E ditor’s N ote O
ne thing everyone reading Southern Tides has in common is a love and passion for the water. Being out there can mean freedom, peace, and serenity. Being submersed in the elements can mean pushing yourself physically and overcoming challenges. It can be a chance to breathe clean air and sweat the toxins out of your system. It can be your therapy and give you a sense of being closer to God. Whatever your personal relationship is with the water, there’s nothing else on the planet that soothes and heals quite like being out there. One of the best ways to do that is to push away from the bank or the dock, dip your paddle in the water, and glide silently away from civilization. No motor noise, just the calls of birds and frogs and the occasional splash of something breaking the surface. You and your vessel, whether it be canoe, kayak or SUP. One of the very first ways humans devised to propel themselves over water was with a canoe and a paddle. While different cultures had different words for these small vessels (dugout, pirogue, outrigger) and different means of constructing them (wood frames covered with bark and pitch, or hollowed out logs, to name a couple), so many cultures around the world had such a device that it’s nearly impossible to determine where the first canoe originated, or when. In earlier times canoes were used for transportation – moving oneself from place to place, transporting goods, even exploration. Now though, canoes, kayaks and even stand-up paddleboards are
used mostly for recreational pursuits: exercise, exploring nature at water level, fishing, and hunting. And many have found a way to earn a living by offering tours, instruction, rentals, and gear sales. How wonderful to do what you love and be able to support yourself with it! This issue of Southern Tides is dedicated to all things paddling and we plan to make it an annual endeavor. We weren’t able to touch base with every paddling business in Coastal Georgia, though we did try! Touch base with us to be included next year. Special thanks to the following for their contributions: East Coast Paddleboarding – Cathy Liberatori North Island Surf & Kayak – Shane & Rebecca Parris Okefenokee Adventures – Chip & Joy Campbell Pastimes Cabins, RV Park & Campground – Dale & Michelle Hazzard Sea Kayak Georgia – Marsha Hensen & Ronnie Kemp SouthernWood Paddle Company – Larry McIntyre Enjoy the issue and make time to get out there and paddle our amazing coastal waterways. You won’t regret it! See you out there!
Amy Thurman
Editor in Chief
amy@southerntidesmagazine.com
Texted this photo to Todd. His response: "You call that working?" My reply: "Well yes. You can tell because I'm not holding a beer." But I wasn't actually working all that hard when I drifted at times to take photos of passing gators and various plants! It's a rough job!
May 2019
Southern Tides Magazine
7
