Fall 2014 - Rockingham County Schools

Transcription

Friends of Hunting Island
Loggerhead Log
19
Summer 2011
93 – 2014
FALL 2014
Dedication to Barry deSatnick (June 5, 1933—July 9, 2011)
From the President’s Pen…
Bonnie Wright, Past-President FOHI, Board Member
Barry deSatnick joined the Friends of Hunting Island State
days of his beloved lightPark shortly after retiring to the Beaufort area in 2003,
house.
Dick
Geier,
President,
Friends
of
Hunting
Island
when he and his wife, Pat, visited the park and listened to
Bonnie Wright recently
a volunteer’s talk at the
lighthouse.
The
September Beach Sweep and the
annual Richard Knieriem, our Construction Director, renovated a
remarked, “ I was very
Barry was raised in Cape
and growing
he develfallMay,
FOHINJ,dinner
markupthe
end of thefond
Summer
storage
into a Turtle Clubhouse and constructed screens
of Barry and
it wasshed
a
oped a special affinity
for and
lighthouses.
mom forward
had a
2014
we are His
looking
topleasure
the genaround
the park’s large trash dumpsters.
working
with him
beach house on the Jersey
Shore which she meeting
rented to toureral membership
in December.
on theThis
Friends’Mike
Board.Allen,
He our Lighthouse Director established a superb reists, and he joined the Beach Patrol in his teens. From the
is missed by many, but his
year
has
been
most
productive.
lationship with the lighthouse hosts, did a great deal of maintop of the lifeguards’ platform he could see the Cape May
efforts with FOHI will be
Lighthouse in the distance,
where hisbroke
stepmother
tickWe again
our sold
membership
record for
tenance
remembered
genera-in and around the lighthouse, and represented the
ets as a volunteer. As
he 824
grew families
up, went to
and of publication,
with
at college,
the time
organization at the opening of the National Lighthouse Mutions.”
began
a career,
the memory
of thatour
lighthouse
stayed with
thanks
to Nancy
Grimaldi,
membership
coordinator
and memorial
seum in
A private
ser-New York City.
him, and he remained a member of the Cape May Beach
Peter
Pearks
our
wonderful
data
base
manager.
vice
will
be
held
for
Barry
We continued to support the Nature Center and our docents,
Patrol Benevolent Society until his death.
deSatnick in Cape May in the Fall. The family has requested
We was
were
able toofreach
out to
ourand
political
representatives,
thanks to the efforts of our Nature Center/Docent Director
Barry
a member
the Friends’
Board
a Director
that any donations in his memory be sent to Friends of Hunting
other
conservation
groups,
andimportant
the South
Beach
Margit Resch.
for
lighthouse
activities during
the very
150thCarolina
Island State Park, P O Box 844, St. Helena Island, SC 9920-0844
Lighthouse
Anniversary
in October
2009. renourishment
For over a year through
Communities
to discuss
beach
markedthe
“Lighthouse”
see Barry’s
dream fulfilled.
Litter toControl,
through
the efforts of our trash busters and
leading
up to the
celebration,
pro- Parsick.
dedicated
efforts
of ourBarry
Vicespearheaded
President, the
Denise
beach
sweeps,
helped
to
keep our beautiful park in a pristine
ject to have the lighthouse freshly painted in time for the
We conducted
successful
raisingexperience
activities at the Pelican condition, thanks to the outstanding organizational and leadcelebration.
Through
his previousfund
professional
with
DuPontVolks
Paint Co.
and hisFat
wide
contactsand
withScout
a variety
Plunge,
March,
Patties,
Southern Living ership efforts of our Litter Control Director, Vicki Anne Nestor
ofstore
paint and
materials
suppliers,
was abledue
to get
andraw
various
other
publicheevents
theallleadership and and her assistant Jane Ann Lotton.
the
paint donated.
The
was completed
wellRaising,
in ad- Chuck Lurey.
Continued on page 2
managerial
skills
ofproject
our Director
of Fund
vance over two weeks’ time in mid-February, 2009.
We are also thankful for the precise and detailed efforts of
To prepare the lighthouse for its anniversary spotlight,
our also
Secretary,
Jimactivities
Eckelberry
and our
highly
Barry
directed the
of a group
of college
stu-competent and
experienced
Susan
Defoe.out buildings
dent
volunteers inTreasurer,
painting the
lighthouse’s
and surrounding fence. Once these tasks were completed,
Our Director of Communications, Ted Temple, did a masterful
he turned his attention to obtaining a special lighthouse
job of publicizing
ourUnited
events
andPost
ourOffice.
SocialAfter
Events Coordinapostmark
stamp from the
States
tor,
Ben
Coppage,
put
on
successful
social
events and supmuch time and effort, the request was granted by the USPS
ported
our beach
and
a souvenir
Pictorial sweeps.
Postmark Envelope was produced
to be sold as a fundraiser for the lighthouse during the
Bonnie Wright did a wonderful job maintaining our archives
150th celebration.
and reminding us of our past accomplishments.
Because of Barry’s hard work and dedication, park visitors
Wecontinue
also would
not express
will
to enjoybe
theremiss
beauty to
of South
Carolina’sour
only sincere thanks
lighthouse
open toand
the public
for many years
to come.
for the that
hardis work
the excellent
product
produced by our
Log
Dorothy
andin-assisted by the
It Loggerhead
was also his plan
to Editor,
spearhead
a projectIngram,
to paint the
side
of the lighthouse.
But, Willenberg.
as his illness progressed he
Assistant
Editor Peggy
reluctantly gave up his board position and work on behalf
wonderful
volunteers
above
made sure
ofAll
thethe
lighthouse.
Friends
of Hunting mentioned
Island have lost
a
the organization
was
wellfriends
managed
supported.
We also
dedicated
supporter and
a true
as haveand
so many
of
directorshimwho
lead
volunteers to accomushad
whosuperb
worked alongside
during
theother
most important
plish a great deal this year.
Our Education Co-directors, Ron Manyin and Michael Seymour, managed the Discover Carolina Program and set the
stage for upcoming initiatives to engage the senior community and educators in our area.
Visit the Friends of Hunting Island on our official website:
www.friendsofhuntingisland.org
Mark those calendars for all
these upcoming events!
• Friends of Hunting Island Monthly Board Meeting. Monday,
November 3, 12:00 Noon, Lady’s Island Airport conference
room. The public is welcome.
• Trunk or Treat. Friday, October 31 4:00-7:00 PM in Hunting
Island State Park Nature Center parking lot. Free. Costumes are
encouraged. For information call the Nature Center at 843-8387437.
• Paddle Fest. Saturday, November 1, Hunting Island State Park
lagoon. Watch your email for further information on this event.
• Friends of Hunting Island Monthly Board Meeting. Tuesday,
November 4, 12:00 Noon, Lady’s Island Airport conference room.
The public is welcome.
• Friends of Hunting Island Annual Meeting and Visitor Center
Christmas Tree Trimming. Saturday, December 6, starting with
social and tree trimming at 10:00 AM, and the annual meeting and
election of officers starting at 11:00 AM.
• Pelican Plunge. Thursday, January 1, 2015. Registration starts at
12:00 Noon, and the Plunge will take place at at 1:00 PM.
Note: FOHI Board meetings are typically held on the first Tuesday
of each month. Dates are subject to change. To confirm the date
and time of a FOHI Board meeting, please contact any member
of our Board as listed in this publication or on our website at
www.friendsofhuntingisland.org. Please click on the “About”
pulldown menu and the “Board of Directors” link.
President’s Pen
Continued from front page
The water feature at the Nature Center continues to be the
exterior centerpiece for the Nature Center and the beauty
of the new main entrance sign are due to the initiative and
energy of our Environment Director, Mary Ann Radke. Mary
Ann also headed our grant writing effort and submitted an
accommodation tax grant request to the City of Beaufort.
Our Trails Director, Larry Taylor, who set up a trails maintenance program to assist the park staff, has reenergized our
trails program.
The turtle program continues to enhance the volunteer experience through the addition of a new clubhouse, backpacks,
and streamlined training programs, thanks to Director Chris
Crosley, assisted by Denise Parsick and, of course, Mr. Turtle
– Buddy Lawrence
We cannot thank our staff and directors for this year’s accomplishments without acknowledging the absolutely wonderful
support of Daniel Gambrell, the Park’s Manager and his superb staff. The relationship between the Friends of Hunting
Island and the Park’s manager and staff has never been stronger and that is due in large part to Daniel’s openness, flexibility and responsiveness. We are truly blessed that Daniel
is here and with his leadership the future of the park and our
relationship with the staff is assured.
Last, but not least, we thank all our volunteers for your efforts
and we look forward to seeing you at the Park in the future.
To find out how you can get involved as a volunteer, please visit
our website at www.friendsofhuntingisland.org and click on the
“About” pulldown menu and the “About FOHI” and the “Join or
Donate” links. The membership application lists a variety of volunteer opportunities. Please contact any member of the FOHI Board
to get more information about specific volunteer activities.
HAVE YOU HEARD AN ALLIGATOR TALK RECENTLY?
By Ron Manyin, Alligator Docent and Co-Director of Education, Friends of Hunting Island
I’ll lean forward toward a child and say “See
you later alligator,” cupping my hand to my
ear to await the familiar reply. The very young
children sometimes have to be prompted by
the parents (not because they don’t know,
but because they are sometimes shy when
a stranger is stooped over them); the refrain
then comes almost as a chorus... “In a while
crocodile”. Thus begins my talk about that ubiquitous, fascinating reptile-- Alligator mississippiensis, or, the American
and the Chinese alligator. This creature, about which I knew
nothing when I relocated from New York City fifteen years
ago, is a fascinating draw for visitors to the Lowcountry to experience the only living representative of the dinosaurs that
roamed the planet for some 140 million years.
My adventure as a docent began perhaps twelve years ago
when I met Bill Mounce at a Fripp Island Men’s Lunch Club
called ROMEO- an acronym I still struggle with- “Retired Old
Men Eating Out.” It was hard to say no to volunteering as
a docent to such an inspiring man who was then coordinating all the docents on Hunting Island, not only as a docent
himself, but also as an integral participant on the Board of
Friends of Hunting Island. As an elementary school teacher
in Harlem for five years and then as a lecturer at the City University of New York for thirty-five years, I knew that the best
way for me to learn about alligators was to commit to teaching others about them. Indeed, in addition to my studying, I
also learned much from the visitors attending my talks, many
of whom, including the children, contributed to my learning
as well as providing some unexpected surprises.
One surprise occurred after my third talk, when not one person or family was there for my presentation. “Oh dear!” I
said to myself, “My reputation must have preceded me.” In
desperation, I proceeded to the vestibule where several families were milling about. I made the following announcement
in a loud voice “Would anyone like to hear an alligator talk?”
To which one parent replied, “I’d love to, I never heard that
an alligator could talk”. And so began many refreshing, if not
embarrassing, surprises and joys that stem from being a docent at Hunting Island State Park.
Next time you are at Hunting Island, especially if you are accompanied by young children, do attend one of the “talks
about alligators” where you can learn some interesting history and trivia such as:
• You can determine the length of an alligator by estimating
how many inches its eyes are from the nostrils, where 1
inch equals 1 foot;
• The largest gator on record is 20 feet;
• A gator can run faster than you can for a short distance
(it’s best to run in a zig/zag fashion);
• Prior to the breakup of the Pangea, a land bridge linking
the continents of Asia and North America over 160 million
years ago, the ancestral freshwater alligator line traversed
the bridge from the Yangtze River in China to the Americas.
You might even learn how the elephant got its trunk, a short
story by Kipling called “The Elephant’s Child.” The story describes how a curious baby elephant encounters a crocodile
on the “great grey-green greasy Limpopo River” in Africa.
Next time you visit Hunting Island, do stop by to hear one of
the docents and learn about these fascinating creatures. It
will be worth your while to “hear an alligator talk”. You’d be
surprised at how well it can enunciate. See you later alligator.
To learn more about the Hunting Island Nature Center and its
free educational programs, please visit the Hunting Island State
Park website at www.huntingisland.com and click on the “Park
Info” pulldown menu and the “Nature Center” link.
Visit the Friends of Hunting Island on our official website: www.friendsofhuntingisland.org
Page 2
Friends of Hunting Island State Park, Inc.
P.O. Box 844
St. Helena Island, SC 29920
www.friendsofhuntingisland.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dick Geier, President
[email protected]
Denise Parsick, Vice-President
[email protected]
Susan DeFoe, Treasurer
[email protected]
Jim Eckleberry, Secretary
[email protected]
Ted Temple, Director of Communications
[email protected]
Chuck Lurey, Director of Outreach & Fundraising
[email protected]
Jonathan Greene, Past President*
[email protected]
Daniel Gambrell, Park Manager*
[email protected]
Chris Crosley, Director,
Sea Turtle Conservation Project
[email protected]
Margit Resch, Director, Nature Center and
Docent Program
[email protected]
Vicki Anne Nestor, Director, Litter Control Program
[email protected]
Jane Ann Lotton, Assistant Director, Litter
Control Program
[email protected]
Ronald Manyin, Co-Director, Education Programs
[email protected]
Mike Seymour, Co-Director,
Education Programs
[email protected]
Mary Ann Radke, Director,
Environmental Programs
[email protected]
Michael Allen, Director, Lighthouse & Docents
[email protected]
Larry Taylor, Director, Trails
[email protected]
Richard Kneiriem, Director, Construction
[email protected]
AREA COORDINATORS
Dorothy Ingram, Editor, Loggerhead Log
[email protected]
Peggy Willenberg, Associate Editor,
Loggerhead Log
[email protected]
Tim Devine, Designer, Loggerhead Log & Graphics
[email protected]
Peter Pearks, Database Manager
[email protected]
Ben Coppage, Chair, Social Events
[email protected]
Margie Macready, Co-Chair, Social Events
[email protected]
Nancy Grimaldi, Chair, Membership
[email protected]
Bonnie Wright, Coordinator, History and Archives
[email protected]
HISP PARK STAFF
Megan Stegmeir, Interpretive Program Manager
[email protected]
Kenny Heater, Assistant Park Manager
[email protected]
Malia Cooler, Park Office Manager
[email protected]
Paula Berube, Park Retail Store Manager
[email protected]
Asterisks (*) indicate non-voting, i.e., Past President and
Park Manager members, or reference listing
PARK MANAGER’S REPORT:
AN ACTION PACKED SUMMER COMES
TO A CLOSE; WELCOME TO FALL!
by Daniel Gambrell, Park Manager, Hunting Island State Park
It was an action packed summer at Hunting Island State Park. Once
again, the Friends of Hunting Island supported the park in numerous activities and events. Turtle patrols, beach sweep, grant writing,
fundraising, programming, construction projects, sand castle contest,
oyster reef building project, educational outreach programs, light
house projects, trail maintenance and social events were all completed over the summer. Now, that is impressive! As the season shifts to
fall, let’s take a look at what we have to look forward to at the park.
First, the weather in the fall is perfect for getting outdoors and exploring the trails,
boardwalks, beach, and maritime forest. Wildlife that has been all but stationary during the summer heat is now starting to come to life. Recently, the white-tailed deer
have discovered the acorns that are falling from the oak tree outside my house. One
eight point buck in particular has decided to visit so much that he was given the name
Bobo by my two year old daughter. Snakes are very active this time of year as well.
They sometimes get an unfair reputation but actually play an extremely important role
in the ecosystem. If you see a snake, the best thing to do is keep a safe distance and just
observe it. You should never try to pick up a snake in the wild. If you would like to get
up close and personal with one, all you have to do is visit the nature center.
The nature center and pier are a perfect place to visit this time of year. Check the program calendar or contact the nature center at (843) 838-7437 to find out what exciting
new programs we have coming up. We
will be hosting the second annual Trunk
or Treat Halloween event on October
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
31. Bring your kids to this fun and safe
From the President’s Pen
Cover
evening of trunk or treating, s’mores,
Upcoming
Events
Cover
and face painting. Costumes are enHave
you
Heard
an
Alligator
Talk?
2
couraged! The FOHI and park staff are
Park Manager’s Report
3
currently working on a new nature trail.
This will provide a unique educational
FOHI at National Lighthouse Museum 4
experience at the park. Fall is also a
Trunk or Treat
7
great time for camping. The weather is
Sand Sculpture Contest
8
ideal for sitting around a campfire and
Fall River/Beach Sweep
10
making memories.
The Owls of Hunting Island
11
If it is a rainy day, come visit us at the
nature center and learn some of the
park’s history. We have movies you
can watch about the history of the
lighthouse and park. Don’t forget we
have a free wifi area for you as well.
As you can see, fall is a great time to
get out and explore the park’s natural
resources, take a weekend camping
trip, or attend a program. I hope everyone gets an opportunity to come
and visit the park and enjoy all that it
has to offer!
See you in the park!
Daniel
A Shining Light for Those in Need
A Great Example of Teamwork
BATS! Forget the Myths
Fishing Pier Stories
Aaah, Yes! Oysters!
FOHI at Water Festival
Spotlight on Trails
Annual FOHI Fall Dinner
Caretta’s Corner
Sea Turtle Photo Contest Winner
Once in a Lifetime Opportunity
Sea Turtle Conservation Project
Loggerhead Nesting Season 2014
Briar’s Story
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Page 3
FOHI AND HUNTING ISLAND LIGHT WELL
REPRESENTED AT OPENING OF NATIONAL
LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM IN NEW YORK
Story and photography by Mike Allen, Director, Lighthouse, Friends of Hunting Island
Fire boat display at the opening of the National Lighthouse Museum
The e-mail Norma received about 4:00 p.m. saying that our
departure time of 8:07 p.m. from Yemassee to NYC would be
delayed 20 minutes came as no surprise, based upon the stories we have been told about AMTRAK service. There was so
much anticipation about this adventure and everything for
Norma and me was a brand new experience: AMTRAK travel,
Manhattan, and the sponsorship for the Friends of Hunting
Island’s model of the Hunting Island Lighthouse at the grand
opening of the National Lighthouse Museum made twenty
minutes or two hours a minor issue. Bill Caniff, a close friend,
took us to the train station, arriving as planned, at 7:30 p.m.
At the Yemassee train depot, I sat and thought about the
countless number of Marine recruits that sat under the same
shelter waiting for a new adventure, which as an eerie feeling to say the least. Several others also gathered and various conversations ensued about where we came from, and
where we were headed, just passing time. A freight train
came by that must have been going 100 mph (seemed like it
when one is only 20 feet from the track) scared everyone, especially the child that came to see a train with his grandparents. Then everything quieted down. About nightfall we saw
the northbound light on a train poised waiting for another
slower, smaller southbound train to pass. The light moved to
our station, all passengers got on except 4 of us who were
told to wait, the train moved, and finally we boarded our
sleeper car. The attendant took our bags, placed them in the
small, but efficient space, and told us about the diner car and
concessions. And so the journey began.
We slept well in our bunk berths. Mass transit by AMTRAK at
night in sleepers is the way to travel. I will travel this way again.
Arriving in New York City the next morning, moving about
Penn Station was easy. Norma and I followed the directions
to the street, and hailed a cab to Lower Manhattan. The
motel was next to the historic Fulton Fish Market located
on Peck Slip Drive. We arrived safely. Traffic reminded me
of my last trip to Cairo, Egypt. A cab ride in NYC is an experience everyone should have once: “Honk, Honk”, cutting
off other drivers, and road rage. One word describes the
ride and it is “Wow”. Traffic was worse than traffic in Tokyo,
Japan in 1991. Then, I believed traffic could not be worse
anywhere. Once at our hotel, we settled, and decided to
walk to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, stroll through the
historic district and make plans to travel to Staten Island
on Thursday, but a ferry was boarding, so we followed the
crowd, which was a truly a melting pot of cultures.
The first Staten Island Ferry trip was superb as was each trip
on the ferry. The ferry is not only a method of transportation
but also a mecca of activity for locals, business people, tourists, visitors and people who just ride the ferry. This was my
first sighting of the Statue of Liberty and Governors’ Island
that are discussed in history, but when only viewed as a passenger on a ferry, may one understand the two landmarks’
monumental place in American history. I was in awe as we
Page 4
for a short period. Linda decided that things should wind
down, and we retire to our residences to prepare for official
grand opening on Thursday evening. Norma and I continued our tour, returning to Manhattan.
The following morning continuing our tour of the seaport
and Lower Manhattan was a treat. The light ship Ambrose
was available for tours as was a steel-hulled clipper ship, Peking, docked at the location of the future National Seaport
Museum, which is under construction across from Fulton’s
Seafood Market, also under construction. The construction
is part of the recovery due to hurricane Sandy. I was sitting
on the dock at the seaport museum when it became a stark
revelation that New York Harbor must be the center of US
shipping on the East Coast. As I sat and watched the harbor,
I understood that there was more activity in the harbor both
day and night than in those of Charleston or Jacksonville. The
harbor was full of boats: pleasure boats, barges, freighters,
container ships, ferries and tankers too. It was apparent how
Norma Allen at the helm of the light ship “Ambrose”
arrived at the Staten Island Terminal. No one in the terminal knew where the unopened lighthouse museum was located, so Norma and I started walking towards the exit past
the buses and taxis to Front Street, where we saw shops
and restaurants. The US Post Office seemed the best place
to ask questions where a few answers are found. Realizing
we had passed the museum, we backtracked, walked down
the long sidewalk towards the water, beside a complex of
old buildings in need of restoration or razing, although not
sure where we were, we kept walking until we saw a dock,
cars, and a building that was at least partially restored. I
made a bee line to the door, went inside, introduced myself,
and met the group who was leading the restoration of the
National Lighthouse Museum site. I went back outside to
retrieve Norma who waited patiently for me on the dock.
Immediately, we met John (Jack) Vokral. He was busy working to organize the grand opening which was now only 26
hours away. He referred me to Linda Dianto, the anchor that
has kept this movement open. She was excited to see sponsors, and wanted to know as much about us as possible.
Our lighthouse was on display with the others, and it was
then I realized what an extravaganza in which the Friends
of Hunting Island were participating. Captain Joseph Ahlstrom, education chair, asked me to discuss lighthouse restoration in the 21st Century, on the following Saturday at
the panel lectures, and possibly during the Lighthouse Harbor Tours. After the initial greeting we assisted the group
Model of Hunting Island lighthouse on display at the National
Lighthouse Museum
important the lighthouses were in the harbor, in addition to
the Coast Guard, who has a major presence in New York Harbor. It was then that I understood the importance of Sunday’s
boat tour of the 14 lighthouses in New York Harbor. On this
tour I learned that the Statue of Liberty is considered a lighthouse, too, and is probably the most famous lighthouse in
the world. Lighted beacons guided sailors during both World
Wars, the Great Depression, and during the nuclear tensions
of the Cold War, which brought to mind a story told to me by
my father, who was on his way to North Africa during WWII.
It was in the winter of 1941, and the troops on the ships had
to practice abandon ship drills. Troops had to put on life jackets (MAE WEST) and jump off the side of the ship. My father,
who was an excellent swimmer, was told to jump into the
cold NY Harbor water off the side of his ship. He was relucContinued on page 6
Page 5
NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM
Continued from front page 5
tant until the Chief Petty Officer in charge said jump damn it,
I told you to jump. Although some did not survive the 60 foot
drop into frigid water, the drill prepared the men for travel
through the icy Atlantic where it was rough and the German
U-Boats were praying upon troop convoys. The lighthouses
and lightships in New York Harbor led my father’s boat out to
sea, and the lighthouses of the Mediterranean perhaps kept
him safe as his Air Group left the United States and landed in
North Africa. Watching the activity on the harbor prepared
me for today’s event. After lunch we dressed for the Grand
Opening of the Lighthouse museum, and once again we rode
the Staten Island Ferry.
The lighthouse museum itself is just one of many structures
that were built for the lighthouse service. Many buildings
are very similar to the buildings one may find on a Naval
Base. The area dedicated to the museum has a large dock,
dilapidated repair shops, working areas for lighthouse
design, Fresnel lens repair, and barracks. The complex
abandoned for years is in a state of disrepair. Abandoned
buildings always seem sad; I guess the buildings await destruction much the same as a person on death row. Occasionally buildings, like people, are determined to be salvageable and are saved. Good news came at the Grand
Opening Ceremony: money in the form of donations and
appropriations from local governments would be available
for restoring buildings on the site.
At the grand opening, many people responsible for the
preservation of lighthouses in the US and the world were
present, along with many government officials. During the
social hour, there was a lot of chit chat about lighthouses in
the US and in the Mediterranean Sea. The Northeast and
Great Lakes seem to have started restoration efforts sooner
than most. During discussion with others about their lighthouses, I shed light on the dilemma about the lighthouses
in the Southeast. Most were built just after the Civil War of
brick masonry, and a few were cast iron. Global changes in
climate resulting in sea level rise are certain death to our
many beloved lighthouses. The Morris Island light stands
on its foundation only as the water has covered and washed
away Morris Island. Folly Beach is barely being saved, only
through groins and beach re-nourishment because it generated a great deal of revenue for the county and state.
Other islands have a similar fate, Myrtle Beach, Mt. Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island, Folly Beach, and Edisto Beach. The
saving technology in use is a combination groins and jetties
and re-nourishment, which can save one area and will cause
some other beaches to wash away faster. Now it becomes
a political issue as one beach is saved and the other is eroded. In the end, if sea levels rise, the question becomes how
high will the water rise? On state owned Hunting Island,
re-nourishment is contentious because it is not only a public park owned by the state, but it also does not generate
Reception on upper deck of “Cornucopia”
enough revenue to justify beach re-nourishment.
The conversations continued the next evening aboard the
“Cornucopia Destiny,” during the “Gala” for a fundraiser
for the lighthouse museum. There were children of lighthouse keepers, Fresnel lens repair technicians, sponsor,
politicians, and Wall Street business people in attendance. I
made many contacts
On Saturday, there were many presentations. Attendees
learned about the hardships and dedication of lighthouse
keepers in the Great Lakes, the importance of lighthouses
today, the restoration of the Hunting Island Light, and the
vulnerability of many southeastern lighthouses to ocean
encroachment. The problems encountered when restoring
lighthouses wherever they may be located are similar. The
only variable is how much time is left.
Sunday was the Grand Opening of the Lighthouse Museum’s finale which was a tour of the New York City Harbor,
highlighting 14 light beacons in the harbor. We left the Pier
at the National Seaport Museum, traveled around the harbor to Coney Island, then turned and went to Sandy Hook,
New Jersey before returning to the Seaport. It was a beautiful day; the harbor was busy with recreational boaters and
commercial interest. We saw lighthouses that were used
as range lights, for guidance, ones that marked shoals and
those that mark harbor entrances. A few were high atop
cliffs, others on man-made islands. One succumbed to hurricane Sandy and was on the bottom of the harbor. Sadly,
a few stood extinguished, marked by lighted buoys, being
more of a hazard than that of a beacon to warn sailors from
afar off; these are awaiting their sentence.
The return trip on Monday was uneventful. We traveled
business class on Amtrak. The train was crowded from Penn
Station to Rocky Mount, NC. Even with many stops, for passengers, the train arrived in Yemassee, SC, 30 minutes late.
I would like to thank the Friends of Hunting Island for their
generosity and for giving Norma and me the opportunity
to represent you at the Grand Opening of the Light House
Museum. It is my opinion that our presence was of value.
Many contacts were made that can help us as we prepare
for the future of the Hunting Island Lighthouse.
Page 6
Page 7
GREAT FUN, MUSIC, SCULPTURES ABOUND
AT THE SAND SCULPTURE CONTEST
By Bonnie Osment
Our 7th Annual Sand Sculpture Contest, Saturday, July 28,
2014, took place during one of Hunting Island’s glorious summer days on the beach. Once again, we had a great turnout
and great fun was had by all. Willie Cohen and his Heritage
Steel Band were on hand entertaining us with great Island music which kept every happy. Some folks even broke into dance.
Our judges this year were headed once again by our good
friend, Deanna Bowdish, with Pinckney Simons and Patrick
Kerbein, all members of the Beaufort Arts Community.
The Best in Show pictured above and titled, “Octo-Anchors”
was won by the Vivian Hornsby family and the Mike Patterson family. They were part the Sand Tribes Category and
from Augusta, Georgia. Photo by Gina Eickhoff
Once again, we had four categories plus the Best in Show
Award. There were 22 talented entries from South Carolina,
Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina and Canada. This year we
added face painting and goodie bags for the kids and that
proved very popular. We plan to continue this in years to
come. Also, a big thank you to the Park for donating the
funds for the kids’ things.
Nancy Grimaldi, Bonnie Osment, Sand Sculpture Contest
Chair, and Tina Nixon. Photo by Lynda Carter
Photo by Dorothy Ingram
The winning sculpture by the “Octo-Anchors” from Augusta,
Georgia. Photo by Gina Eickhoff, HISP Asst. Retail Manager
Page 8
This was a fabulous day, full of fun and excitement for everyone. We had lots of folks who
came to our event just to watch everyone design their sand sculptures and had a couple of
folks who had participated in the past. Our
hope with this contest is to bring more and
more people to the Park and to instill kids and
adults with the importance of our beach environment and how to protect it along with
having a lot of fun.
After the awards were presented and everyone had a chance to take pictures, the beach
was restored to its original condition to protect the turtles as well as people walking on
the beach.
Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with
this fun event, my co-chair, Gina Eickhoff, for
handling the face painting table and the Park
Rangers who were on hand to do whatever A winner in the making! The “Octo-Anchors” from the Sand Tribes category
create their first prize winning sculpture. Photo by Lynda Carter
needed to be done.
Hope to see many of you back next year.
To learn more about the annual Sand Sculpture Contest, please visit our website at
www.friendsofhuntingisland.org and click on
the “Events” pulldown menu and the “Sand
Sculpture Contest” link.
Photo by Lynda Carter
Photo by Gina Eickhoff
Visit
Visit the
the Friends
Friends of
of Hunting
Hunting Island
Island on
on our
our official
official website:
website: www.friendsofhuntingisland.org
Page 9
INTERNATIONAL FALL RIVER/BEACH SWEEP
VOLUNTEERS REMOVE 2100 POUNDS OF
TRASH FROM HUNTING ISLAND STATE PARK!
By Vicki Anne Nestor, Litter Control Director, Friends of Hunting Island
It was an overcast morning with 60 percent chance of thunderstorms. The evidence and leftovers from the busy summer season and Labor Day weekend were scattered everywhere, and we were anxious to do our job. Around 9 o’clock,
volunteers started coming into the picnic area of North Beach
to help with set up, registration, and food. Canopies, tables,
chairs, and boxes of supplies were being unloaded and volunteers began setting up for the International Fall River/Beach
Sweep kicking off at 10 AM that morning. As set up was taking place, Friends members were dropping off
lots of home baked goods for the lunch portion of the sweep. The Low Country Rotary caravan came rolling in with their giant grill in tow, followed shortly after by Ben Coppage and the
social committee. Other folks immediately stepped up and volunteered to help Ben with food preparation and table layout. About 10 AM, the sweep volunteers started coming in droves:
130 trashbusters, anxious to participate! There were teenagers,
seniors, families, Marines, and even 70 JROTC members. As the
volunteers registered, assigned to clean-up areas, and headed
out, the Low Country Rotary fired up the giant grill, started getting the hamburgers and hot dogs ready to cook, and were generally enjoying their part in the sweep. I enjoyed watching them
play some Bocce Ball. It wasn’t long before the familiar aroma of
grilled hots and hams filled the air beneath the trees.
Along with all the individuals and families, several groups arrived to join in. Included were the Wade Hampton JROTC,
Beaufort High Interact Club, Battery Creek Interact Club, Dataw Garden Club, Master Naturalists, personnel from KBCB,
and, YES, Friends of Hunting Island. Thanks to you all!
The volunteers covered the beach, interior roads, hiking
trails, Route 21, Russ Point Landing, the Nature Center, Marsh
Boardwalk, Marsh Overlook, the Lagoon area, and all the picnic areas, and parking lots. When the beach sweep was completed, 157 trash bags were filled with litter and trash. Job
Well Done! Hooray!!!!
The two litter items of biggest concern are the plastic straw
wrappers that come attached to juice boxes, and our old nemesis cigarette butts. Disposable, reusable ashtrays are available
at both Park stores free of charge. When at the beach, look for
these two items and dispose of them properly, please.
Kayakers played a big part this Fall. They accumulated five
piles of debris collected along the shoreline from Russ Point
Landing to the Nature Center and around the Southern tip of
the island. In addition, the kayakers returned to the registration area with a pickup truck bed full of bagged litter. Thank
you for a job well done!!!!!!
Bob Bobko and Terri Smith display treasures (?) found at the beach
sweep. Photo by Vicki Anne Nestor
This, along with all the
other filled bags returned, have been estimated to total 2100
pounds. What a great
job!
A big thank you to everyone who helped with set
up, registration, and food. Volunteers from Wade Hampton
Jane Ann Lotton, Assistant
JROTC came out to join in.
Litter Director, thank you
Photos by LoJo Jones for all your time and effort
before, during, and after
the sweep. Also, thank
you to our husbands,
Rayner and Bear, who
helped their wives pull
off a successful Sweep. Thank you to Ranger Zach
Setzer, Park Liaison, and
all Park staff.
And finally, thank you
Mother Nature for keeping us in the sunny 40 percent area
of a stormy day and working with us to make our Fall Beach
Sweep a success.
Leave Only Footprints
To find out more about the litter control program, please visit our
website at www.friendsofhuntingisland.org and click on the
“Environment” pulldown menu and the “Litter Program” link.
To read more about the Hunting Island Beach Sweep held twice
a year in the spring and in the fall, please visit our website and
click on the “Events” pulldown menu and the “Beach Sweep” link.
Page 10
THE OWLS OF HUNTING ISLAND STATE PARK:
Part Three, The Eastern Screech Owl
By Peggy Willenberg, Associate Editor, Loggerhead Log, Friends of Hunting Island.
birds have gray feathers. This distinction may offer additional
camouflage by mimicking the bark color of the majority of
trees in a given region.
Although reclusive, the little owls may be attracted to nest
boxes if placed in an area of large trees. Perhaps you would
like to invite this tiny raptor into your own personal habitat,
and enjoy its haunting cries all through the night!
The screech owls pictured in this article appear courtesy
of Nancy “Maudi” Owen of Gryphon Den. To see live bats
and owls and enjoy an entertaining discussion of them, join
Maudi Owen and Amanda Gruber, HISP Program Specialist, at the Hunting Island Nature Center for Gryphon Den’s
“Creatures of the Night.” Please call Hunting Island Nature
Center at (843) 838-7437 for dates and times. Please note
Photo by Alisha Sheaffer
The eastern screech owl, while quite common in forested areas of the eastern United States, is seldom seen but often
heard as it wings its way through the forest hunting for prey.
Its strange calls, a warbling “whinny”, used to mark territorial
boundaries, and the monotone trill it uses to communicate
with family members, are common sounds in the quiet night.
Some mated pairs may even call to each other during daylight
hours. So why is this common owl so seldom observed?
For one thing, it is tiny! The owl is short and stocky, no taller
than a pint glass. It is very compact, with prominent “ear”
tufts usually held in a raised position. And it is superbly camouflaged. Between its size, beautiful camouflage feathers,
and its preference for tree holes or other nooks and crannies,
a screech owl is almost impossible to spot.
The primary prey of the screech is large insects, although
some small rodents may also be taken. The female is larger
than the male, as is the case with most raptors, but the male
is a stronger flyer and has a deeper voice. During nesting
season, the male does all the hunting while the female stays
at the nest. When the eggs hatch the baby owls fight fiercely
over food, and sometimes even kill each other. As gruesome
as this seems, it is Nature’s way to insure that at least some
baby owls will survive to fledge.
Screech owls sport two distinctly different feather colorations, with reddish, or “rufous”, owls found primarily in the
eastern part of their range, while the majority of the western
“Hershey,” photo by Nancy Owen
that wild birds and animals that appear in “Creatures of
the Night” programs are non-releasable animals that could
not survive in the wild; by law only non-releasable wild animals may be used for education. To learn more about the
Hunting Island Nature Center and its free educational programs, please visit the Hunting Island State Park website at
www.huntingisland.com and click on the “Park Info” pulldown menu and the “Nature Center” link.
Page 11
A SHINING LIGHT FOR THOSE IN NEED!
By Brandon Bowers, Senior Park Ranger, Hunting Island State Park
Kenny Heater, Assistant Park Manager HISP,
Brandon Bowers, Senior Park Ranger HISP,
Bryce Payne, Store Director for BI-LO on
Boundary Street, and Ryan Kingery, Store
Director for BI-LO on Paris Island Gateway. Photo by Malia Cooler, HISP Office Manager
Hunting Island State Park, along with eight other South Carolina State Parks that
lie within the coastal region of the state, hosted a food drive this past summer.
The food drive began on Memorial Day and ended on Labor Day of 2014. All of
the donations collected have now been counted and will soon be delivered to the Lowcountry
Food Bank to help some of the 547,869 South
Carolinians who live below the poverty line.
In an effort to collect as many cans as possible, Hunting Island set the bar high and built a
replica of the historic lighthouse from donated
food. The replica lighthouse, which was on
display at the park visitors’ center, stood over
twelve feet tall and was constructed using 640
cans and 32 water bottles. Thanks to many
FOHI members and other caring individuals
who donated food along with a generous donation from Bi-Lo, the final count here at HuntPhoto by Brandon Bowers
ing Island is a whopping 925 cans of food.
The state parks’ food drive was a great success, in
part due to Hunting Island, which collected the largest amount of cans of all
nine parks. Again, Hunting Island would like to thank everyone who contributed, and especially Bi-Lo for donating 672 cans of food. Bi-Lo not only allowed
Hunting Island to finish constructing the replica lighthouse, but better yet to
enable us to help many more of our friends and neighbors in need.
A GREAT EXAMPLE OF TEAMWORK…AND THE VALUE
OF THE FOHI LISTSERV By Denise Parsick, Vice-President, Friends of Hunting Island
As a member of the Friends of Hunting Island (FOHI) you are on our email list --no
surprise to you! Some people think they are
contacted too often, some not enough. As a
Board, we value your membership and often
request your help in support of something
we have deemed reasonable and responsible to help our mission.
At the beginning of the summer, we requested help from
you to identify people who would be interested in an ad
hoc committee to explore FOHI’s “partnership” situation. It
seems we had three pages of partners listed on our former
website and wanted some input from non-board members.
We don’t have all the answers and we like to hear from the
rest of you. As with other requests, folks came forward,
and with three short meetings we accomplished our goal.
In the process, we were also able to shed light on some of
the strengths and weaknesses of our web site!
A big thank you to Donald Starkey, Burton Sauls, Trudy Flannagan, and Fred Kates, who joined Board members to accomplish this task. So, whether it is volunteering at local
festivals, beach sweeps, fund raisesr, or ad hoc committees
such as this--we value your input. There is a lot of talent
among the 830 plus families who are members.
Remember: the Board meets on the 1st Tuesday of every
month at noon at the airport conference room, and the
meeting is open to the public. And be assured that the FOHI
list serve is for FOHI purposes only. Your information is confidential and is not available to outside sources. Together,
we make a difference.
To contact any member of the FOHI Board, please visit our
website at www.friendsofhuntingisland.org and click on the
“About” pulldown menu and the “Board of Directors” link.
Page 12
BATS! Forget the Myths and Enjoy These
Creatures of the Night
Part TWO: A Few MORE Myths Debunked
by Nancy “Maudi” Owen, Gryphon Den, “Creatures of the Night” Program, Nature Center, Hunting Island State Park
BATS!! Eeeek, bats are flying rodents! Bats suck blood! Bats
turn into Dracula! When folks hear rumors like these, it is
no wonder they are scared of bats. It is time to take another
look at our only flying mammal, without which we humans
would be in serious trouble. For in fact, the bat benefits
human society in
some unexpected
ways.
Vampire bats do drink blood, but they only live in Central
America, not North America! There are three species of
vampire bats that feed on livestock (cows, horses, pigs)
and birds. These vampire bats weigh only about an ounce
and one half to two ounces. With sharp teeth, they make
a small scoop in the
target’s skin and
lap about a tablespoon of blood.
They do not suck
blood. The cow
barely feels the bite
and doesn’t miss
the blood.
Mice cannot fly,
and bats are in no
way related to rodents. Bats have
their own order,
which is Chiroptera, meaning hand
Bats benefit manwing, in Greek. This
kind in some unname is due to the
expected
ways.
fact that bats actuRecent
studies
ally fly with wings
have shown that
that are just like
the vampire’s saour arms, hands
liva contains a proand fingers. A bat’s
tein that prevents
wings consist of a
a blood clot from
humerus, a radius, Photo of “Echo” of Gryphon Den by Alisha Sheaffer
forming. Scientists
a wrist and the
are studying this
same bones humans have in their four fingers and thumb, saliva protein for use in stroke and heart patients, instead
connected by a delicate webbing. Note the photo of the of the present blood thinners that thin the blood continubat “Echo,” which clearly shows this structure. Bats use ously. The vampire saliva only goes to work when the fibrins
their hands/wings similarly to the way humans and other that form a clot are in evidence, leaving the blood normal
primates use their hands. They swat insects out of the air the rest of the time.
and hold their pups like we hold our babies.
Next issue: Bats! More Benefits to Mankind.
Bats use their thumbs and feet to crawl around, and because their knees are rotated backwards they can hang
upside down for hours. Special valves in their circulatory
system prevent the blood from rushing to their heads.
A flying bat’s heart rate can reach 1400 beats a minute,
while in hibernation the heart rate can be 20 or less beats
a minute. Respiration can drop to less than 10 breaths a
minute. This is why, if wakened during hibernation, they
will often use up enough energy to not survive the winter.
Because of their backward knees, bats cannot stand like
other mammals. Their wings are attached to their feet,
giving them better flying and maneuvering ability. Bats
cannot take off from a flat surface. Hanging upside down
enables them to just let go and fly.
To see live bats and owls and enjoy an entertaining discussion of them, join Nancy “Maudi” Owen and Amanda Gruber, HISP Program Specialist, at the Hunting Island Nature
Center for Gryphon Den’s “Creatures of the Night.” Please
call Hunting Island Nature Center at (843) 838-7437 for
dates and times. Please note that wild birds and animals
that appear in “Creatures of the Night” programs are nonreleasable animals that could not survive in the wild; by law
only non-releasable wild animals may be used for education. To learn more about the Hunting Island Nature Center
and its free educational programs, please visit the Hunting
Island State Park website at www.huntingisland.com and
click on the “Park Info” pulldown menu and the “Nature
Center” link.
Page 13
FISHING PIER STORIES: A LOVE AFFAIR WITH
FISHING AND WITH HUNTING ISLAND STATE PARK
Story and Photos by LoJo Jones, Roving Reporter, Friends of Hunting Island Loggerhead Log
Did you ever wonder who is out there on that Nature Center pier catching fish? I’ve had a chance to meet some of
these fishermen and fisherwomen on a couple of trips to
the pier, and here’s what they’ve told me.
David and Lyn Price come down from Grantville, SC, to
the park once a month with all his serious photo equipment to lead photo walk tours, usually at low tides. The
David and Lyn Price and Timothy Brown of Grantville, SC
The Moceri family, Mike, Patricia, Michael and Chase of Detroit, MI
group learns to cast bait nets and then catch the likes of
whites and even occasionally small sharks. David also had
one fancy and awesomely full tackle box with him! Timothy Brown accompanied them on this trip.
The Moceri family - Mike, Patricia, Michael and Chase have made the 16 hour drive from their home near Detroit
to Hunting Island campground for eight years. Their love is
crabbing and they claimed to have had about 100 people
last year to a crab feast! They also make it a tradition to
climb the lighthouse on each visit to Hunting Island.
My next trip to the pier was on the most perfect weather
day, as the dolphins were playing and it was not superhot, but sunny with a warm breeze and a lovely, clear blue
sky. So, why weren’t
there more than a
mere three humans
out there?? Since only
one of those was fishing, Russell Tucker became my lucky interview target.
Russell has been a
Beaufort resident for
eight years and has
spent many hours
Beaufort resident Russell Taylor
on this very pier. This
week he was on vacation and was actually
camping on the island
with his wife. While
he fishes many local
waters, Hunting Island has a special appeal to him, because
it has no commercialization, and here he is
at peace with Nature.
Russell’s gear wagon
I asked him what catch
he had ever gotten that
gave him bragging rights, and he said it was a 40 inch
spot- tail.
It was mid-afternoon when we talked, but he had been
there since 10 a.m. and still had no fish for dinner! He
didn’t care, as he said, “A day of fishing with no bites is
better than being at work.” He was using minnows and
shrimp for bait, and soon after telling me that, he landed
a small flounder. Unfortunately, “It wasn’t skillet size,” and
he threw it back. I stayed a bit longer hoping to see another record catch. Face it, Russell was overdue for something
at least edible size.... but it was not to be that day.
So, as I thanked him for this interview and wished him
luck he said, “Not to worry, there’s plenty of bologna in
the camper fridge!”
To learn more about the Nature Center Pier and the Fishing Tackle Loaner Program, please visit our website at
www.friendsofhuntingisland.org and click on the “Environment” pulldown menu and the “Nature Center” link.
Page 14
AAAH, YES! OYSTERS! BY NOW YOU KNOW
WHAT I’M TALKIN’ ABOUT!
By Denise Parsick, Vice-President, Friends of Hunting Island
The last two articles have been a tease, haven’t they? Oh
yeah, all that good history, biology, and culture info on oysters at a time when they were “off limits”! But now, they are
LEGAL AND DELICIOUS. Maybe you have had one or two-how foolish of me-who could eat only one or two?! Oysters
can be safely eaten in months that have the letter ‘r’ in them.
The ACE Basin Living Shoreline will have their next Public Advisory Committee Meeting after this publication deadline. At
that time we will review the two year $600,000 grant that
has added hundreds of feet of living shoreline through oyster
restoration. I look forward to reporting the final statistics to
you in the next log.
In the meantime, look for SCORE bags, castles and reused
crab traps in areas around Beaufort County--Factory Creek,
Jenkins Creek, Lucy Creek, Pigeon Point Landing, Morgan River, Coosaw River, Harbor river, Whale Branch River, and Russ
Point--let us know if you spot them and where!
Having an oyster roast? Don’t forget to take your used oyster shells to Port Royal Sands or Russ Point for future use in
this endeavor, the best recycling ever—because Oysters Are
Habit(at) Forming !!!
FOHI at Water Festival
To learn more about oyster reef restoration at Hunting Island
State Park, please visit our website at www.friendsofhuntingisland.org and click on the “Environment” tab and the “Oyster
Reefs” link.
RECIPE FOR PAN
ROASTED OYSTERS
Recommended by Bonnie Wright, Coordinator, History
and Archives, Friends of Hunting Island
Source: South Carolina Shrimpers Association, Seafood
Recipes, Cookbook Publishers, 1976.
1 pt. shucked oysters
1/4 c margarine, melted
1 (3oz) can sliced mushrooms
1/4 c finely diced onion
1/4 c dry red wine
1/4 c snipped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
toast points
Drain oysters, arrange in a baking pan. Combine melted margarine, mushrooms, onion, wine, parsley, salt
and dash of pepper. Pour over oysters. Bake at 400
degrees until edges of oysters begin to curl, about 10
minutes. Serve over toast points. (Serves 4)
HISP Interpretive Ranger Megan Stegmeier introduces
Water Festival visitors to one of the Nature Center residents.
Photo by Dick Geier.
Do you have a favorite recipe for oysters that you’d like to
share? Now that they’re in season, let’s enjoy them! Send
your recipes to [email protected] , and
we’ll publish them as space allows.
Page 15
SPOTLIGHT ON TRAILS: Interpretive and Fitness
Trails Coming Soon to Hunting Island State Park
Story and photography by Larry Taylor, Director, Trails, Friends of Hunting Island
In this issue, I want to inform you of several
exciting projects in the works for the Trails
at Hunting Island. The FOHI organization,
along with the Park Staff, are working on
adding a self-guided interpretive nature trail
that will utilize a portion of several existing
trails. Although we are still in the planning
stages, we anticipate utilizing the Nature
Center Scenic Trail, the Maritime Forest Trail, the Marsh
Boardwalk Crossover Trail and the Lagoon Recreational
Trail. We hope to have phase one ready by late fall.
The other new project in the planning stage is a Fitness Trail,
also utilizing several of our existing trails. We envision a tento-twenty station fitness trail that will help promote our trails
as an even better way to get fit. This project will require the
acquisition of outside funds in order to be completed.
We will keep you informed of the progress of these two
projects via the Loggerhead Log as well as via the trails page
on the website.
Do not forget about our “Trails Patrol” volunteer program.
These volunteers walk each trail monthly to assist the park
staff in keeping the trails clean and clear. These volunteers
pick up trash, remove small debris from the trail, and report
any large obstructions that
require park staff attention.
We rotate a trail or portion
of a trail among our volunteers, so over the course
of a year everyone gets to
cover most of the trails. If
anyone would like to get a
little exercise and enjoy the
beauty of Hunting Island,
please email me at trails@
friendsofhuntingisland.org,
and join our group.
I would like to close this article by highlighting another one of the terrific trails
on Hunting Island.
The Lagoon Recreational
Trail is accessible from either the South Beach, Parking Lot J or the Nature Center Scenic Trail. This 1.4 mile
trail takes you along the Lagoon of Hunting Island.
Here’s a little background
on the Lagoon itself. It was created in 1968 when dredging
sand for a beach re-nourishment project. The Lagoon is a
favorite fishing spot for spots, whiting, trout, bass, puppy
drum and also a place for crabbing and shrimping. It is also a
great place for kayakers to explore this area from the water.
The Lagoon Recreational Trail is a great place for wildlife
viewing. Such creatures as raccoon, deer, blue heron, egret,
pelican, sand piper, and king fisher are found in and around
the Lagoon. The trail also provides many beautiful spots for
photography. You may even recognize some locations from
the movie Forrest Gump and G. I. Jane, which were shot
here.
As usual with all the trails at Hunting Island you will find a
variety of plants and trees. The Lagoon Trail is where you will
find the transition from beach to forest the most prevalent.
Take your time and enjoy the beauty of the Lagoon Trail.
You can find a Trails Map at the Nature Center, Visitors Center and the Campground Store. We also have a printable
version on the Trails page on the website.
To learn more about the Hunting Island Nature Trails, please
visit our website at www.friendsofhuntingisland.org and
click on the “Sights” pulldown menu and the “Trails” link.
Page 16
What Fun! The Annual FOHI Fall Dinner
By Denise Parsick, Vice-President, Friends of Hunting Island, and Coordinator of the Annual Fall Dinner
The Annual Fall Dinner celebrating friends and turtles was
a great success on Saturday, September 20. The breeze was
great at the Dataw Island gazebo, and the heavens looked
favorably on us with no rain during the event. This was a
different venue from the past few years, and the setup required a lot of assistance.
The caterer, Michelle Ferguson of “A Stir From Heaven,”
provided a delicious meal as well as beautiful decorations.
Ben Coppage, Chair of Social Events, assisted with the
happy hour portion of the evening. Everyone enjoyed the
guest speaker, Kendra Cope, master’s student at the University of Central Florida and staff member at the Archie
Carr National Wildlife Reserve, who shared all the scoop
on some of the latest turtle research. Our technology guy,
a/k/a FOHI President Dick Geier, made sure everyone could
see and hear the presentation.
Thanks to Debbie Fraley for donating her homemade sea
life jewelry for sale to benefit the South Carolina Sea Turtle
Hospital. Thanks also to Dataw residents and FOHI members Dorothy Ingram and Nancy Grimaldi, who helped with
the arrangements. John Jenkins and Dan Spruell from the
Tuesday turtlers helped get extra tables and chairs needed
to accommodate the ninety attendees. All turtlers received
their cobalt blue 2014 turtle medallion for appreciation of
their services.
A great big thank you to all who attended!
Kendra Cope talks about ongoing research at the Archie Carr
National Wildlife refuge. Photo by Dorothy Ingram
Chris Crosley talks about the Hunting Island Sea
Turtle Conservation Project.
Nancy Grimaldi, FOHI
Membership Chair; Ben Coppage,
FOHI Social Events Chair; and
Denise Parsick, FOHI VicePresident enjoy happy hour.
Megan Stegmeier, HISP
Interpretive Program Manager,
introduces speaker Kendra Cope.
Photo by Lynne Schuman
FOHI President Dick Geier and
Education Programs Co-Director
Mike Seymour enjoy happy hour.
Caterers Michelle and
Tracy of Stir From Heaven. Photo by Dorothy
Ingram
Denise Parsick welcomes
everyone to the FOHI
Annual Fall Dinner.
Photo by Lynne Schuman
Page 17
Caretta’s Corner
by Peggy Willenberg, Caretta’s Corner Editor and Caretta’s Assistant
Photography by Dorothy Ingram
(Caretta is swimming enthusiastically toward the Gulf Stream at this time)
It’s that time of year again—the
end of loggerhead nesting season.
And the 2014 season here at Hunting Island was not exactly a bell ringer. Our nests were
down from a record high of 125 last year, to only 39 this
year. Although this seems discouraging, experts state
this is a normal fluctuation in sea turtle reproductive
cycles. While nest numbers in Georgia and the Carolinas
were at about half of last year’s total, Florida is reporting at least as many loggerhead nests as last year, and
perhaps a few more when all nests are counted. This
seems confusing until it is noted that the loggerhead
populations in Florida are genetically distinct from those
in Georgia and the Carolinas, so their nest numbers may
vary wildly in the same year.
So what discouraged our northern turtles from nesting
this year? It is easy to speculate our colder than normal winter and late spring may have deterred some
females from nesting—perhaps the cold water caused
the food supply to
decrease so that female turtles did not
have the “fuel” to
produce eggs? It’s
really impossible to
know; we can only
hope that next season is more productive and our intrepid
volunteers will again
have the thrill of seeing those big tracks
on the beach and a
splendidly-constructCaretta pauses to read beach Caretta begins her long jour- Caretta waves goodbye until ed nest hidden in the
signage, “Sea Turtles Really ney to the Gulf Stream.
next turtle nesting season!
dunes.
Dig These Dunes!”
THIRD SEA TURTLE
PHOTOGRAPHY
CONTEST WINNER:
“I’M SWIMMING!”
BY PEGGY WILLENBERG
Caretta’s Corner Editor Peggy Willenberg
took this beautiful photo of a baby
loggerhead starting out on its long journey
to the Sargasso Sea. Farewell, little one!
Fair seas and safe travels.
Great photo, Peggy!
Page 18
ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ASPIRING
MARINE BIOLOGIST: THREE DAYS WITH THE HUNTING
ISLAND SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION PROJECT
By Sarabeth Nester, Senior, McMichael High School, Madison, North Carolina
I’m Sarabeth Nester, age 17, from Stoneville, North Caro- Searching Google, I typed “sea turtle volunteer in SC or
lina in Rockingham County. As a high school senior, I am NC.” I came across Hunting Island State Park and the Sea
assigned a senior project, for which I can choose any topic Turtle Conservation Project. I emailed them telling them
I want, as long as no one else has chosen the same topic what I was doing and that I needed volunteer hours, and
within the last five years. When I first heard of this project that I wanted to know if there was anything I could do.
assignment, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I knew Christine Crosley emailed me. She told me what the volthe question wouldn’t be whether the topic had already unteers do and gave me information about the project.
been done, but HOW I
I told her that I would
was going to get it done.
have to talk to my parI chose to do my project
ents about it.
on sea turtles. When I
My mother and I drove
went over my project
the six hour trip to
with my English teachBeaufort SC on August
er, she thought it was a
1, and at 4 o’clock in the
wonderful idea; but she
morning in the pourasked me, “How in the
ing rain August 2, I met
world are you going to
Chris at the entrance
find anything around
to my hotel. This was
here like this?” Without
my first time meeting
any idea of what I was
her and I was nervous,
going to do for my volbut she turned out to
unteer hours, and not Hatchling from nest #1, 2014 season. Photo by Carl Berube,
be a great lady. It was
even having talked to my Ranger I, HISP
about a 45 minute drive
parents about this, I had
to Hunting Island State
told her that I was going to make it happen.
Park. Chris and I talked the whole way about sea turtles,
My love for sea turtles began when I watched the movie and she asked me a lot of questions. Some answers I
“The Last Song.” It touched me to see the turtles hatch, didn’t know, but she understood and taught me everyand how sea turtles are protected. After seeing that thing that she could about sea turtles. When we finally
movie, I had to have every stuffed animal, necklace, got into the park at 6, it was still pouring rain. The park
shirt, anything that had turtles on it!!! While looking for reminded me of Jurassic Park, and it was so cool how
careers, I came across marine biology studying sea tur- it looked. A lot of volunteers went home because they
tles, and I had no doubt in my mind that’s what I wanted didn’t think the rain would clear out. Chris and I had a
to do. I was in 8th grade looking for colleges that of- choice to go get breakfast and talk about sea turtles, or
fered marine biology and doing more research. Yes, I’ve wait for the rain to stop. We waited for the rain to stop,
changed my mind plenty of times, saying I want to be a and I met Buddy, the “boss” over the turtle project. He
nurse or work in sports marketing, but my mind always was such a nice guy and had lived in Beaufort all his life,
seems to go back to marine biology.
and had been volunteering at the beach for 15 years and
The first time I had ever seen a sea turtle was spring break knew so much about sea turtles. Later that morning,
2014, when my family went to Topsail Island to the Karen the rain had stopped for a little bit, so we rode an ATV
Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. It named Caretta out to the beach. The first nest we came
was so amazing, and it was so touching to hear the sto- to had hatched, and it was the first hatched nest I had
ries about sea turtles and how badly people hurt them, ever seen. Chris and Buddy looked for baby turtle tracks,
whether it’s on purpose or by accident. So after that trip, I but it had rained so hard that tracks were hard to see. As
just knew this was going to be a great project to do. I had we rode some more, I saw a lot more sea turtle nests.
tried to volunteer at Karen Beasley, but only 8 out of 140 Hunting Island had over 36 nests. The beach looked like
some people are accepted. After being denied, I got really a great place, and so private, so no one could bother the
sea turtles. Buddy talked about the history of Hunting
worried about this project.
Page 19
Island Beach, and it was pretty amazing. I saw some very and I got to see how the turtles are fed. As I was watching
interesting things. Driving back up the beach, we met a them, I kept thinking, “Wow! I can’t wait to do this.” I recouple who said they had seen a turtle “crawl.” We went a ally appreciated what Christi had done for me; she took
few more feet, and there it was: a mama turtle had come her time with me and she was very nice, and I could see
out of the ocean and laid a nest early that morning. I had myself being just like her one day. On the way back home,
never seen anything so amazing. I got to watch the turtle Chris talked to me a lot about college. I am really interteam volunteers move the eggs to a different place. They ested in North Carolina State after looking at what I can do
had to dig a new nest and bury the eggs because if it had there: and that would be majoring in marine biology and
been left where it was laid, the nest would be drowned by minoring in zoology.
the incoming high tide. It was really cool to see a sea turtle On my third day, I was not with Chris, but I was with Dory
egg, I had never seen one before and it looked like a ping Ingram and her Monday morning turtle team. I didn’t realpong ball. My first day volunteering
ly do as much as I had done earlier, but
was a very good day and I loved it all,
we walked the beach with two other
even though everything was GO GO
team members, and they asked me a
GO and I was a little slow. But it was
lot of questions and I told them a lot of
still fun; I had an amazing time, and I
what I was going to do. Even though I
learned a lot.
didn’t do much or didn’t see anything,
My second day with the Hunting IsI really enjoyed meeting these people
land Sea Turtle Project, I didn’t have to
and knowing they had a passion for
get up as early (ha-ha). The volunteers
what they do. I knew Chris wasn’t gowere doing two nest inventories. When
ing to put me with the wrong people,
we got there, the first inventory was
and they were amazing.
done and a lot of eggs had hatched,
As it came to my last day and time to
but some had not. Also, there were
go home, I was really sad, and I want
five little dead babies, and it was really
to go back as soon as I can. I would like
sad. The next inventory was my favorto get my permit to actually touch the
ite: they had told me there could be
eggs, and also the turtles. I would reca live hatchling, and I had been hopommend this project to anybody who
ing all morning there would be one in
has a passion for sea turtles. The Huntthe nest. And sure enough, there was
ing Island Sea Turtle Project is amazone!! I was so excited and had both of
ing and there are so many people to
my cameras out taking pictures. It was Sara’s Nest, #36, hatched. Photo
meet. They are very smart and know
the first little baby turtle I had ever by Dorothy Ingram
what they are doing. I could not thank
seen! I had never even thought a baby
them enough for letting me join them
sea turtle would be that little. On TV
in this amazing experience. I really apor in pictures, they looked bigger, but
preciate what Chris has done for me:
this baby was so little. The whole time I
she knew exactly the perfect time for
was thinking how scary it’s going to be
me to come to Hunting Island, befor that little guy out in that big ocean.
cause I saw a lot of things that people
I just hope the hatchling made it.
that have been there for a while have
The same day, my mentor Chris took
never really seen. I can’t wait to get
me to Charleston, about an hour and a
back to school and show my teacher
half from Beaufort, to the South Caroand everyone what I have done. I will
lina Aquarium and Sea Turtle Hospital.
never forget the people and the expeWe toured the aquarium and they had
riences I had at Hunting Island, and I
a very nice sea turtle exhibit. After our
really hope to come back!
tour, we met Christi, who is a sea turtle biologist at the aquarium. Christi
To learn more about the Hunting Isknows a lot and explained tons of inland Sea Turtle Conservation Projformation to me about each one of
ect and find out how you can get inthe turtles. She was very helpful and
volved, please visit our website at
allowed me to have a lot of up close,
www.friendsofhuntingisland.org and
hands on experience. Chris and I ar- Three live hatchlings from nest click on the “Turtles” pulldown menu
rived at the hospital at feeding time, #36. Photo by Linda Key
and the “Volunteer” link.
Page 20
HUNTING ISLAND SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION PROJECT
HOSTS LOWCOUNTRY MASTER NATURALISTS
Story and photo by Dorothy Ingram, Lowcountry Master Naturalist and Hunting Island Sea Turtle Conservation Project Turtle
Team Volunteer
If anyone asks you why two mais found. As a participant dug up
ture, intelligent women were
the “nest,” Peggy noted that the
seen on a Friday afternoon in
loggerhead’s eggs are very simimid-July digging a hole and
lar in appearance to the ping
burying ping pong balls in front
pong balls she had buried there.
of the south beach bath house,
If the nest is found within the
there is a logical explanation.
intertidal zone, Peggy advised,
On July 12, the Lowcountry
it would have to be moved to
Master Naturalist Associahigher ground within the first 12
tion held an advanced training
hours after the eggs were laid;
class on the beautiful beach of
in this instance, she said, a new
Hunting Island State Park. Our
nest must be recreated in the
instructors were Chris Crosley,
same shape and approximate
Director of our Sea Turtle Consize of the original nest, and the
servation Project, and Peggy
eggs must be moved and placed
Willenberg, Master Naturalinto the new nest with great
ist, meteorologist, turtle team
care.
leader, and expert faux loggerFollowing Peggy’s description
head nest fabricator. In prepaof a hatchling’s emergence and
ration for the class, Peggy and
journey to the sea, Chris arrived,
I dug and protected the “nest”
fresh from her duties as Saturwith a cage and hoped that no
day day leader, on the all terrain
innocent beachgoer would trip
vehicle “Caretta” and addressed
over it, and that no raccoon
the group on the threats to the
would tunnel under it and Under shelter of South Beach bath house, Peggy species. In addition to nest
wind up with a stomach full of Willenberg displays loggerhead skull
predation and beach erosion,
ping pong balls.
cold stunning, intestinal impacThe class met at 6 AM on Saturday morning in one of tion from eating man made debris in the ocean, and boat
those downpours that welcomed nearly every turtle team strikes cause many turtles to perish. Chris talked enthusito the beach during July. Seven stalwart souls from Hilton astically about the excellent resource that we have in the
Head had made the long trek to experience a day in the Sea Turtle Hospital at the South Carolina Aquarium, which
life of a Hunting Island Sea Turtle Project team, and expe- is conducting a major capital campaign to expand the farience it they did. Peggy gave a brief introduction to the cilities of the hospital and move it to an exhibit space that
ecology of the loggerhead sea turtle and passed around will engage and inform the public about efforts to save
skulls and scutes borrowed from the Hunting Island Na- this magnificent species.
ture Center. During a break in the heavy rainfall, Peggy led The Master Naturalists thanked Peggy and Chris for sharthe participants to the “nest” that we had fabricated. She ing their time and expertise, and we thanked them for
described a turtle’s “crawl,” leading from the water’s edge coming over to our favorite state park to share with us a
up the beach to a body pit and back again, and told the day in the life of a turtle team volunteer.
participants that the crawl may lead to a nest, or it may be
a so-called “false crawl,” which indicates that the turtle is To learn more about the Hunting Island Sea Turtle Conserlooking without success for a favorable nest location. The vation Project and to volunteer, please visit our website
turtle team’s job, Peggy continued, is to determine wheth- at http://www.friendsofhuntingisland.org and click on the
er or not there is a nest, and to find the nest’s location. “Turtles” pulldown menu and the “Volunteer!” link.
Using a probe stick, Peggy demonstrated how to probe in To learn about the South Carolina Sea Turtle Rescue Prothe sand near the site presumed to be the nest, in order to gram, please visit http://www.scaquarium.org/strp.
get the feel of the surrounding sand, and then within the To donate to the program and/or the capital campaign,
body pit itself, until the sand gives way and the nest cavity please visit https://donate.scaquarium.org/donate.
Page 21
Loggerhead Sea Turtle Nesting
Season 2014: Looking Back
Hatchling from nest #1, zone #6.
Photo by Carl Berube
Nest #1, Found and fortified by Buddy
Lawrence. Photo by Dorothy Ingram
Faux turtle welcomes morning turtle teams. Photo by Peggy Willenberg
Peggy Willenberg and Sandy Cartledge with nest #21. Photo
by George Cartledge
Nest #25. Photo by Keith Aspray
Chris Crosley digs deep into nest #36.
Photo by Peggy Willenberg
One nest, four probers. Photo by John Jenkins
Page 22
SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM SEA TURTLE
RESCUE PROGRAM: BRIAR’S STORY
By Samantha Mills, Advancement Gifts Officer, South Carolina Aquarium
The Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rescue Program is dedicated
to rehabilitating sick and injured sea turtles from the
coast of South Carolina and beyond. The program supports the Aquarium’s conservation mission not only
through sea turtle rehabilitation, but award-winning
programs and exhibitry used to educate the public
about the threats that sea turtles face and actions that
can be taken to help.
Currently, we are treating four loggerheads, one Kemp’s
ridley and one green. Since January, the staff of the Sea
Turtle Rescue Program has released eleven threatened
and endangered sea turtles back into the ocean, and relocated the Aquarium’s first ever non-releasable patient
to a permanent home in Aquarium in Texas. Throughout
that time, sixteen new patients were admitted to the
animal but prepared themselves for the worst.
Over the next several months, all that changed. Briar
responded miraculously well to treatment provided by
medical experts in the Sea Turtle Hospital. As her health
improved, she regained her liveliness and quickly became
a favorite patient of both staff and guests. She also recovered a voracious appetite, gaining much of 50 pounds
she had lost during her illness. Sea Turtle Rescue Pro-
Copyright South Carolina Aquarium
gram staff were hopeful that this model patient would
be ready for release before summer 2013 was over.
hospital, several of which have already returned to the
wild with public releases in front of a crowd of over a
1,000 excited onlookers.
While each new patient commands the devotion and respect of our Sea Turtle Hospital staff, visitors and volunteers, sometimes, a turtle comes along that leaves a lasting impression in their hearts and minds. Last May, one
of those turtles came through the doors of the Sea Turtle
Hospital. Found stranded in Myrtle Beach, Briar, an adult
female loggerhead, was the picture of poor health, barely clinging to life. In fact, first responders on the beach
could not tell if she was alive without physically touching
her to check for a response. The turtle’s prognosis was
poor. Sea Turtle Hospital staff hoped for the best for this
But as sometimes happens when circumstances seem
too good to be true - a new complication arose. This
hungry girl, who had been eating up to two pounds of
fish and crabs daily, gradually began to struggle to find
the food in her tank and found it especially difficult to
catch live blue crabs, a skill that would be necessary once
released into the wild. Aquarium Veterinarian, Dr. Shane
Boylan conducted an eye exam on the large turtle, which
led to the discovery of cataracts in both eyes, a challenging diagnosis, to say the least.
After reading a paper by written by his vet school mentors of a successful cataract surgery in a loggerhead, Dr.
Boylan contacted Dr. Anne Cook, a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist who owns a practice in Mount
Pleasant. Dr. Cook was intrigued with the case - a much
different patient than she had ever treated but a disease
with which she was well accustomed. She stepped forward with an offer to perform cataract surgery on Briar
Continued on page 24
Page 23
Briar’s Story
Continued from front page 21
at no cost to the South Carolina Aquarium.
Even with this generous offer and expert care, the procedure had its risks. To the knowledge of South Carolina
Aquarium staff, this procedure was only the third cataract
surgery performed on a sea turtle in history and the first
in our state. After several months of research and preparation, Dr. Cook and a team of vets and assistants successfully performed cataract surgery on Briar’s eyes on
April 25, 2014. For the three weeks following the surgery,
dedicated Sea Turtle Rescue Program staff and volunteers
removed the 180-pound turtle from her tank twice each
day and administered eye drops and ointments - no easy
task for a feisty post-surgery loggerhead.
An immediate change was noted in Briar’s ability to find
food in her tank but the moment of truth came in May,
when Dr. Cook removed the sutures from Briar’s eyes. Everyone in the Sea Turtle Hospital anxiously waited to see
if Briar would demonstrate the ability to catch live prey.
Although it took several weeks, on June 10, Briar was finally observed eating a live blue crab, the first of many
and the final indicator that she would be able to return to
the wild. Dr. Boylan approved Briar’s release and on July
15, this adult female loggerhead returned to the ocean,
flanked by a crowd of hundreds at Isle of Palms County
Park.
The Sea Turtle Rescue Team extends a special “thank you”
to everyone involved in Briar’s rescue and rehabilitation,
especially rescuers Brett Weinheimer and Linda Mataya,
as well as to Dr. Anne Cook and her staff at Animal Eye
Care of the Lowcountry. Partnerships and acts of generosity like these give remarkable sea turtles like Briar a
chance at life. This could also not be possible without the
help of many dedicated volunteers tirelessly giving their
time to the Sea turtle Rescue Program as well as donors
whose funds were critical to provide for Briar’s care during
the year she was in the Aquarium’s care.
Stories like Briar’s are what inspire us to continue to work
tirelessly each day to protect and save these ancient animals. The South Carolina Aquarium began fundraising for
the Sea Turtle Hospital Expansion in April 2014 and has
received an outpour of enthusiasm and support from
members of our communities near and far. We are thrilled
to announce that we have confirmed a founding leadership gift of $3 million from the Jerry and Anita Zucker Family Foundation to the Watershed Fund as a matching gift
challenge. This extraordinary leadership gift will serve to
inspire others to step forward in supporting our multi-program campaign of advancement. This gift allocates $2.5
million to be applied directly to the capital funds needed
to construct the hospital expansion. While we are not yet
announcing this gift publicly, we wanted to share this exciting news with the dedicated supporters of this project.
To learn more or to pledge a gift of support for the Sea
Turtle Hospital expansion, contact Samantha Mills at
843.579.8628 or [email protected].
Page 24

Fall 2014 - Rockingham County Schools

Transcription

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