Southern Tides March 2023

Southern T ides

March 2023

all about the water

T

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Amy Thurman amy@southerntidesmagazine.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Neva Parsons neva@southerntidesmagazine.com

DISTRIBUTION & SALES

Jay Rich jay@southerntidesmagazine.com

CONSULTING NATURALIST

John "Crawfish" Crawford subtropicalnaturalist@gmail.com

THE BITTER END COLUMNIST

Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill theoriginalcaptaingator@gmail.com

THE RIVERKEEPER REPORT

Meaghan Gerard meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

Contributors

Nick Riccio, Jr. Wildlife Photographer

Melissa Cummings

GADNR Wildlife Resources Division

Jane Wilkinson-Bunch

Southern Lovin' From the Oven

Top: Right whale with calf.

Photo by CMARI, NOAA permit #20556-01

Center: Sea turtle hatchling

Photo provided by GADNR

Bottom: Wood stork in flight

Photo by Nick Riccio, Jr.

While it’s entirely true that when I started this magazine nearly eight years ago I did it because I wanted to share all the special things about our coast with readers, it was also partially because I’m a writer and I love writing about our coast. But good writing doesn’t only involve sitting at a desk and pounding out words. It involves getting out in the community, actively seeing and experiencing the things to write about.

A CALL FOR ADVENTURES

Over the past seven and a half years, I’ve been invited out on countless “field trips” as I call them, giving me opportunities to learn, to get my hands dirty, to experience a wide range of activities, and to see our coastal area and the people who live and work here from different perspectives. And then write about it for all of you to read and share in.

Sorting crabs during peeler crab season with friends Don and Jamee gave me a behind-the-scenes look at commercial crabbing. Getting up before God to ride along with Captain Michael Purvis gave me an education in bait shrimping. A 12+ hour day on the water, shark-tagging with DNR researchers, was both exciting and educational. Ride-alongs with the marine patrol and the Savannah River pilots were both unforgettable experiences. Research trips, from trammel-netting to shrimp assessments were also fascinating and fun days on the water. I spent several days on Little St. Simons Island and wrote about the amazing lengths undertaken there to preserve the natural setting while educating guests on topics from sustainability

to environmental issues – in one of the most beautiful settings on our coast.

I’ve learned to determine the sex of an alligator, harvest wild oysters, how to pick up live crabs without losing a finger, detect black gill in shrimp, when to find horseshoe crabs on the beach, and how blue crabs mate. I’ve gotten to rest my hand on a sea turtle’s head, hold a baby alligator in my hands, look a dolphin in the eye, hold a live shark so it could be measured and tagged, and touch/ pet/hold countless other local critters.

And I didn’t learn or experience any of it while sitting at a desk.

What’s my point? My point is that I need to get back out there in the field! To learn and experience more so I can write and take photos and share it all with you.

Do you do a job on the water that few people understand or know about? Let me go along with you! Do you work with animals or in an area that few people have access to? Let me visit! Is there anything in particular on our coast you’d like to know more about? Let me know and I’ll try to make it happen.

Let’s work together to keep the content new and fresh –this is your magazine after all.

See you out there!

Amy Thurman

Editor in Chief

Fishing News

Fishing Forecasts

Want to better ensure your fishing success at your local waterway? No need to consult a crystal ball to get the fishing outlook, just check the updated Georgia Fishing Forecasts!

Georgia DNRs Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) fisheries biologists and technicians annually update the fishing forecasts for 31 Georgia reservoirs and 19 rivers, which are available in one convenient location at GeorgiaWildlife.com/ fishing-forecasts.

“If you want to find some of the best information about fishing specific water bodies, you need to check out these forecasts,” said Scott Robinson, Chief of the WRD Fisheries Management Section. “These forecasts provide information, such as best bets, technique tips and more, and are each connected to an interactive map, which provides an additional layer of information to this already excellent resource.”

Lake forecasts are offered for 32 lakes across Georgia, and river forecasts are offered for 18 rivers, including the Savannah, Ogeechee, Altamaha, Satilla and St. Marys Rivers, in coastal Georgia.

For even more fishing tips, be sure to check out the weekly Fishing Blog post at GeorgiaWildlife.blog/category/fishing/.

For more information on fishing in Georgia, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/anglerresources.

Angler Recognition

Just under 300 anglers reeled in a Georgia Angler Award last year. Let’s get that number even higher in 2023! The Angler Award program recognizes individuals who catch fish that meet or exceed a specific weight or length for that particular species.

“The Angler Award program has grown significantly over the last 20 years, going from 25 anglers in 2002 to 298 anglers in 2022, and we love seeing all these great fish that are being caught by Georgia anglers,” says Scott Robinson, Chief of the WRD Fisheries Management Section. “We believe that the Angler Award program helps generate excitement for those that qualify and motivates them to pursue more fish throughout their life.”

Anglers submitting successful applications receive a frameable certificate, a t-shirt and a custom hat.

Angler Award Opportunities:

• Angler Award-Adult: Anglers (age 16 and up) can be rewarded for catching quality size fish (kept fish or catch-and-release) that meet or beat a specific weight or length.

• Angler Award-Youth: Anglers (age 15 and younger) can be

By Melissa Cummings Communications and Outreach Specialist GADNR Wildlife Resources Division

rewarded for catching quality size fish (kept fish or catch-andrelease) that meet or beat a specific weight or length. Note: weights and lengths reduced for youth Angler Awards.

• Trophy Largemouth Bass: Recognizing catches of largemouth bass weighing 10+ pounds. Catch one that is 13+ pounds? Get a free replica mount for fish that qualify!

• PFA Record: Recognizing the largest fish of each species caught and properly documented at each PFA. Species include Largemouth Bass, Black or White Crappie, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, and Channel Catfish.

Anglers should review all Angler Award program rules before submitting applications. Find the need-to-know info, including rules, weights/lengths, photo requirements and more at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/anglerawards.

Other Fishing Recognition Programs:

• State Records: In addition to the angler award program, the division also maintains a freshwater fish state-record program for anglers who land a catch that exceeds the existing record catch weight by one ounce or more. More information at GeorgiaWildlife.com/ fishing/recordprogram/rules.

• Kids First Fish Certificate: The division wants to recognize children across the state for catching their first fish with an online kid’s “first fish award” certificate available at GeorgiaWildlife.com/my-first.

• Georgia Bass Slam: Recognizing anglers that catch at least five of the 10 black bass species found in Georgia within a calendar year. Find more info at BassSlam.com.

Looking for a certified scale? Whether applying for an angler award (by weight) or trying to certify a new state record—fish must be weighed on a scale that has been certified accurate by the GA Department of Agriculture. Find a list of certificated scales at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources (look under “Angler Recognition Programs”). Can’t find a certified scale near you on the list? Check with your nearby grocery or hardware store, local marina, or reach out to your local WRD Fisheries Office (GeorgiaWildlife.com/about/contact#fish).

There are not many better days than the ones spent on the water with friends and family, but an Angler Award might just make that fishing trip even more special. More info at GeorgiaWildlife.com/ fishing/angler-resources.

Top: Dereck Fulton with a crappie caught at Clarks Hill Lake.

Bottom: Emilia Omerburg with a shoal bass caught at Lake Seminole. Photos provided by GADNR

INGREDIENTS

1 lb wild Georgia shrimp, peeled & deveined

4 large cloves garlic minced

1 cup good orange juice

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

1 tsp cornstarch

3 tablespoons butter divided

Taste of the Tides

ORANGE GARLIC SHRIMP

Contributed by Jane Wilkinson-Bunch

Southern Lovin' in the Oven Recipes & More Daily This recipe makes a meal for two, or works great as an appetizer as well! Spice it up with Cayenne pepper if you like a bit of heat.

DIRECTIONS

• In a large glass measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the orange juice, garlic, cayenne pepper, old bay and corn startch and set aside.

• In a large skillet over high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Working quickly place shrimp in skillet one by one, then turn shrimp over immediately. Cook an additional 30-60 seconds, then remove from pan. Leave skillet on over high heat.

• When drippings start to just slightly smoke, add orange juice mixture to pan. Stir with a spatula, scraping up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the last tablespoon of butter to the sauce, then reduce heat to a low simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken just slightly.

• Return shrimp to sauce and toss to coat. Let stand for a minute or so, then serve hot. Serve over rice, or alone.

Do you have a seasonal seafood recipe to share?

Send it to amy@southerntidesmagazine.com and include a photo, if available.

Meet the Moms & Calves

As the 2023 North Atlantic right whale calving season draws to a close, 11 healthy calves have been documented along the Southeast coast. With fewer than 350 individuals remaining—and only about 75 breeding females—every mom and new calf matters to the species’ survival. Here they are, pictured along with their moms.

To learn more visit NOAA's right whale page at bit.ly/2023_calves.

Seen 18 miles east of Blackbeard Island on Jan. 20, Pediddle is at least 45 years old (oldest mom of the season) and this is her ninth documented calf. Photo by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute under NOAA permit 20556-01

Spindle and her calf were seen on Jan. 7, east of St. Catherines Island. This is her tenth documented calf - more than any other right whale mom! Photo by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute under NOAA permit 20556-01

First spotted off St. Catherines Island on Dec. 7, with her seventh calf, Medusa is at least 42 years old. She last calved in 2012.

Photo by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, taken under NOAA permit 20556-01

Named for the heart-shaped scar on her side, Aphrodite is 36 and this is her seventh documented calf. She also has four grand calves!

Photo by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute under NOAA permit 20556-01

Catalog #1711, age 36, was spotted of Cape May with her fourth calf on Dec.17. All of her calves to date have been male.

Photo by Clearwater Marine Aquarium and US Army Corps of Engineers, taken under NOAA permit 20556-01

#1012 - Pediddle

#1701 - Aphrodite

#1711

#1204 - Spindle

War, named for both her catalog number and the cannon-shaped callosities on her head, is at least 35 and this is her seventh documented calf. Photo by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute,

Porcia is at least 26 years old and this is her third known calf. Her first two calves did not survive, dying at ages ten and two. Mom and calf were spotted by a GADNR and Clearwater Aquarium boat team on Dec. 17, southeast of Ossabaw Island. Photo by Georgia DNR, under NOAA permit #21371-04

Seen east of Amelia Island on Dec. 29, Viola is 33 and this is her fourth documented calf. Her last calf was born in 2011.

Archipelago and her third documented calf were seen off Little St. Simons Island on Dec. 8. She is at least 20 years old. Photo by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, taken under NOAA permit 20556-01

Smoke, age 27, was spotted with her fourth calf, 15 miles east of St. Catherines Island on Dec. 26. Photo by

Youngest mom of the season, Pilgrim is only ten years old and this is her first

taken under NOAA permit #20556-01

Photo by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute and USACE, taken under NOAA permit 20556-01

Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, taken under NOAA permit 20556-01

calf.

Photo by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute and USACE, under NOAA permit 20556-01

#2605 - Smoke

#3370 - Archipelago

#2029 - Viola

#3293 - Porcia

#4340 - Pilgrim

2022 Wildlife Report

The Georgia DNR's Wildlife Conservation Section (WCS) conserves and protects wildlife species not hunted or fished for, and native plants and their habitats through public education, research and management. The following are excerpts from their 2022 annual report.

To read it in its entirety visit: bit.ly/2022_WildlifeReport

North Atlantic Right Whales

DNR works with scientists and managers from NOAA, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute and other North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium members to conserve right whales in the southeastern U.S. Each December through March, aerial and boat surveys are conducted to monitor the whale population.

Biologists use modified crossbows to collect genetic samples from calves and digital cameras to photo-identify other whales. The data are used to estimate population size, growth rates and other parameters. WCS also documents entangled whales and removes fishing rope from them when possible.

DNR management and policy activities focus on reducing human-related mortality and protecting right whale habitat. Wildlife Conservation staff serve on the Right Whale Recovery and the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction teams and serve on the board of the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium. Support is also provided by DNR’s Coastal Resources and Law Enforcement divisions with education and outreach, policy efforts and enforcement of federal right whale protections. Most funding for DNR’s right whale conservation efforts is provided by grants from NOAA.

During the 2022 calving season, survey teams identified 15 females with calves, 10 adult females without calves, 13 adult males and 11 juvenile whales. No dead or injured whales were documented, a significant improvement over 2020 and 2021 when two calves and a breeding female were killed and injured by vessel collisions off Georgia and Florida.

One entangled whale, a calving female known as number

3560 and nicknamed Snow Cone was spotted off Georgia with a calf in 2022. Snow Cone was first seen entangled in heavy fishing rope off Massachusetts in 2021 and was the focus of disentanglement attempts in New England and Canada. This was the first time a chronically entangled right whale had been documented calving successfully. No attempts were made to remove the remaining rope while she was in southeastern waters because the work would have posed a danger to Snow Cone’s young calf.

This case underscores the fact that disentanglement response, while helpful in some cases, will not solve the whale entanglement problem. Solutions, such as seasonal fishing closures and ropeless fishing technology, must focus on preventing entanglements from occurring.

Birds

For the seventh consecutive year, WCS supported a Beach Stewards Program. This volunteer group helps protect a colony of least terns and nesting Wilson’s plovers on St. Simons Island. The East Beach site produced Wilson’s plover chicks in 2022. An offshore bar at nearby Gould’s Inlet produced two American oystercatcher chicks, but several nesting attempts by black skimmers, least terns and gull-billed terns failed due to high tides.

Because of the degradation of Georgia’s offshore nesting sites, WCS experimented with deploying sand fencing on Ogeechee Bar to build up the bar’s elevation. The efforts appeared to pay off, with three American oystercatcher chicks fledging and some 255 black skimmer nests fledging over 100 chicks, making it the state’s largest black skimmer colony.

Unfortunately, other sites didn’t fare as well. St. Catherines Island Bar began the year too low to use sand fences and was washed over often through the nesting season. The year proved challenging, too, for other priority seabirds such as least tern and gull-billed terns. The continuing degradation of offshore bars led to complete losses of colonies because of tides washing over St. Catherines Island Bar and sites on Little St. Simons.

WCS and partners tracked seabird colonies on Tybee, Little Tybee, Ossabaw, Little St. Simons and Cumberland islands, as well as the Brunswick dredge island, St. Simons’ East Beach, Plantation Creek rakes and Ogeechee, St. Catherines and Little Egg Island bars. Staff also monitored several rooftop colonies of least terns.

Overall, Bird Island was highly productive again, despite several oil spills from the removal of the M/V Golden Ray carrier wreck that reached the island and oiled a number of birds. Peak counts at the dredge island in St. Simons Sound included 10,357 royal terns, 407 sandwich terns, 490 laughing gulls, 42 black skimmers and 254 brown pelicans. Another 583 brown pelicans nested nearby on shell rakes and marsh.

American oystercatcher productivity in Georgia slipped in 2022. DNR confirmed 24 chicks fledged and 23 were banded. The agency continues to struggle with nest depredation and flooding as major challenges at many sites. Ongoing habitat

Entangled right whale Snow Cone with calf.

Photo by Trip Kolkmeyer, GADNR, NOAA permit 20556

restoration projects focused on providing increased elevation in areas with minimum risk of depredation will hopefully address some of these challenges.

Staff trapped and radio-tagged 19 red knots using nanotags and Motus Wildlife Tracking System technology, applied leg flags to 45 knots and installed a Motus receiver and antennae on Sapelo Island to gather tracking data.

Bald Eagles

The WCS 2022 survey documented 229 nest territories, exceeding the previous high of 218 in 2017. Of those 229 territories, staff monitored 227 to determine their outcome and 146 successfully fledged at least one eaglet. In all, the nests fledged 227 eagles, or almost 1.6 per successful nest, slightly more than the 2017 average. While most nests had one to two eaglets, a nest near Columbus fledged three. At Fort Pulaski National Monument near Savannah, an eaglet fledged from a platform built for nesting ospreys. This was the first known successful bald eagle nest on a human-made structure in Georgia.

Despite the promising increase in total nests since the last comprehensive survey, not all news was good. A late-winter outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza substantially diminished eagle nest productivity in coastal counties, which are home to one-third of Georgia’s nests. In that region, the nest success rate declined by about 30 percent compared to the mean of 78 percent from 2015-2021.

Georgia appears to have maintained more than 200 occupied nest territories annually since 2015. As recently as 2000 there were fewer than 50 known occupied nest territories in the state. Although the 2022 survey results suggest the state’s nesting population of bald eagles continues to increase, the growth rate has slowed substantially compared to 2007-2015 when nest totals nearly doubled from 114 to 210.

On the coast, the 73 nest territories recorded was typical, but only 47 percent fledged at least one young. Nests that succeeded fledged 1.5 young each, which is average. However, the 50 eaglets fledged fell far shy of the 80-plus the coast normally produces. The survey revealed more failed nests than expected. Some had dead eaglets. Others were missing young that usually would not have left the nest by that time.

As in previous years, Wildlife Conservation worked with landowners to conserve nesting habitats, minimize disturbances near nest trees during the nesting season, and help explain federal permitting processes regarding development projects, as well as to capture injured eagles and deliver them to veterinary and rehabilitation facilities, then work to return rehabilitated eagles to the wild.

Sea Turtles

Loggerhead sea turtles are found in Georgia’s coastal waters year-round and nest on all barrier island beaches. In 2022, 4,053 loggerhead nests were documented on Georgia beaches, over twice the 32- year average and far exceeding the recovery goal of 2,800 nests per year. Overall, loggerheads have shown a four percent annual increase in nesting since 1989. Although Georgia reached its recovery goal in 2022, it is unlikely the Northern Recovery Unit, which includes loggerheads nesting in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, will reach the unit goal of 14,000 nests. Nesting data indicates that the loggerhead sea turtle population in Georgia is making slow but steady progress toward recovery but is still short of all recovery goals for the species.

Other conservation activities conducted by WCS during the fiscal year included assisting with training and compliance checks involving turtle excluder devices (TEDs), monitoring beach renourishment projects, conducting lighting surveys on developed nesting beaches and monitoring the effects of harbor dredging projects on sea turtles. In addition, staff took part in a pilot study to assess the entrapment risk of sea turtles in poultry transport cages that were deployed as offshore artificial reef material.

A genetic sample was collected from every known nest in 2022. The ongoing project of cataloguing unique genetic profiles of nesting female turtles is providing a better understanding of loggerhead nesting ecology and interpretation of nesting trends.

Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network

In fiscal year 2022, 78 dead or injured turtles were documented on Georgia beaches. That total is below the 30-year average of 178 strandings per year.

Strandings have declined overall by approximately 2.3 percent annually over the last 40 years during a period of increasing sea turtle abundance. The use of TEDs in the shrimp trawl fishery is partially responsible for the decline. Results from necropsy examinations indicate that boat collisions and commercial fishery mortality are the leading sources of mortality, accounting for 29 and 33 percent of strandings, respectively in fiscal 2022.

The public is encouraged to report stranded sea turtles in Georgia by contacting DNR at 800-2-SAVEME (800-2728363). Stranding updates are available at seaturtle.org/strand/ summary (pick Georgia from “Select a Program”).

Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings.

Photo by Mark Dodd, GADNR

Eagles on Jekyll Island.

Photo by Nick Riccio, Jr.

THE Riverkeeper Report

Compiled by Meaghan Gerard Communications & Administrative Director

Ogeechee Riverkeeper will host the Canoochee

Paddle Race on Saturday, April 22, in Evans County, Ga. The race will begin at 9 a.m., with a fun paddle to follow. The race will take place along approximately seven miles of the Canoochee River, from Brewton Bridge to Rocks River Bridge landing. Rocks River Bridge landing will also serve as the headquarters for the awards presentation, winners circle, food vendors, and entertainment. Everyone is welcome to come cheer for the racers and enjoy a day out by the river.

Paddlers of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and canoes are welcome to compete. Non-racing paddlers are also welcome to follow the route after racers have started. Entrants will receive a vessel identifier, map, and official race t-shirt. Registrants will receive packet pick-up information via email.

ORK does not provide vessels or equipment. Personal flotation devices are required for each participant. Entry is limited to 100 participants and pre-registration is required. The deadline to register is Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at noon.

Where: Canoochee River, Evans County Rocks River Bridge Landing

When: Saturday, April 22, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Cost: $50 per vessel; $30 for student paddlers; Free to cheer for the paddlers

Details and registration: www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/events/canoocheepaddle-race/

St. Marys Riverkeeper’s ‘Ultimate Golf Experience’ is a day-long golf outing and is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year! The day will include morning continental breakfast, 18 holes of golf, on-course refreshments, oncourse competitions, golf clinics with local golf pros, gifts/prizes and a gourmet lunch/ reception. Play the Legacy Course at White Oak on March 31 and April 1. www.stmarysriverkeeper.org/

Ogeechee Riverkeeper

meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

S avannah Riverkeeper will host Roast on the River, a night of live music, craft beer, good times, low-country boil, vegetarian fare, and great low country oysters. All tickets have access to all-youcan-eat fresh oysters, wild-caught shrimp in the low country boil, appetizer bar, a bonfire with S'mores, amazing raffle items, games, and local libations.

www.savannahriverkeeper.org.

Altamaha Riverkeeper continues to work with Juliette residents. Georgia Power's Plant Scherer has been storing coal ash in an unlined pond in contact with groundwater. Altamaha's testing of private wells in the area has been instrumental in helping residents prove contamination. www.facebook.com/AltamahaRiverkeeper

Along with others, Satilla RK supports legislation prohibiting mining the sensitive environments adjacent to and within the Okefenokee Swamp. The mining is proposed for the Okefenokee’s Trail Ridge, the prehistoric barrier island that helped create the swamp by holding back its waters. Write to your representative and ask them to vote YES on HB71. Visit protectgeorgia.org/take-action/#/366 Or visit SRK online at www.satillariverkeeper.org.

Wood Stork Recovery

Nearing extinction and federally listed as endangered in 1984, wood storks (Mycteria americana) have since made a strong recovery with the population doubling and may soon be removed from the endangered species list.

Georgia is home to more than 20 percent of the U.S. nesting population, estimated to be about 9,500 breeding pairs. In 2022, GADNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section (WCS) documented 22 colonies with 2,354 nesting pairs.

WCS conducts aerial surveys each spring to find and monitor nesting colonies, and works to protect and maintain colonies. One such project currently in progress is the creation of a wading bird colony at Altama Plantation Wildlife Management Area. Manipulation of water levels, planting trees and shrubs, and constructing nest platforms will hopefully encourage future nesting colonies.

The agency also works closely with private property owners in an effort to help protect and maintain colonies on private land.

If delisted, the Fish and Wildlife Service will implement a post-delisting monitoring plan for a minimum of five years to ensure the species remains stable. In addition, wood storks will continue to be protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and protection and restoration of their wetland habitats will continue under the Clean Water Act.

To read more about wood stork delisting and the public comment period (open through April 17), visit bit.ly/woodstork_2023. Look for a Did You Know? about wood storks in an upcoming issue.

Sources, GADNR 2022 Wildlife Report and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Affectionately referred to as "Old Flinthead" due to their gray, rough-textured, bald heads, wood storks are the only stork species that breeds in the U.S.

Photo by Nick Riccio, Jr.

The famous painter Van Gogh once wrote, “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” Photographer Carol Ann Wages couldn’t agree more. Her passion for nature is revealed whenever she ventures into the wild world with her camera, whether on a Golden Isles expedition, observing wildlife at Horton Pond on Jekyll Island, or in her own back yard.

Carol Ann, a self-described “Navy brat” with global life experience, first took up a Kodak Brownie at the tender age of nine and was “immediately hooked.” Honing her art over the decades, in 2011 she landed once again in coastal Georgia, where she had been a resident twice during her youth. She’s found her permanent home in Brunswick and has been documenting the area’s wildlife and their habitat ever since.

Carol Ann presents her subjects not just as lovely onedimensional pictures, but as the three-dimensional, living creatures they are by providing detailed information about their lives and habits. Her meticulous research provides an educational opportunity, hopefully serving to enhance the viewer’s respect and appreciation for wildlife and wild places.

Carol Ann’s work has not gone unnoticed. Her photographs have been included in exhibits, and have appeared in magazines, books and on book covers. She’s won a number of contests and awards and her photography is featured on Fine Art America.

In 2018, she had her first solo exhibit in Horton Gallery, which was featured in Coast Illustrated. In addition, her work has made its way into the realm of journalism, with her photographs being featured on two local news stations. When the Golden Ray cargo ship capsized in St. Simons Sound in 2019, her documentation of the rescue of its crew made the news. She’s also hit the local news spotlight with her work on a movie set in Brunswick and in her own back yard, documenting her guest of six years, a rare white morph squirrel.

Carol has also moved into the exciting world of book publishing and has released three titles to date. Horton Pond Wildlife, a compilation of gorgeous photos and easily absorbed education, can be purchased at Jekyll Island shops and online at www.blurb.com/b/10682876-horton-pond. Feeling Jekyll , also available at most shops on Jekyll Island, offers photos and quotes invoking the special spirit of the island. Jekyll Island Reflections offers enchanting photographs of subjects literally reflected in the island’s waters.

If you’re seeking something more than just a coffee table book of photographs, check out Carol Ann’s work. She pairs the eye of the artist with the heart of a naturalist and the results are nothing less than stunning.

You can view her work at www.facebook.com/ WildlifeByCarolAnn/ or carolann-wages.pixels.com.

Author Spotlight

By Neva Parsons Assistant Editor

NAUTICAL FLEA MARKET

Saturday, April 8 8 am - 1 pm

• Open to Public (Buyers & Sellers)

• No Entry Fee - No Space Fee

• Bring your own table, trailor or truck bed

• Open to all boating/nautical items

Boat parts

Electronics Props Hardware Boats & Motors

Fishing gear

Sailing gear

Canvas items Nautical decor Marine books

Turtle Crawl

912 - 832 - 6721 www.barbourriverclub.com

1636 Goulds Landing Road NE, Townsend

Anglers Wanted!

Marking the start of sea turtle nesting season on the Georgia coast, Jekyll Island will be hosting its 20th annual Turtle Crawl event on April 29, to benefit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC). Come out and get active for an incredibly cute and important cause!

Turtle Crawl serves as a fundraiser for GSTC to support its mission of sea turtle research, rehabilitation, and education. Since its founding in 2007, the Center has provided care for over 3,000 patients, including a variety of sea turtle species and other coastal wildlife. Turtle Crawl participants have raised more than $100,000 to help save sea turtles!

Participants can become sea turtle ambassadors and race for a cause in the 10K, 5K, or 1K Fun Run with the first race beginning at 7:25 a.m. Or sleep in and still get Turtle Crawl swag by becoming a Ghost Crawler, our virtual participant option. Online registration closes Wednesday, April 26.

Tournament Dates:

April 27, 28, 29 (1 day, Captain’s Choice)

1st Place: $25,000

(Based on 25 boats)

For Info, visit: AleeAnglers.org

All proceeds benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children Sponsorships are tax deductible.

This year’s new Saturday format enhances the Turtle Crawl experience for families at this beloved event and provides a perfect way for everyone to contribute to the life-saving work of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. For more information or to register for the races, visit jekyllisland. com/turtlecrawl.

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is a working wildlife hospital. It features a rehabilitation pavilion where guests can observe treatments as they happen and learn about sea turtles and the other wildlife patients the GSTC takes in. There’s also an interactive exhibit gallery that immerses guests in the fascinating journey of the sea turtle.

Fun for all ages! Photo provided by JIA

Did You Know?

The wood duck's Latin name, Aix sponsa, translates to "waterfowl in bridal dress."

Biology

◆ Adults have 12 calls, while young have five; females have special calls for locating their mates and warning young of predators.

◆ With his brown, russet, and iridescent blue-green feathers, white flares, and red eyes, the drake is one of North America's most colorful waterfowl.

◆ Females are light brown with grey heads (also tufted), and white teardrop markings around the eyes.

◆ Wood ducks are about 20 inches long, with wingspans of about 28 inches.

WOOD DUCKS

Aix sponsa

DAYS

How long their clutches of 7 to 15 eggs incubate.

Quick Facts

◆ Wood ducks nest in March and April, but can nest twice per year in the South.

◆ Nest in tree cavities, but will also happily set up house in wetland nest boxes.

◆ Feed by dabbling, which means picking food from the waters surface; adult diet is mostly seeds, while young also feed on insects and larvae.

◆ Landowners can help bolster their population by providing nest boxes near lakes, streams or ponds.

Ducklings

◆ Young are precocial, meaning they're mobile and relatively mature at hatching; ducklings leap from the nest and head for water at one day old.

◆ Ducklings can swim and find their own food as soon as they leave the nest, but are tended by mom until they learn to fly, usually around 60 days.

Wood ducks inhabit swamps, marshes, creeks, shallow lakes and ponds, like this pair at Horton's Pond, on Jekyll Island.

Compiled by Neva Parsons

Photos by Nick Riccio, Jr.

Also known as Carolina ducks, these fowl tend to live in groups of less than 20 birds and avoid other waterfowl.

BOATING OPTIONS - PART II

By Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill

Here we go again folks! Time to wrap up this two-part piece on the various methods of getting on the water. Last month we talked about the merits and downfalls of boat clubs, rentals and charters. If you didn’t catch it, visit southerntidesmagazine.com/ digital-issue.

In the past I’ve written several pieces about kayaks and have shared my belief that, dollar for dollar, these self-propelled boats are some of the best investments to get your H2O fix. In many aspects that still holds true; however a couple of the pitfalls to kayaks are their range and time. You can only kayak a certain distance in a given period of time.

Last year I stumbled across something that really piqued my interest: a stand-up paddleboard, or SUP. I’m sure you’re thinking, “Dude, you just said a kayak is limited by range and time, and now you're talking about a paddleboard?”

Let me assure you, my cheese hasn’t slid off my cracker. Well, not entirely.

You may also be thinking that paddleboards are for those little, lithe and muscular young people. You know, the ones doing hot goat yoga and eating kale. Normally I’d agree with that notion. Those of you who know me personally know I’m neither young, nor lithe, nor muscular, and the only hot goat you’d find me interested in would most likely involve food.

Although I’ve found paddleboards interesting, there’s always been a nagging little voice in my head shouting, “Dude, you’ll die on one of those!” Being rather large and somewhat aged I realized if I fell off one (or more accurately, not if, but when), I’d never get back on it.

But then I found what appears to be the perfect board – a Live Watersports L4 Expedition. At 14 feet in length and with a 750-pound payload capacity, built around a tunnel hull design, this thing is super stable. Meaning they don’t tip over. Even with all the rated payload out at the toe rail they refuse to flip.

Not sure where I’m going with this? Well, even with this unique design the manufacturer has continued to push the envelope. Now, what was once a simple paddleboard can be fitted with a small outboard engine, like a 6HP gasoline outboard, or a high thrust electric trolling motor, or both. Which also makes it great for fishing. This boat gets into the skinniest of skinny waters when used with a push pole and power pole, or a stinger to hold you in place.

Is this boat for everyone? Maybe not, but I feel that it, or one of the others being offered by their competitors, could fill several

niches.

As mentioned, this little beast comes in at 14 feet and weighs a mere 75 pounds, before you start rigging it. Some sort of trailer, such as the size used to haul a jet ski or small skiff, would make it ideal to haul and launch, especially if you fully kit it out.

Yes, it is somewhat pricey in comparison to a regular paddleboard or kayak – the base unit is $2800. Add another $2500 for the engine and mounting plate, along with anything else you decide to add to it, such as cooler mounts or rod holders. I didn’t say it was cheap (ha!), but I think it’s very adaptable. Even if you don’t rig it with an outboard you can still install a trolling motor and use it in light current anywhere electric motors are allowed. Or just leave it bare and use it for a great two-person (or even three-person) SUP.

Another choice for a powered board comes from Boteboards. They offer their Rover Aero Bug Slinger ™ , an inflatable described as, “It’s a skiff. It’s a dingy. It’s a tender. It’s a motorized inflatable paddle board.” It’s a more affordable package coming in at around $3000, and that’s including a motor. At 12’6” in length and just 40 inches wide, it has a 500-pound payload and gives you another option to get out there on the water. If I decide to pull the trigger on one of these, I will do a much deeper article.

Remember, no great adventure was ever had on the living room couch.

'Til our wakes cross again, peace and love, and shrimp and grits. I'll see you on the water!

Captain Gator has spent the past several decades truly living the salt life, from living on and racing sailboats, to being a paddle guide, to becoming a 100-ton master and working in the tour boat industry. A strong love of history and the water has shaped him into becoming one part educator, one part entertainer, and one part storyteller. When asked if he is a native, his reply is yes, by osmosis.

Yes, it's a paddleboard, and an extremely stable board at that.

Photo by Michael McKnight

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