 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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s mentioned in my last letter here, I looked for water to cross on the 2-hour battlefield trail ride at Gettysburg National Military Park. There were two gulches about two inches wide, so it was more of a step-across than walk-through trickle of water. Hickory Hollow Farm has the greatest horses and the best wranglers, and the most knowledgeable battlefield guide rides along as you wear a receiver and ear piece to hear his comprehensive presentation. The shops downtown in Gettysburg are some of the best gift shops for very nice, unusual merchandise (and I’ve been to a lot of gift shops!). Do not miss the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center for its movie, cyclorama and museum. My final sales pitch for Gettysburg is stay at Baladerry Inn for cleanliness, excellence, quiet, affordable and convenient to everything. On the beach front, Jo Clark’s comprehensive article on Aruba makes me want to pack a bag and book a flight. Thanks, Jo. I have a standing invitation to a friend’s home in Jamaica. Thanks, Kevin. And my fantastic sod farmer sister-in-law, Mary, escapes Minnesota winters in Corpus Christi, not far at all from Port Aransas, profiled herein by new-to-Mango writer Cindy Muir. Welcome aboard, Cindy. This first full year of The Mango has been an eye-opening experience for this simple country girl from

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Vermont, the only land-locked New England state. This is not to say I had not heard of trop rock and reggae or sat under palm trees, gotten pulled in and tossed about by an ocean undertow and gathered sea shells on Sanibel Island. I was, however, fairly uneducated in the particulars of musical instruments and the music that seriously can transport someone to a tropical clime. I took it with a grain of salt, but no more. The beat, the rhythm, the uke and steel drums, congas, marimbas and vibraphones with acoustic guitars and singer-songwriters who have the gifts of storytelling and carrying a tune really can take me away. You can bet when the snow flies on my small farm, I’ll heat up the tea kettle, maybe on top of my allnew, not-yet-used pellet stove, close my eyes and blast a little trop rock. I’ll find some sand, some sun, some water and a palm tree and park my mind for a little while. When I open my eyes to winter’s reality, well, I’ll put my feet into some very fine Muck® Boots and bundle up for hauling out hay or filling a winterized [aka heated] water tank. And I will be happy because … [drum roll] … I like winter. Ask me exactly how much I like winter around the middle of March. I am writing this on a beautiful, blue sky, sunny, crispy, fall afternoon with two more months of trail riding, pumpkins, scarecrows, mums and all the charm of autumn.

Joanne M. Anderson

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Aruba

Wants to be Your Happy Place!

Text by Jo Clark Photography by David Cohen, Pravin Patel and Dean Singleton 8

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Aruba “One Happy Island” is

known for pristine white sand, clear blue water, cooling trade winds, and having the most sunny days in the Caribbean. What’s

not to love? It is little wonder that Aruba boasts the highest return-visitor rate in

the Caribbean. They advertise: “Find Your Happy Place” - I think I just did! Aruba

independent

country but a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Located off the coast of

Venezuela, it has about 100,000 inhabitants

and is outside the hurricane zone. Daytime temperatures are a near constant 86º and drop to 76º at night.

Tourists’ Stories Dean and Janie Singleton visited Aruba

during a cruise. He recalls: “I was pleasantly surprised…it’s not a tropical island like I thought. Aruba turned out to be a volcanic

island with rough coastline on the north

and beautiful beaches.” After eight cruises, mango-mag.com

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this was the first beach that made him want to take

a stop at “One Happy Island.” Eleven hours on this

taking your phone out of your swimsuit pocket!”

David dreamed of a destination wedding. When she saw

a dip in the saltwater. And he warns: “I recommend

Pravin Patel confided he wanted to escape the

cold Atlanta weather. He discovered that Renaissance

Aruba Resort [all-inclusive] had a separate, child-free section. No kids and a private beach! A direct flight from Atlanta, and he was soaking up the rays on Flamingo Beach.

born. A year later, the wedding party was staying at Riu

Palace, and the couple said their sunset “I do’s” at the private Divi Phoenix beach next door.

You may be thinking that the Cohens are

living their happily ever after. They are, but it took FIVE

Aruba required a civil ceremony, but a mistake on the

The Cohens’ first visit to Aruba was not by

choice. They were on their first cruise, which made The Mango

the sun setting behind the Riu Palace Hotel, a plan was

weddings! A thing called “regulations” got in the way.

Tourists/Future Residents

beautiful island, and they were hooked. Brenda knew

paperwork rendered the first one null. Wedding Two was the beautiful beach wedding of their dreams, only

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Beach Life

to return home to find New York did not recognize Aruba’s marriage license. Wedding Three encountered

a glitch and Wedding Four at Wheatfield Town Hall

Aruba offers something for everyone. Luxury

corrected that. Finally, Wedding Five was a hometown

resorts line beaches where a variety of watersports are

“Our favorite place is Aruba. We were married

Beach. Mangel Halto offers snorkeling among delicate

wedding and celebration with their friends.

there, bought a house, and plan to start a bar,” David relates. Maybe you already know the Cohens—they

available. Limestone cliffs create private coves like Baby reefs in shallow water.

Brenda Cohen loves the peacefulness of Aruba.

were featured on HGTV’s House Hunters International’s

She says the locals make you feel welcome like you are

the couple is living on island time, The Mango readers

vacation—whatever that looks like, you can have it.”

episode “Beach Bar in Paradise.” And, yes, as soon as

are invited to visit The Floating Parrot Aruba. Mention this article, and the first drink is on David. Cheers!

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at home. “They will help you make the most of your

Eagle Beach is the third place winner of Trip

Advisor’s Best Beach in the World. It is home to two

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fofoti trees that make it the most photographed

If you want an “all-over tan,” there are clothing-

location in Aruba. Even sea turtles prefer Eagle Beach.

optional beaches on either Renaissance Island or De

Beach. Two-mile-long Palm Beach boasts palms, bars,

on the island. There is a ferry to De Palm, just 5 miles

Four species nest in Aruba, the majority on Eagle casinos, nightlife, restaurants and shops. You have your pick of water sports kiosks and hotels or luxury

resorts. Palm Beach also offers all-inclusive resorts and

is home to Aruba’s largest shopping malls, cinemas, water fountain shows, spas and even bowling.

The private Flamingo Beach is available to

Palm Island. This is the European influence you find

from Aruba’s shore. They say it is the place for pristine snorkeling.

Don’t Want to Just Sit on the Beach? You’re in luck! There is so much more to Aruba

guests of Renaissance Aruba Resort. Pink flamingos

than beaches in the way of high-energy or low-energy

contrasts with aqua water and white sand for postcard-

lessons, take out a catamaran, go snorkeling, try wind

wander the beach greeting guests—their bright pink worthy photographs. 12

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activities on water or land. You can sign up for scuba

or kite surfing, cliff jumping for the super daring, or try

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your luck at deep-sea fishing.

Tours of the island are available by bus, jeep

and horseback. You can also rent a jeep, mountain

bike or ATV and explore at your own pace. There are

picturesque vistas, natural bridges, historical places and museums. Since the island is only 19 miles long

and 5 miles wide, it is easy to explore without getting lost.

When asked about “little-known places,”

David Cohen chuckles. “We used to enjoy a secret

pool, but it’s been discovered.” His insider tips: Visit the glass factory—they give demonstrations and have

a restaurant and bar. It is on the road to the donkey sanctuary (detour!) and the gold mines. He has a mango-mag.com

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tip for photographers: “Go to the top of Hooiberg Mountain—you can see Venezuela on a clear day!”

Surrounded by water, there is seafood, and lots

An added bonus? There is always a festival:

of it, like fresh mahi-mahi, red snapper and barracuda.

February, Soul Festival and Beach Tennis Tournament

of the islands, a blend of Latin and African flavors. And

The Flip-flop Festival of trop-rock music, Carnival in (think aggressive badminton), to name a few.

Happy Tummies 14

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Add rice and creole seasoning for the delicious taste with over 250 restaurants, everyone can find foods

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table in the water—at sunset, of course! There is a unique food in Aruba known as pastechi. It is a deep-fried pastry stuffed with cheeses and meats. Order one at a local bakery, or get a dozen for the day. Imbibers will delight in downing ice-cold Aruba Aribas on the beach. Aribas are made with Coecoei, a local liquor, shaken with vodka, rum, banana, orange, cranberry and pineapple. Oh my!

a cashew. What a lot of work to get these little gems ready for market! Numerous natural bridges in the area grace the shoreline. One of the last bridges collapsed a few years ago, so you are no longer allowed to walk over them, but the photo op is lovely just the same.

Aruba’s Agriculture and Beauty

Aruba is famous for destination weddings. Pravin Patel says that he was only there seven days and saw two weddings held at Renaissance. A wedding— or honeymoon—in Aruba would add exotic romance to your big day. Exchange your vows on the beach at sunset or in a tropical garden. But do your homework

Here Comes the Bride

Aruba’s primary agricultural product is aloe vera (who knew?). If you’ve used aloe on a sunburn, you may have a little bit of Aruba in your medicine cabinet. Have you ever wondered why cashews are so expensive? I think I’ve figured it out. Look at the photo where Janie Singleton is holding the dark green pod. That little “stem” beside her thumb is the casing for mango-mag.com

in advance so you don’t require five ceremonies!

Jo Clark is a self-proclaimed beach bum. She moved to the Grand Strand after shoveling over 50 inches of snow during one winter in Snowville, Virginia! Nov/Dec

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Do Your Research Before You Go

I’m ready—how do I get there? Flight to Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) in Oranjestad What papers do I need? Passport; Embarkation/Disembarkation card (ED-card); valid return ticket; check for update on covid requirements if any Where can I stay? Hotels, resorts, all-inclusives, apartments, vacation villas, condos, timeshare

Can I drink the water? Yes! Tap water is distilled in a saltwater desalination plant and meets the highest standards of the W.H.O.

What if I have an emergency? Dial 911. Police at 100. A well-equipped hospital near Eagle Beach

What about money? Currency is Aruban florin. Dollars are widely accepted. Exchange rate: 1.75-1.80 florin for 1 U.S. dollar. Do I tip? Not obligatory, some establishments add 10 to 15 percent to bill. Extra can be added for exemplary service.

Shopping Most stores close after 6 p.m. and on Sunday. Grocery stores open Sunday afternoons.

What time is it? Atlantic Time Zone (Eastern Standard); Daylight Saving Time not observed • Weather tip: More rain falls OctoberJanuary

Island treasures you should see: • • • •

Alto Vista Chapel, 1750s, known as “Pilgrim’s Church” 1872 smelting works ruins at Bushiribana, used for gold mining Balashi Beer factory tours 90-foot California Lighthouse, 1914, named after steamship California, wrecked in 1891 • Santa Anna Church, 1770s, known for its carved oak altar • Fort Zoutman, oldest building of 1796 Dutch settlement, built for protection from pirates and enemies

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Hayreddin Barbarossa Text by Emily K. Alberts

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Corsairs with Coarse Hairs? In Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean, you

may recall the character of Hector Barbossa. The

film portrays Barbossa as a villainous, greedy man –

killing people for his own bounty. However, the true Barbarossa pirate [with an extra “bar” in the name] who inspired this antagonist was a much different man. In fact, he was one of the Ottoman Empire’s

greatest heroes of all time. His name was Hayreddin Barbarossa -- a.k.a. Khayr al-Din, a.k.a. Khiḍr, a.k.a.

Khizir, a.k.a. Hizir…which kind of sounds like Hector… ok NOW we get it, Disney! The youngest of four brothers, Hayreddin

was born on the island of Lesbos in what is now Greece, but at the time was under Turkish rule.

It was his eldest brother, Aruj, who inspired the

family’s tell-tale moniker, “Barbarossa” (Italian for “red beard”) with his bright, fiery-orange beard. Hayreddin’s facial hair was more of an auburnbrown tone.

The four bearded brothers founded the

power of the Barbary “corsairs” in the 1500s,

attacking Christian shipping and coastal towns

along the Mediterranean. As the term buccaneer is specific to a privateer of the Caribbean and Pacific

coast of Central America, a corsair is a privateer of the Barbary Coast, especially the Mediterranean.

Though all four brothers initially worked

as sailors and engaged in marine affairs and

international sea trade, they eventually became privateers to neutralize the privateering of the

Knights of St. John, based on the island of Rhodes. The eldest, Aruj, is famous for taking over

Algiers from Spain, while younger Hayreddin

helped Muslims fight against Christian rule along the Barbary Coast. Their naval victories secured

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Ottoman dominance over the Mediterranean during

He truly was a master of seas. Instead of using

the mid-16th century. Aruj began his career by

sailing ships, he decided to use 122 galleys against

Lesbos. After being freed from slavery to the Knights

Though the European fleet had the combined forces

attacking Aegean ships from his home island of

of Rhodes by Egyptian forces, he began working with his brother Hayreddin out of the port of Alexandria with ships provided by the local ruler.

Pope Paul III’s European fleet of 300 sailing ships.

of Venice, Genoa, Spain, Portugal, Malta and the Papal States, Barbarossa’s galleys were driven by oars, and therefore not reliant on winds. This made them far

The red-bearded Barbarossa brothers were

more maneuverable than the sailing ships, especially in

two of the most feared pirates of the 1500s, and

Hayreddin would eventually become the most feared

the islands and bays which were shielded from wind.

Barbarossa was able to capture 30 European

Ottoman Chief Admiral of the entire 16th century.

ships, sink 10, and take 3,000 Christian sailors as

Spanish stronghold and had his left arm blown off by

the battle, he was able to easily defeat the so-called

During 1512, Aruj was leading charge against a

a cannon. He was rushed to Tunis for surgery with his arm in a tourniquet. Hayreddin led his 11 ships back

and happened to capture a large Genoese ship along

prisoners. Though 400 of his own men were killed in “Holy League” of European countries and secure the

whole of the Mediterranean for the Ottoman Empire. Throughout the course of his life, Hayreddin,

the way, teeming with jewelry and treasures.

was able to expand the Ottoman Empire beyond

a squadron of 12 large galleys to take care of Aruj

Istanbul to retire and left his son, Hassan, in charge of

The Genoese Senate immediately dispatched

and company. After many years of ongoing, violent

islands and seas. In 1545, he returned to his palace in his stations in Algiers and across the seas.

battles with Spanish soldiers, Algiers fell to Spain in

He passed away peacefully on July 4, 1546, in

1518 and Aruj Barbarossa was killed in the conflict.

his palace by the sea. He died a hero and was laid to

the “Barbarossa” nickname and received his honorary

(formerly Constantinople). It became a ritual for Turkish

Following Aruj’s death, Hayreddin officially inherited name, Hayreddin, from the Arabic Khayr ad-Din, meaning “goodness of the faith” or “best of the

rest in the Barbaros Türbesi -- a mausoleum in Istanbul

ships to pay tribute to his grave, and as they passed by, they would salute the brave sailor.

faith”.

Emily K. Alberts, who always thought the eye-patch /

Hayreddin Rises in Rank

peg-leg combo was the total pirate-package, now knows it’s all about the beard, baby.

Hayreddin Barbarossa vowed to continue

the fight, avenge Aruj’s death, and become the

Barbarossa’s epitaph reads:

ruler of Algiers in his brother’s honor. In 1529, he

made good on his promise and retook the Peñón of Algiers from the Spaniards. Four years later, he was appointed Grand Admiral of the Ottoman Navy by

This is the tomb of the conqueror of

Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. He led an embassy to France in the same year, and conquered Tunis in 1534. But perhaps his most famous battle was his

decisive victory over the Holy League at Preveza in 1538.

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Algiers and of Tunis, the fervent Islamic

soldier of God, the Capudan Khair-ed-Deen Barbarossa, upon whom may the protection of God repose.

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Beach Drinks Aruba Blue 1 oz blue curacao 1 oz coconut rum 2 oz pineapple juice 2 oz Sprite

Fill a hurricane glass halfway with ice cubes. Add the blue curacao and coconut rum to the glass. Slowly add the Sprite and pineapple juice to glass. Stir the drink and serve.

Tiki Torch 2 parts Fireball Whisky 1 part Coconut Rum 1 part Pineapple Juice Mix. Chill. Shoot

Jamaican Mistaican

1 oz. Vodka 1 oz. Midori (melon liqueur) Orange Juice A splash of 7-UP Maraschino Cherry

Photo by Ibrahim Razzan

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Pour vodka into a glass filled with ice, fill almost with orange juice, add a splash of 7-UP, float Midori and stir gently. Garnish with cherry and a slice of orange or pineapple if desired.

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Kismet Creations Inspirational wildlife artist targets a tropical market

Text by Nancy S. Moseley Photos courtesy of Nancy Blauers Not every artist gets the request to make her

peaceful, and everything would be beautiful. That was

good thing. “They liked me because they knew I could

In 1986 she graduated from the School of

subjects look drunk ... and thinks it might possibly be a

my fantasy place,” Blauers comments.

draw macaws. But then they asked: ‘Can you have them

Visual Arts in New York City with a Bachelor of Fine

a little drunk?’ and I said ‘You betcha!’” Nancy Blauers

dimensional type. Blauers had decided to explore

holding a margarita glass?’ and ‘Can you make them look

laughs. “They” being Margaritaville Merchandising, the company behind the utopian artistry encircling Jimmy Buffett.

Blauers grew up on the Connecticut shore,

sailing the Long Island Sound and dreaming of a future

Arts in Illustration, though not your presumed two-

sculpture as a form of illustration in an attempt to stand out above the rest. She taught herself how to intricately carve in wood because it was the cheapest medium for a pocket-conscious college student.

“For my parents, it was the stuff of nightmares,”

of maritime pursuits. She remembers first hearing

she relates. “They’d hear power tools going at all

when she was 10 or 11 years old. At 13, she first visited

sawdust.”

“Margaritaville” when she was lounging on a beach Florida and felt an immediate visceral connection.

“I had always dreamed of the tropics. It was

that amazing place to be where everything would be 22

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hours, and I’d come up from the basement covered in Her favorite piece, in an impressively amassed

portfolio, is still a wood carving called “Egyptian Fruit Bats” that she did in college. “It launched me on the

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path to being a wildlife artist, but a very different wildlife artist.”

In 1992, thanks to her creative penchant for

wildlife and tropical art, she got a job at Harlequin

Nature Graphics to paint wildlife designs for screen printing on apparel. She packed up her jeep and drove from Connecticut to Ft. Meyers, Fla., with her contemptuous, foul-mouthed parrot, Franko. It was a pivotal moment.

By happenstance, the founder of Harlequin,

Michael LaTona, had recently befriended Jimmy Buffett while the two occupied the same bird blind on Sanibel

Island. They went on to join forces professionally and

spearheaded the company that would eventually evolve into Margaritaville Merchandising. They liked

Blauers because of her aforementioned gift at macaw

illustrations; however, it was actually her wood carving of macaws that cinched the job offer. The efforts she made in college to distinguish herself were paying off.

“I was at the helm of creating art for the stores and the venues. I designed everything from tee shirts to glassware, jackets for Jimmy’s pilots, tavern signs, sculptures, ceramics. Whatever they were looking for.”

Chances are, if you’ve ever visited a

Margaritaville restaurant or attended a Jimmy Buffett concert, you have enjoyed Blauer’s work.

When the pandemic hit, after years of creating

for someone else’s bottom line, Blauers decided to

take a chance and go 100% freelance. “I wanted to start painting and sculpting as a fine artist again,” Blauers explains. Her work is animated, playful, multidimensional and vastly diverse.

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She’s painted murals on million-dollar cigarette boats and designed inlay tile work

for pools in the shape of dolphins. She’s created full museum exhibits

and painted the creature of the black lagoon drinking tiki drinks. In 2007, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission selected her design for

Save the Manatee license plate. From dragons to hula girls to

the

tipsy tiki scenes, she says: “Anything that gives me that vibration.”

She is currently working on a new series starring pirate frogs called “Captain Croaker and the Caribbean Amphibians.” “I have found that if people laugh,

they’ll buy it. How can I bring some joy into their lives?” And much like the

stylings of Jimmy Buffet, “How can I make them escape a little bit?”

Blauers has opened an Esty

shop and is enthusiastically available for commission work. She may even

take on a few art students to teach oil painting.

She and her husband, Greg,

occupy a 6-acre farm on the outskirts

of Orlando. He owns Wop’s Hops Brewing Company in Sanford for

which Blauers created all the branding

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and beer poster art. In his down time, he tries

to ignore Franco’s unapologetic detestation (“Franco hates my husband,” she laughs).

The two are avid international travelers and scuba divers, and Blauers recently joined a pop ensemble called Big Tiki and the Mai Tais,

a three-piece band with two ukuleles and washtub bass.

“It’s kind of come full circle. Starting out as an artist for Jimmy, then actually getting on stage and performing and being a part of the music scene. It’s such an interesting evolution.” After all, they are forms of art, forms

of escapism. And as we know, when escaping one thing you often end up heading down a

road heading somewhere else. The journey is

just that much better when the buzz you catch

is not from cocktails, but from hard work and circumstance.

Nancy S. Moseley is a freelance writer who believes that happy hour at [any given bar] is pretty much as close as you can get to being at the right place at the right time.

FIND NANCY BLAUERS Etsy: NancyBlauersArt

Facebook: Nancy-Blauers-Art

Email: nancyblauersart@gmail.com

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Backyard Tiki Bar

Palm Tree Protection how one man built a winter survival sanctuary in his garage

Text by Nancy S. Moseley

Photos courtesy of Rich Barnes 28

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Most people who live in central Massachusetts

later at a photography convention. “It was ... ‘I’ll show

where the winters could crack open a beer would relish

you my studio if you show me yours,’” he comically

a 3-car garage -- not only as a borderline necessity, but

recalls. And now, a Key West honeymoon, one

also perhaps as a status symbol of grown-up success.

combined photography business, four children and a

For Rich Barnes, however, the success benchmark was

slew of pets later, they have a 3-car garage.

a bit different. His priorities were less about ‘keeping

Barnes’ grandmother was a bartender and

up with Joneses’ and more about sharing a toast with

an avid traveler, with a particular penchant for Hawaii.

them.

She usually returned stateside bearing souvenirs “I thought I could have more fun in here as

and stories from the tropics, affording young Barnes

a bar rather than a garage. It felt like it could be a

a connection to the escapism of paradise. But the

cooler space. So the cars sit outside now, but that’s

farming communities of Massachusetts left much

fine,” Barnes offers.

to be desired for those who longed for all-things-

Barnes, now in his mid-50s, grew up in the

tropical. Thankfully every few years the family would

same central Mass. town, about 15 minutes west

take a break from the usual New England camping

of Boston. He attended photography school in the

vacation and drive down to Florida.

western part of the state and, after a lackluster job

“I wanted to bring home anything I could find

search, decided to open his own studio, which has

that was coconuts or palm trees. Once I brought home

been in operation for 35 years.

a suitcase full of Spanish moss, then discovered it was

His wife, Kristen, is also a photographer. They met at school and circled back together several years 30

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full of bugs. But it didn’t matter, I wanted to make my own jungle at home.”

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Now the Barnes family tailors vacations

Facebook groups and found out he was, ironically, on

around warm weather, sunshine and “anywhere with

an island. “I’d like to be able to build a larger group

palm trees, fake or real!” They are Disney and cruise

of tiki enthusiasts in central Massachusetts, because

line fans, and almost defensively he assures: “No

there aren’t really a lot. Most people think, ‘why would

Alaskan cruises yet!”

you do this?’”

Most of his kids’ birthdays occur in the winter,

It started simple, with the actual bar and a

so they most often get themed something contrarily

pool table. Then he pulled in bamboo props from

tropical. Around 2015, Barnes was setting up for yet

his photography studio and, little by little, with more

another beachy birthday in the middle of a nor’easter

and more Internet research, thrift store, flea market

snowstorm and found himself daydreaming of an

and antique store scavenging, he began to build an

earlier trip to Disneyland when the family stopped by

oasis. He once drove 12 hours to buy a find. True to

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar. “At the time I thought,

escapism, it can be more about the journey than the

this is cool, whoever designed this place understands

destination, and Barnes finds great joy in the search for

me. That’s when I decided to make my own,” Barnes

the right tchotchkes.

explains.

“A lot of the space is filled with stuff that most

The cars, once tucked happily in a toasty

people would look at it and say ‘that’s the ugliest thing

garage, were banished to endure the elements outside,

I’ve ever seen in my life,’” he laughs. The large tiki

and the tiki bar transformation began. Barnes took to

came from the back of a garage that was long pillaged

the Internet for ideas and uncovered an underbelly of

from an old Tiki Kon restaurant abuzz in 1970s Boston.

like-minded bar aficionados. He joined appropriate

He even bought an entire private museum collection

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of Papua New Guinea art out of Long Island, N.Y., all

The name, “Trader Dick’s,” is part in homage

to lend an on-theme tribal feel. There is one television,

to the blueprint of Trader Sam’s and part reminiscent

and if [insert big game] isn’t on, it usually broadcasts a

of a childhood where friends called him Rick, Rich or

loop of ocean waves and moonlight.

occasionally, Dick.

“I’m not going to tell my wife how much it

As per Barnes family tradition, the first official

all cost,” he jokes. “But truthfully, she knows. She just

gathering to occur in Trader Dick’s? “It was a probably

doesn’t let you know she knows.”

a kid’s birthday party. Most of all, I wanted a place to

The walls are mostly old, weathered planks,

sit in the middle of winter where it didn’t feel like it was

installed to manufacture the freedom to hang things

the middle of winter in Massachusetts.”

without concern for stud whereabouts. His eldest

The next step is to construct an actual beach

daughter has made several signs for the bar with

outside the tiki bar. Here’s hoping the sandy shore will

inspiration from Disney Jungle Cruises, like “Tours

go out back instead of down the driveway, or else the

Departing Daily.”

family roadster may get kicked to the actual curb. Alas,

“But mostly when I ask for help with

priorities.

something in the bar, they just groan.” The space is intricately intertwined, so to move just one thing is a

Nancy S. Moseley is a freelance writer who thinks she

huge undertaking. Despite the effort it takes to make a

will start playing loops of ocean waves and moonlight in

change, it is still the foundation on which tiki bar buffs

her house to set a more desirable ambience. It will sure

operate. “When I look at it, I see changes coming. It’s

beat the everyday, cacophonous loop of “Paw Patrol.”

always changing.” mango-mag.com

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Free Life

A Flag Fluttering

Text by Karl H. Kazaks Photos courtesy of Debbie Russell

gold flag flies from Gypsies

Palace, Steve and Debbie Russell’s Endeavour 48 power catamaran.

The flag indicates that the Russells

completed the Great Loop, a multi-path waterway which circles the Eastern U.S. and includes the

Mississippi River, the Atlantic Ocean, the Erie Canal, the Great Lakes, and passage under a fixed railroad

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bridge (19.7-foot clearance) on the Illinois River outside Chicago.

“More people climb Mount Everest in a year

than finish the Great Loop in a year,” Debbie says. “It’s that daunting of an experience! It was very exciting – every day was so different.”

It was the lure of daily adventure which

led the Russells to live full-time on the water five

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It was the lure of daily adventure which led the Russells to live full-time on the water five years ago

years ago, in the autumn of 2016. “Living on land,

U.S. “We were a 4-person family,” Debbie explains.

you never know what wonderful thing is going to

music!”

everything is routine,” she adds. “Living on a boat,

“We could eat outside, and we were thirsty for live

happen next. On the water, everyone is a friend. I

Music – especially trop rock – is a particular

have more friends now than I’ve had in my entire life.”

pleasure of the Russells. They named their boat after

on a boat was a thrill. They sailed with their buddy

boat is the second cat the Russells have owned of

Even during the covid challenges of 2020, life

the Jimmy Buffett song “Gypsies in the Palace.” This

boat, One Eyed Dog, travelling the waterways of the

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that name – the first being a Leopard 47, which they sailed on the Great Loop. Nov/Dec

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Expanding Living Space

Life on the Water

The Russells enjoyed their Leopard, but

Prior to moving full-time on water, Steve

decided to try another boat with a larger interior for

worked as a boat captain and yacht broker. Debbie

interior living space, including three staterooms and

choosing the timing of her holidays based on the

bad weather. The Endeavor has 850 square feet of

would schedule her vacations around Steve’s journeys,

three heads. It has windows on all sides – for visibility and, when open, ventilation. The galley is a dream,

with an island, dishwasher, propane stove, microwave, wine cooler, two refrigerators, freezer and ice maker. The Endeavour has a boat lift on its stern,

which adds length and causes the boat sometimes to

be referred to as a 50. The boat’s beam is 18 feet. The

ship’s helm is enclosed, which is nice when they travel

details of Steve’s travels.

“Being on the water with him when he was

making yacht deliveries, I would see these people in

the morning . . . they were so happy! I wanted to live on a boat. I used to drive a lot. I don’t miss being on

the roads. We don’t even own a car, and when we rent one and drive, it’s scary on the interstates.”

Steve still works as a buyer’s broker, and when

through areas with pesky insects. The draft of the boat

Russells chart their course they often do so based

maneuverability in shallow water.

Tampa’s annual Music on the Bay. There, thanks to

is only three and a half feet, providing quite a bit of Two Cummins QSB 6.7 engines with 425hp

each power the boat, fed by a 1,000 gallon fuel tank.

The cat can go up to 18 mph, but the fuel burn is more economical at lower speeds, so the Russells typically

travel at 10 mph. “It’s spacious and stable, open, with lots of living space,” Debbie explains. 36

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on what trop rock festival they want to attend – like Gypsies Palace’s shallow draft, they can take the boat

right up to the beach. Recently, the Russells attended the Boatyard Beach Bash in Annapolis. In addition to enjoying the music and food, they also met up with friends, meeting for the first time in person.

“I run two Facebook groups for cats, one for

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Endeavours and one for power cats,” Debbie relates.

Staten Island, the fresh shrimp and fish on the Outer

boating life. Sometimes we get together in person – for

Baltimore. In Fort Myers, they like to catch blue crab,

“People reach out to me, asking for advice on the docktails - when I give them a boat tour.”

When Debbie first moved to living on water,

Banks, Joe Patti’s Seafood in Pensacola, the oysters in which Debbie uses to make crab cakes.

Debbie is even planning an Endeavour

she wasn’t sure how she would take to the lifestyle,

rendezvous in February at Cayo Costa. If you feel like

later, she loves life aboard the power cat as much as

Debbie – or head out on the water and live the flag

so she kept a bunch of furniture in storage. Five years ever. This winter, she is going to downsize her stored

getting your gypsy on, head out and meet Steve and

belongings and move a few things to a smaller storage unit. “We have no desire to be back on land. The Endeavour has great living space.”

One of the Russells’ favorite things about

the American coastal communities is exploring the

country’s various cuisines. They love the clam pizza on

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fluttering free life that the Russells enjoy every single day.

Their blog:

coastaljourneys.com Nov/Dec

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A Parrothead Hall of Famer

Michael Holly

Text by Emily K. Alberts

Photos courtesy of Michael Holly 38

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23 4 Trudging through the bleak winters of Toledo,

of the traveling. She doesn’t quite understand my level

Ohio, Michael Holly was drawn to the island escapism

of Parrothead passion, but she loves the places it takes

that being a Parrothead provided him. “All of a sudden,

her.”

I was transported from the concrete jungle to tropical paradise in the Caribbean. Jimmy Buffett’s music is just

hopping on a bus to see local shows, grew to roughly

a never-ending treasure trove of experiences. It really

75-100 Parrotheads, flocking together all over the

is its own genre.”

globe. “And it gets bigger every year!” Holly exclaims.

With 234 Buffett concerts under his belt,

“As far as I know, I’m the record holder, and

Holly is the unofficial G.O.A.T. of Parrotheads – the

my wingman is Craig Smith, a.k.a. “Private” (Smith was

man is a living legend. “What can I say?” he laughs.

a Private in the U.S. Marines). “We met at Duke’s Bar

“If something’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing!”

in Hawaii one day before a Buffett concert, and we’ve

He has attended concerts on two continents, in six

since seen more than 125 shows together.”

countries, in 27 states and 54 cities.

Holly started the tradition of writing the show

So how did this all….happen?

number on his arm with a big, black Sharpie -- and

“I scored season tickets,” Holly quips. “I kid, of

many of his friends followed suit – on the off chance

course, but it’s a nice analogy to keep perspective. In

that if Jimmy was ever in the parking lot after a show,

baseball, season ticket holders see 81 games per year,

he might see them, wonder what all the numbers were

and seeing every Buffett concert in a year only puts

about, and come over.

me at about 31.”

And as luck would have it, on March 30, 2012,

And for Holly, every “game” is a home game,

which happened to be the exact day of Holly’s 100th

and his team has never lost! “Beginning in ’89, I’d go to

show, it happened! He and his friends finally got to

about one show a year, like a normal person, and I did

meet Jimmy. After that, Jimmy’s camera crew would

that for about a decade until I realized I was having a

always be sure to find them during a show and put

really, really good time at those concerts – why was I

them on the big screen.

only going once a year?”

But the true highlight of Holly’s “Jimmy

So, he started going regionally, all over

Journey” would come later…

Northwest Ohio, and then he decided he was going to

As Holly continued to put in the daily grind of

try and attend Every. Single. Concert. “My wife loves all mango-mag.com

What started as a group of about 10-15 friends

working as a stockbroker in Toledo, he realized that if Nov/Dec

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he worked hard enough, he just might be able to turn his

put in 100 hours a week at the restaurant to ensure its

know it, of course, but he’s been kind of a mentor to me.

“So get this, we were hanging out after a concert

Parrothead pastime into a fulltime gig. “Jimmy doesn’t

success. And the hard work paid off.

His music is so rich with meaning, and he has inspired me

on Long Island and there was a film crew, but not the

even Jimmy’s own Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant

a concert to get us on the big screen with all of our arm

to take chances in life. Not everything’s gonna work out, idea didn’t quite work out, but he continued to try new things.”

Holly decided to go for it, and he eventually

started his own company. Once things took off, he sold

that company and headed down to Costa Rica to open a beach bar! Holly paid Buffett proper homage, giving his restaurant the familiar moniker of Margaritaville.

He and his wife bought a beach house – and

even made it on an episode on House Hunters! Holly 40

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usual film crew that would pan over to our group during “tattoos” … this was a different crew.” As it turns out,

this film crew was making an Indie film about hardcore Buffett fans! “I told them they had hit the jackpot and to look no further.” But, of course, the crew was hesitant and replied: “Sure, bud, everyone says they are Jimmy’s BIGGEST fan…”

But luckily, they saw Holly a few more times

across the country, and when they finally saw him again

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Michael Holly

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in a DIFFERENT country (France) that really sealed the

deal. “Three weeks later they called me and said they

wanted to feature me in this movie, Parrot Heads, and

Mango in Paris” because the end of the song truly speaks to him.

they wanted to film it at my restaurant!” Holly couldn’t

I ate the last mango in Paris

Costa Rica to meet with the film crew at his surfside

Took the first fast boat to China

say yes fast enough and hopped on the next flight to

Took the last plane out of Saigon

Margaritaville restaurant. *Side note, did you know that

And Jimmy, there’s still so much to be done.

Like, in the history of the WORLD?

“I still don’t know what I wanna do with my life,”

“Margaritaville” is the most profitable song of all time?

Once the movie had finished the production

stages, Jimmy himself would end up seeing it and he was totally on board … so much so that he wanted to use the

footage of Holly hanging out at his own Margaritaville

restaurant as a backdrop for his concerts for the entire

Holly remarks, “but it’s pretty cool to think this crazy passion of mine has taken me all over the world.”

Written by Emily Kathleen Alberts, who is still searchin’ for her lost shaker of salt.

2016 year!

“I didn’t tell my friends, so when we were all at

the concert and the footage came up on the screen, they started recognizing Costa Rica, and Tamarindo

(where the bar is located) and then my bar, and then lo

and behold I come up riding a horse on the big screen and they were just blown away!”

Parrot Heads premiered in 2017 and can be

seen on Amazon Prime and Netflix.

“I guess the takeaway is that if you work really hard, and love what you do, things will start to happen.”

Presently, he is producing a movie with that

same film crew. His favorite Jimmy Buffett song is “Last 42

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Where did the term Parrothead come from? On June 28, 1985, Mr. Buffett was playing a show at the Timberwolf Amphitheater at Kings Island. Local legend states that year the big giveaway item at the park’s carnival booths were giant inflatable parrots. The crowd, wearing Hawaiian shirts and carrying parrots was a sea of color to then Coral Reefer Band member, Timothy Schmit. He looked at the crowd and coined them Parrotheads, a play off the Grateful Dead’s fan base, the Deadheads.

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Explore Hidden Secrets

of the Lowcountry

“The folks at Coastal Expeditions will have you so mesmerized…you won’t realize all the teaching taking place.” - Charleston Magazine Text and Photos by Jo Clark 44

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Picture blue skies, puffy clouds, sandy

64,000-acre Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge. It was

that extend to the edge of the Atlantic, whelk

the most pristine areas, untouched by humans. Even

perfect day? Escape to a deserted island, safe in the

onto the island, bring it back with you.”

end of the day.

is still there to ferry me over. Not only a naturalist,

a tune in my head: “Nothing Could be Finer Than

for the area shows in his words and his eyes. Garden

day 25 years ago when I fell in love with Bull Island.

Carolina’s most knowledgeable naturalists.”

beaches, eagles soaring overhead, maritime forests

classified as Category I, a classification reserved for

shells and sand dollars. Can you describe a more

now, his words ring in my ears, “Anything you take

knowledge that the pontoon will pick you up at the

Bull Island still calls my name, and Crolley

Memories drift by on the breeze. I imagine

now a Captain, he owns Coastal Expeditions. His love

to be in Carolina.” I remember a gorgeous spring

& Gun magazine named Crolley “one of South

Naturalist Chris Crolley described it as the gem of mango-mag.com

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Originally from Camden, S.C., he started

leading tours in 1993, sharing his knowledge of the 22-

Tours Change With the Seasons — and the Tides

the opportunity to buy the company in 2002, he did

Changing plans with the tide sounds like a

mile refuge three miles off the mainland. When he had not hesitate. You know the saying: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

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cliché. But when you live on the coast, you learn to consider the tide—or you end up 10 miles downstream stuck on a sandbar! The moon’s phases, the wind, the

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hiking through a longleaf pine ecosystem looking for

red-cockaded woodpeckers. Then there is paddling through an ancient bald cypress swamp, camping

in Francis Marion National Forest with experienced guides, and time at Hampton Plantation.

Types of Tours If boat tours aren’t active enough, one

can sign up for kayak, paddleboard or canoe tours

(and rent the needed equipment), join a hike, or a combination of several of these activities. If you can

think it up, they can develop a plan. As the website says: “It’ll be fun no matter how you get there.”

Activities are available at six locations,

most within an hour of Charleston. A naturalist

accompanies each expedition, eagerly sharing their knowledge of the area. Coastal Expeditions offers

equipment rental if you want to explore on your own.

In the spring of 2021, I joined Coastal

Expeditions on a barrier island trip to see where pelicans nest. On that trip, I met Gayle Bryan, who

had recently taken a basin trip on the Edisto River.

Recounting that day, she relates: “We paddled right approaching storm fronts, along with the 4-times-daily tide

change, it all gets overwhelming for a novice. Enter Chris Crolley and the crew at Coastal Expeditions, reminiscent of an old Greyhound bus ad: “Sit back and leave the driving to us.”

Currently, Coastal Expeditions runs a tour of the

North and South Santee River Delta and surrounding

blackwater creeks. This time of year, there will be ospreys, swallow-tailed kites, alligators and dolphins in this unique

ecosystem. The boat will dock at Hampton Plantation, a state and national historic landmark, for a guided walk. Hampton

was the home of Archibald Rutledge, the first poet laureate

of S.C., and Hampton Plantation inspired his works, including Home by the River.

Also offered is a 3-day trip through the Santee Delta.

The trip provides sunrises on the Santee, touring and learning

about blackwater, brackish and saltwater ecosystems, and mango-mag.com

Nov/Dec

up to a bald eagle! I still get excited thinking about it.”

What keeps people coming back? Gayle

expressed it best: “The combination of adventure, exercise, learning and experiencing new things is a

big win for me. The guides strike a great balance between fun and education. Coastal takes me places that I would never see on my own. That’s what keeps me coming back.”

Don’t Mess With a Good Thing Some of the tours are just too popular to

change. Well, except for the times—you know, the tides and all. The Bull Island Ferry runs four or five days a week. Most trips are dock-to-dock, but when

the tides are right, they offer a beach drop, which saves you a mile-long walk across the island. 2 0 2 1

On the ride to the island, you will probably see

bottlenose dolphins and pelicans. Birders can expect

to view a fantastic assortment of the 293 bird species found in Cape Romain. You can move around the ferry to examine the collection of specimens on the “touch table.”

forest: “Cured by the salt and bleached by the sun; Boneyard Beach is a sight to behold.”

Start ’em Young Captain Crolley believes children need to be

There are 16 miles of roads and trails around

educated about local ecosystems, bringing STEM lesson

the path from the beach back to the dock. I passed it

based classes. Children learn the basics of sea kayaking

the island, plus seven miles of beach. Watch closely for on my second visit, missing the ferry, and I still haven’t lived it down (25 years and counting!)

A favorite spot is breathtaking Boneyard

Beach. The dead trees are silent sculptures in the surf.

At low tide, pools created around their trunks hold a treasure-trove of shells. My description 25 years ago

is still accurate today: “Boneyard Beach is, without a

doubt, the most fabulous stretch of beach on the east coast.”

Boneyard is the perfect picnic spot as you

watch waves roll over sun-bleached oaks. This 3-mile stretch of beach at the northeast corner results from

the surf that steadily moves sand away from this end of

the island. Captain Crolley describes the skeletonized 48

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plans to life. After-school sessions aren’t dull, bookand stand-up paddleboarding. They learn to paddle,

tow another paddler, and create a float plan by reading

tide tables and weather reports. During paddles, leaders have students identify birds, hunt shark teeth, and discuss local history and life in the estuary.

Tour Boats You can be confident that you are traveling on

Coast Guard-certified vessels with a licensed captain. Safety is de rigueur on all excursions—guides are trained in first aid, CPR and lifeguarding.

If you don’t want to share this special place,

you can charter Coastal Expeditions for a private trip.

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Insider Tips •

Bug spray! If you forget this, stop and

•

Sunscreen

•

Give Back to the Coast The Coastal Expedition Foundation was formed to

•

help the local ecosystems. The group provides two full-time workers to Cape Romain’s turtle program each turtle season.

They also give “ferry service” to rehabilitated turtles from

•

Romain’s pristine Bulls Bay. Releases there have easy access

•

Chris Crolley knows how lucky he is to live and work

•

South Carolina Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Care Center to Cape to the open ocean.

•

buy some!

Lunch –a can of Vienna sausage and crackers or a chicken leg for me

Freeze a couple of bottles of water, they

will keep your lunch cool, and be melted by lunch time for drinking

Dress for hiking, wear layers

Bring a hat for sun protection

No bikes to rent on the island, but you can make a reservation to bring yours

Do not bring a dog; you’ll both be turned

in the beautiful Lowcountry. A critical way he gives back to

away

Program. The program is designed to provide a holistic

Trips on the Wild Side

the community is the 12-week Veteran’s Sea Kayak Resilience approach to his instruction that combines mindfulness with physical skill development.

•

Sunrise on Boneyard Beach

newly-honed skills to interpersonal development. Chris loves

•

Blackwater Tour of Francis Marion

water and in life. The way to save (rescue) yourself is to be

•

from learning. Chris lives this way every day. He’s not at work

•

The program focuses on PTSD recovery, applying

to “help others learn how to help and be helped—on the of service to others.” This is a lesson most of us could benefit if he’s on the water! mango-mag.com

Nov/Dec

•

Full Moon Kayak Tour on Isle of Palms National Forest

Shark Tooth and Fossil Hunts

Crab Bank Community Boat Cruise Tour Sparkleberry Swamp Canoe Tour in Rimini

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Godfather of Trop Rock

Jerry Diaz Text by Joanne M. Anderson Photos courtesy of Jerry Diaz 50

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to earn the family bread, and he does that in his day job as a Pepperidge Farm distributor for the last 20 years. They say necessity is the mother of invention, and during the Great Depression – think 1929-30 – times were hard. Margaret Rudkin’s youngest son suffered from severe allergies and asthma and was unable to eat many processed foods. She experimented with all-natural, stoneground, homemade, whole wheat bread for him. “My first loaf should have been sent to the Smithsonian Institution as a sample of Stone Age bread, for it was hard as a rock and about oneinch-high,” Margaret quipped. Long story, short. She advanced her baking skills; her son’s health improved; and she approached a grocer to sell her loaves for more than two times the going cost. By 1939, her Pepperidge Farm sold its 500,000th loaf of bread and in less than a year, production grew to a million loaves. Her business

Bread has been referred to as the staff of life for being a very fundamental food that sustains life. It’s also a casual synonym for money. According to Dick Clark: “Music is the soundtrack of your life.” The American 19th century poet Sidney Lanier said: “Music is love in search of a word.” More recently Bono observed: “Music can change the world because it can change people.” Bob Marley expressed this: “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” Likely lots of the trop rockers, including Jerry Diaz, embrace what Ray Charles said: “I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me - like food or water.” Diaz knew from a young age that he would be involved seriously with music. He also knew he needed

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expanded across decades, and in 1961 she sold out to Campbell Soup and became the first women to serve on its board of directors. She lectured at Harvard and other business schools and remains an American business icon. Yet we digress. Jerry Diaz was a beer distributor earlier in his career, but music, and especially trop rock, has captivated his heart and soul most all his life. He was influenced young by the Beach Boys and Jerry Jeff Walker and played in the requisite garage bands in high school and college. He found himself writing poems and lyrics during college classes. “I started playing different music, more folk, country, acoustic,” he recalls. “I sort of ‘hit a chord’ with the songwriting.” One summer in the mid-70s, Diaz traveled all over East Texas with his older brother-in-law, who was a dental supply salesman. During four weeks, Diaz listened to the radio while his brother-in-law made sales calls. And he heard Jimmy Buffett’s “Come Monday” what seemed like a million times. A little more than a decade later, Diaz started the 2nd Parrot Head Club in the country. “The first one was founded by Scott Nickerson in Atlanta,” Diaz explains. “For

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two or three years, it was just the two clubs. Then more formed in Dallas, Lake Charles, New Orleans. I got the idea to gather in one place, share ideas, enjoy the music, have some fun.” The central location was New Orleans, and the event was Meeting of the Minds. After six years, it outgrew the venues, and they decided to move it to Key West. Not one to sit still for long, Diaz, who resides on the eastern side of his home state of Texas, still wanted something in The Big Easy. He launched Pardi-Gras in 1997. He also organized On the Beach in Mexico, which will be in its 4th consecutive year in 2022. When asked about his organizational skills, Diaz credits his wife, Mary, with that, explaining he is more a marketing personality. And anyone who has ever done anything understands that marketing is often the key to success. All these things, along with Diaz’s gigs, CDs, songwriting and appearances, revolve around trop rock music, to which he gravitated a long time ago. “Trop rock has been circulating for a long time, but in the last decade, it has come into its own with younger ones picking it up. I’m the first generation, and there’s a second one coming along with a whole bunch of 40-ish (years old) trop rockers.” Diaz, now 60, is working on his 6th CD and he and his band, Hanna’s Reef, can play a whole concert of original songs. However, they love to mix it up with some Jimmy Buffett, Zac Brown, Kenny Chesney, Beach Boys and other popular musical artists. Texas Beach Music is his angle. He has played Shorty’s, one of the most popular beach bars a stone’s throw from the shore in Port Aransas, Texas. He has also appeared at the world famous Soggy Dollar beach bar in the British Virgin Islands and lots of other places. Jerry Diaz engages in the relentless promotion of trop rock as a viable music genre. That, along with the crazy fun events he has initiated for people who love tropical anything and the music that delivers an escape to the beach, has earned him the title: Godfather of Trop Rock.

www.jerrydiaz.com

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Beach Snacks Margarita Popcorn

6 Tbl. butter 2 Tbl. lime juice 2 Tbls. tequila 2 tsp. sugar 2 tsp kosher salt 1 ½ tsp grated lime zest 4 cups lightly crushed lime-flavored tortilla chips 12 cups popcorn Put everything except chips and popcorn in a frying pan and heat just enough to melt butter and blend it all together. Pop the popcorn, add chips, then toss with the mix in the frying pan.

Tropical Popcorn 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut 1 ½ cups chopped dried pineapple 3 Tbl. confectioner’s sugar 3 Tbl. melted butter 16 cups popcorn Spread coconut on baking sheet and bake about 10 minutes ‘til golden in 350°oven. Toss everything together and season with salt.

Festive Holiday Popcorn 12 cups popped popcorn 12 oz. vanilla candy coating ½ cup colored sprinkles ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

mango-mag.com

Melt vanilla candy coating and toss with popcorn. Add sprinkles and toss again. Spread popcorn on waxed paper on a baking sheet. Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over popcorn. Let harden at least 15 minutes. Break into pieces and eat. In the rare case of leftovers, store in airtight container. Nov/Dec

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Jamaica The Rhythm of

Text by Senior Writer Krisha Chachra

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Jamaica Jamaica has unmistakable rhythm. Time is not only kept by the beat of the

steel drum, but also there

is the constant cadence of the ocean with its waves crashing on the shore. Natural surroundings

produce the soundtrack to everyday life on the island. mango-mag.com

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Famous Frenchman’s Cove

On this Caribbean island-nation, the roots

of the music run deep. Jamaica rightfully claims the

birthplace of reggae. Its capital, Kingston, is home to

the Bob Marley Museum located at the famous singer’s

former residence. But it is the beaches of the northwest coast that have tourists singing the island’s praises – all over the globe.

clustered in Montego Bay offering attractive amenities such as snorkeling, sailing, SCUBA and fishing. The

exotic setting and gorgeous water. Think about the

backdrops of movies like Knight and Day, Lord of the beach that is set deep in between two dramatic

peninsulas of lush rainforest that frame the vividly clear turquoise water, making it one of the most

white sandy shores of Negril’s Seven Miles Beach

photographed destinations on the island.

promise an array of family fun and pulsing night life.

Tourists can drive to the beach and pay

few beaches away from the mega-resorts that have a rhythm of their own.

the attention of Hollywood producers for the location’s

Flies and The Mighty Quinn. The Cove is a private

Many illustrious all-inclusive resorts are

If you plan to visit the shores of Jamaica, there are a

For decades, Frenchman’s Cove has captured

an entrance fee, around $15 per person and $6 for

Jamaican residents, or book a tour through a hotel.

Once there, visitors may explore the 42-acre reserve on foot or float in the warm water. Take a walk through the

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Doctor’s Cave Beach

thick rainforest and find small ocean pools along the

way. A limited amount of beach chairs can be rented

under the palm trees for shade and relaxation. If you

do rent the chairs, you can order food and beverages

from a limited menu. The beach also has a freshwater stream which joins the cove creating a thrilling cold

uncluttered, well-manicured landscape. Established

rope swings that hang low enough over the stream

in the early 1900s, Doctor’s Cave got its name when

that you can drag your toes through the water. With

Dr. Alexander James McCatty donated the property

the jungle backdrop and sugar-white sand, this is a

to start a bathing club, mainly for physicians, who

perfectly romantic photo op. Many tourists mistake

would enter the beach through a cave. The cave

the Frenchman’s Cove for being closed because it is

so secluded and quiet – a welcome attribute that has

attracted celebrities and royalty, including the Queen of England.

was destroyed by a hurricane in 1932 but the beach

remains an inviting place to snorkel and for children to play in – especially on the two water trampolines that float a few feet out.

Visitors can also explore the Blue Lagoon

The beach is part of the Montego Bay Marine

which is five minutes away and local hangout Boston

Bay, a 12-minute drive with restaurants and small shops for souvenir hunting. Frenchman’s Cove is in Portland

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what’s outside your resort window, try Doctor’s Cave

beach feeds the soul of a purist who is looking for an

As you’re exploring, don’t miss the two

the touristy destinations but with a different vibe than Beach. Known for its clean, crystal-clear waters, this

and warm water mixture that visitors like to wade in.

on Jamaica’s eastern coast.

If you’re looking for a pristine beach closer to

Park so there is plenty of marine life to be spotted in the coral reef. The warm, calm water is believed

by some to have medicinal healing powers that can

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not, there is no question that Doctor’s Cave is one

of the most relaxing spots on the island. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Food

naturally-formed pools, lush landscapes and rushing, powerful sections of the waterfall.

Admission to Dunn’s River Falls Park is $20-

and beverages may be purchased at the nearby Sand

25 for adults and $12 or so per child. Food and

the sand by the restaurant.

Although the shoreline doesn’t have the sugar-white

Restaurant and Bar and you can rent beach chairs on

Dunn’s River Falls Park and Beach Head back east on the north side, and you’ll

local shopping stalls with souvenirs are sold on-site. sand most often seen in Jamaica, the beach still is

popular with local families and tourists who come for a different experience.

The beautiful thing about Jamaica’s beaches

find a nature lover’s paradise: Dunn’s River Falls Park

is that there is no finale. The land is bounded by them,

another beach – it is the site of a huge waterfall that

tune, harmonizing with the natural rhythms of the

and Beach in Ocho Rios. This location is more than just cascades down limestone rocks and dome-shaped

cataracts – into the ocean. This isn’t a little waterfall either – the waterfalls at Dunn’s River are 180 feet

high and have layers of platform-like rocks enabling

adventurers to climb up carefully. The climb can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. If you’re not feeling sure-footed, you can hire a tour guide

each with their own melody, humming its own ocean island.

Krisha Chachra is a freelance writer who listened to reggae because her brother loved it. She accidentally recorded over his mixed tape of The Wailers and it’s been a sore subject ever since. She has traveled to over 50 countries and 6 continents and currently resides in Charlotte, NC. Krishachachra.com or fb/insta @destinationsanddelish

to take you up step by step. The hike takes you past mango-mag.com

Nov/Dec

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Port A

a slice of paradise on the Texas coast Text by Cindy Muir

Mustang Island, a barrier island off the Texas

town’s name changed several times until the last and

Indians centuries ago, and a couple of Spanish explorers

One of the temporary names of Port Aransas

Gulf Coast, was known to be inhabited by Karankawa

permanent change was made shortly after 1900.

sailed into the area, including Cabeza de Vaca. In the

was “Tarpon” because of the large population of tarpon

that was used during the Civil War, and steamship

in the 1880s and still stands as a popular hotel in the

mid-1800s, there was a small fort built for protection service operated in the 1850s from the Port Aransas

area to New Orleans more than 500 miles away. The 60

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in nearby waters at the time. The Tarpon Inn was founded

center of “Old Town.” President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited several times to fish for tarpon, and the small

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the bustle of city life. Affectionately known as Port A, it holds a special place in the hearts of many generations as a slice of paradise on the Texas coast.

Fishing and Beach Tailgating To say that fishing is a popular sport is an

understatement. Before covid shut down a few events,

there were more than 35 fishing tournaments that called Port Aransas their home. The grandfather of them all

is the annual Deep Sea Roundup and has been open to anglers for close to 90 years. There is a plethora of

fishing charter boats in which to indulge, jetties to fish

from, and many folks simply cast their lines out from the beach. The local Texas Fish and Wildlife folks insist on

a fishing license, unless the fisherman is under 17 years

old, and “senior” licenses are available for a reduced cost. Licenses can be purchased at the local IGA grocery store, gas stations and fishing stores or ordered online.

The most popular pastime for visitors is hanging

out on miles of sandy beach. This is an area which allows vehicles, so for a nominal fee, a beach parking permit

can be purchased at any convenience store. Driving a vehicle enables the beachgoer to pack a pop-up tent, beach chairs, coolers and more in the tailgate version

of frolicking in the sun and surf. Motorized golf carts can be rented in lots of places all over town and are

permitted on the beach and in town; they are not legal on Highway 361.

Winter Birds Outdoor fun around here does not hibernate

when the air gets a bit chilly in winter. Migratory birds hotel lobby sports his autograph on a tarpon fish scale

on one of the walls, with scores of other signed tarpon scales surrounding it. The tarpon are mostly gone now,

but there are around 600 species of other fish in the surrounding waters.

Port Aransas is a casual beach town on the

north end of Mustang Island. Its closest large town is Corpus Christi, and a visitor can still feel miles away from mango-mag.com

love South Texas, and one of the biggest species, the

whooping crane, gets a great deal of attention during January and February. It’s fascinating to learn about

these tall, endangered birds and their habits. They mate for life, and last season, a local pair brought their

adolescent chick with them. These birds are so popular

that there is an annual Whooping Crane Festival where folks can join birding outings, hear lectures and more.

Even though the festival is in Port Aransas, most of

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the whooping cranes spend winter in nearby Aransas

National Wildlife Refuge, less than an hour’s drive. Birding enthusiasts come from near and far to view many species of migratory birds.

Port Aransas Nature Preserve’s most popular

viewing sites are Charlie’s Pasture and the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center. Both overlook wetlands where

the birds gather. Hummingbirds love this area on their migration to and from Mexico, as do monarch butterflies. At the birding center, you might catch a glimpse of the alligator named “Boots”.

Part of the local University of Texas at Austin

Marine Science Institute is the Amos Rehabilitation Keep, referred to as the ARK. Named for the late local oceanographer, Tony Amos, the ARK rescues sea turtles

and birds, helping them so each one can return to the sea and air. Problems such as ingested fishhooks and

fishing net injuries are tackled by local veterinarians. One of the most well-attended events on the beach

is a turtle release, and that can happen several times Surfing became popular on Mustang Island in the 1960s, and summer is best for learning when the waves are smaller. Texas “surf camps” offer private and group lessons year-round, boards are easy to rent locally by the day or week. Winter surfing contests provide merriment for participants and spectators.

a year. Last winter, most of Texas fell into a week-long

deep freeze and thousands of cold-stunned sea turtles

were rescued. It was a joyful event when those turtles were released via boat back to their watery life in the Gulf.

Food, Fun ‘n Music With all the activities available in and around

Port Aransas, visitors work up hearty appetites. There

are several great seafood restaurants, along with Italian, Mexican and burger specialty eateries. If it’s shrimp season, the Peggy Ann shrimp boat docks on weekends

at the City Marina and sells pounds of large and jumbo

“head on” shrimp right off the boat at reasonable prices. You can’t get anything more fresh than that!

The Red Dragon Pirate Ship is a family-friendly

way to spend a couple of hours with a swashbuckling

crew that sails the channel area. There are sunset dolphin tours and don’t miss Shorty’s. Opened in 1946 and named for Gladys Fowler, whose nickname

was Shorty, this musical entertainment venue and bar

claims to be the oldest and friendliest bar in Port A. Trop 62

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One of the best-attended weekends is Sandfest, an annual event that attracts sand sculptors from across the world. There are competitions for solo, duos and teams and an amateur contest for sand sculpting enthusiasts of all ages. The local “Port A Sandcastle Guy,” Mark Landrum, is available for sand sculpting lessons at various locations on the beach and can teach your crew how to build the best of the best. In addition to watching the sculptors work and voting for the best designs, there are scores of booths for food, drinks and souvenirs.

rocker Jerry Diaz loves playing here on an

outdoor patio a stone’s throw from the water. Blues, rock, country, variety tunes and trop rock fill the air.

One noteworthy attraction of

the Port A town and nearby beaches is cleanliness. Residents and visitors alike

take seriously the appropriate disposal of trash and recycling with a smile. It’s the clean, clear, beautiful beaches and casual island vibes that draw people here for a day, a weekend, a week or a lifetime.

Cindy Muir is a freelance writer who resides in Port A and enjoys stunning sunsets from her front porch and buying some of those fresh shrimp off the Peggy Ann shrimp boat.

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www.visitportaransas.com Nov/Dec

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The Seahorse Dances in the Morning

Text by Joanne M. Anderson The seahorse is a fish which breathes through

horses have about a 350-degree field of vision. They do

seen on mammals. They live in shallow tropical and

their heads, which ends up right behind their tails. For

gills and sports an amalgamation of interesting features

temperate salt waters everywhere around the globe. Among some four dozen or so species, different kinds

make their home waters in the Mediterranean Sea,

Atlantic and Pacific oceans and European locales like

the Thames Estuary. There are short-snouted seahorses,

not see things directly in front of their faces or behind

this reason, walking close behind a horse, especially without talking or touching the horse, is discouraged. They are likely to kick first (think: predator back there preparing to attack) and ask questions later.

The seahorse is encased in armor-like plates,

long-snouted ones, dwarf seahorses, pygmy seahorses

reminiscent of the armadillo and hedgehog. Thin

The horse resemblance is in the neck and

layer. They have few natural predators for not being

and even one dubbed sea pony.

head shape, as most fish do not even have much of

a pronounced neck, and decidedly not one which is

vertical. Additionally, horses and seahorses have one eye

on each side of their heads. This facilitates processing two images at the same time, and as prey creatures, real 64

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skin covers these bony plates, creating a tough outer exceptionally digestible. Their tails might be monkeyrelated for the ease with which they’ll hang on to

something to stop, perhaps to rest, by wrapping the end of it around vegetation or a piece of coral.

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miles per hour, and the fastest fish of all, the sailfish, has

Romance and Reproduction

been clocked at 68 mph.

Seahorses appear to be monogamous for

The dorsal fin on a seahorse is on the small side,

a while with elaborate dating, mating and gyrating

so no matter how madly it flutters, even at 50 times per

engage in a dance routine for days while changing

do not have a caudal or tail fin like the more common

color alterations aid in their being able to camouflage

up and down and backwards. They are more often

life. Once a couple is formed – and we do not know for

something. However, if they connect to moving seaweed

another every day with more rhythmic dancing which

in the sea.

hold tail tips and swim together.

for in camouflage and stealth. They move through water

albeit a much smaller one and only on the male seahorse.

one can eat a few thousand brine shrimp in a single day.

one of the most fascinating facts about seahorses: The

little more than one foot tall.

practices. In the beginning, they intertwine their tails,

second, they go slow, steering with pectoral fins. They

colors due to chromatophores in their skin cells. The

horizontally-structured fish. They can, however, move

themselves with their underwater surroundings in daily

found sitting still anchored by their tail wrapped around

sure which one makes the final decision – they greet one

or another mobile object, they can travel to new places

can go a few minutes or last a few hours. Often they will

What they lack in speed, they might make up

Akin to kangaroos, seahorses have a pouch,

almost silently, and while most of them are not large,

Only female kangaroos have a pouch. And herein lies

Seahorses range in size from around half an inch to a

male seahorse carries the eggs in his brood pouch

Meal Time

during a 10 to 45-day gestation period, depending on species. His pregnant abdomen expands over that time. Then he experiences contractions and hatches and

Meal time is all the time for seahorses even

expels up to 1,000 “frys” each about the size of a jelly

though they do not have a stomach. Despite being

safety, but an estimated 99% or more do not make it to

around 30 to 50 times a day existing on very small fish

Not to be idly un-pregnant, the male, which

Often, they simply lie in wait for food to pass

bean. The frys are on their own, sticking together for

carnivorous, they do not have teeth. They eat somewhere

adulthood.

and planktonic copepods or little crustaceans.

normally gives birth at night, reconnects with his lady

by, sucking it up through their snout and swallowing

she will deposit more hundreds or thousands of eggs

waste of energy to pursue anything, because everything

come for a little tango, boogie, waltz and frolic with him

But not everything – or even anything else

seahorse in the morning. They’ll dance their little jig, and

whole. Given that they swim so s-l-o-w-l-y, it would be a

into his brood pouch. Throughout gestation, she will

is faster than they are.

every morning.

- is as uniquely engineered and remarkably styled for

vertical life in the sea. And dancing in the morning is a

Swimming

great way to start every day, underwater or not.

The swimming ability of the seahorse is quite

clumsy given their physical structure, making them the slowest swimmer of all fish. Top speed is 5 feet an hour

for a seahorse. Medium fresh water fish move around 7

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Perhaps seahorses have taken to heart something Sandra Bullock said: The rule is you have to dance a little bit in the morning before you leave the house because it changes the way you walk [swim] out in the world [sea].

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DEEP TRACKS

Please Bypass This Heart

Text by Johnny Cate In 1961, a small group of heart surgeons is credited with performing the first successful human coronary artery bypass operation. While the operation is seen as an incredible breakthrough, standardized bypass heart surgery still had a long way to go. It wasn’t until more than 20 years later, in the mid-80s, that safety had improved to the point where CABG [coronary artery bypass graft surgery] began to become prevalent. Coincidentally, this is right around the time when another modern marvel of human achievement arrived: Jimmy Buffett’s 1985 album The Last Mango in Paradise. As Jimmy’s 14th full-length record, Last Mango courts fun, often tongue-in-cheek themes—personally, 66

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it’s one of my favorite album covers: Buffett looking totally out of character in black slacks and collar, red tie, sitting at a table in what looks like a fancy restaurant. As he proudly displays a slice of mango on the end of a Swiss Army Knife, his date glowers at him over her menu. Hilarious. Anyway, pardon the digression. It’s the fourth track on Last Mango we’re here to talk about. “Please Bypass This Heart” is a cut in which Jimmy, ever the songbird, finds a convenient little metaphor as coronary bypass surgery becomes a proliferated procedure in the ‘80s. As could be expected, it has nothing to do with science or medicine, and everything to do with Jimmy

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Buffett’s complicated love life. The first verse begins: Every day I read about these operations That make a heart that’s weak so strong again I relate it to my own situation And now I know just what to say to you... The cool thing about these opening lines is how clear they are—Buffett records a brief moment of metaphor-making that forms the basis for the song. He sees what these physical operations can do for a weak heart, and he applies it on an emotional level. It’s simple, but very potent and easily graspable. As the chorus drops in, we get a clearer picture of just why Buffett is finding similarities between his situation and CABG: Please bypass this heart Until I’m well again Let’s not even start to fall where we fell again The cheating was sweet but my heart is beat... Uh oh. It seems here we have a pretty significant confession from the songwriter, and this is where the track gets suddenly deep. “The cheating was sweet, but my heart is beat...” From how it sounds, it seems Buffett is admitting infidelity, and also admitting that that infidelity has had an unhealthy effect on him. It’s the kind of disarming honesty one comes to expect from Jimmy the more they listen. Despite the comedic album cover and the loopy country sound of the song, we’re suddenly in serious territory as the songwriter suggests that cheating, while “sweet” at first, ultimately comes at the price of a damaged heart. This damage is not insignificant, either—to relate it to the need for bypass heart surgery is to suggest lifethreatening peril. As if his life is on the line, the choruses end with the singer begging: “Don’t tear it apart. Please bypass this heart.” In the second verse, the metaphor is extended: In simpler times I didn’t need a lotta healin’ My heart was young and strong and worked just fine But now you’ve shown me there’s a hurtin’ side of feelin’ There’s just one cure and here’s what you must do

Buffett relates emotional youthfulness to physical youthfulness, acknowledging that there was a time when he could play fast with romance and feel like he was getting away with it. But that’s changed— the woman to whom the song is addressed has shown him there’s “a hurtin’ side of feelin”. And there’s only one cure: to quit it, to “bypass” it. The second time the chorus comes, it’s the third line that stands out: Let’s not even start to fall where we fell again... His intention is to completely end this particular fling. “There’s just one cure,” he sings, and it’s to end whatever is going on. However, we then have another unexpected little turn in the song, when Buffett comes in to direct what sounds like a roller rink skate-around. “Skaters reverse... Couples only... All skate, all skate...”. This surprising turn seems to suggest a secondary metaphor—that romance is cyclical, circular and confusing... a mash-up of coupling and decoupling, reversal upon reversal. It’s telling, then, that Buffett doesn’t suggest a total break-up. “Please bypass this heart,” he sings, “until I’m well again...”. Behind the tune lies a kind of resignment that once he regains his senses, he may indeed fall where he falls again. This kind of melancholy poetry in Buffett’s catalog is forgotten these days, obscured behind the bright lights of Margaritaville. But songs like “Please Bypass This Heart” are enshrined as prescient warnings to Parrotheads living the fast life— If we’re not careful with our hearts, before long we could find we’re down to our last mango, Mango readers. 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 nonhit. 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.