boca grande magazine · a line of handcrafted jewelry inspired by a love for boat cruising. jason...

14A Day for the GirlsLillian Bay enjoys a

tea party with friends aboard Cavana Charters

22Hidden Giants

Whales of the Gulf

28Petition to the President: Don’t Allow Seismic Blasting

30History of the World’s

Richest Tarpon TournamentA brief look at how far

they have come

32To Protect, Preserve and

Defend Our Natural Resources.Local ecosystems and the role it plays in a Tarpon’s life-cycle

35Wild by Nature

A look at the Shark Brothers recent projects

40Tortuga Festival

Conservation outreach rocks!

44Fishermen’s VillageUpcoming Events

Waterfront neighbors highlight events for your entertainment

Cover photo by Jason Arnoldwww.jasonarnoldphoto.com

8 BOCA GRANDE Magazine SUMMER 2013

22 14 40

Departments10

Island TalkHighlights on local business

46Island Must Haves

Products that you’ll love

62On the Wild Side

Discover our wildlife

64Business Directory

Resources at your fingertips

66It’s five o’clock Somewhere

Cocktail recipe

follow us on

For advertising information, please call ROI Media at (941) 257-4352

To contact the Editorial Department, please e-mail [email protected]

www.roimedia.uswww.bocagrandemagazine.com

Please mail any correspondence to:Boca Grande Magazine2500 Bobcat Village Center Road, Unit GNorth Port, FL 34288

Boca Grande Magazine is published by ROI Media. The editorial staff makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information presented herein. ROI Media is not liable for errors or interpretations. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising and/or editorial copy. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Staff ListAdam BartolottaPublisher

Danette BartolottaManaging Editor

Jessica HobbsAssistant Editor

Joyce CattelaneCopy Editor

Lynda VendittiArt Director

Trevin StegerGraphic Designer

Matt MativiDirector of Sales & Marketing

Photographic Images by HeidemarieContributing Photographer

On the Cover 30 Return of the Tarpon

56Suncoast Super Boat

Grand Prix FestivalHelping kids with Gand

Style and Speed

60The Newest AdditionAnother Classic Added

to the Cavana Fleet

The Annual

9SUMMER 2013 BOCA GRANDE Magazine

56 48

Escape to Old Florida When visiting Boca Grande there is nothing better than getting out on the water and seeing the natural beauty our area has to offer. Fall in love with a secret place that is accessible only by a flats boat. Join them on board their 24’ Yel-lowfin “Miss Caroline”, and explore Old Florida fish houses, scenic wildlife, and fantastic places that you would never see unless you have the right tour guide. Grab your camera and capture memories that will last a lifetime. Visit them at online CavanaCharters.com or call us at (941) 875-4946.

Crusin CoastlinesA line of handcrafted jewelry inspired by a love for boat cruising. Jason Marien’s ability to handcraft heirloom quality, one-of-a-kind jew-elry using only the finest materials, such as dia-monds and sapphires, paired with his love and admiration for the beauty of coastlines, brings to you Cruisin Coastlines. Coastlines, the world premier maker of fine nautical jewelry, using topography from nautical maps, brings un-surpassed quality to every handcrafted piece. Special orders are always accepted. Visit them online at cruisincoastlines.com.

Woof Gang Bakery Load up your four legged friend and stop in and head over to Woof Gang Bakery, your neigh-borhood pet store. Their goal is to get to know each of their customers and their pets so that they may provide personal attention… because they truly care! Woof Gang Bakery is a leader in providing the very best in pet care. Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming offers gourmet dog treats, healthy pet foods, pet supplies, accessories and pet grooming. At the heart of Woof Gang Bak-ery is the fact that they love their dogs as much as you love your dog. At Woof Gang Bakery, they know that dogs are a part of our families, dogs are our faithful companions, and dogs bring us joy. They’ll help you show your appre-ciation for their unconditional love and devo-tion. Visit Woof Gang Bakery at 480 E. Railroad Ave Suite 6, or call them at (941) 964- WOOF (9663).

Know Your Boundaries Whether you are buying, selling, or remodeling your home it is vital to be within the boundar-ies of your property. Trust David Shremshock, owner and operator of Shremshock Surveying, Inc. to locate your property lines with accuracy, timeliness, and professionalism. Using the lat-est technology in field data collection equip-ment and software, he provides personal ser-vice quickly and accurately. Using AutoCAD for all of his survey drawings makes them easily transferred and received for easy communica-tion with Real Estate professionals, contrac-tors, architects and engineers. Having over 28 years experience in all manners of surveying in the field and the office he can survey anything from your standard fence permit boundary and location survey to your Gulf side residence on one of the Keys. Residential or commercial, in the city or in the woods and swamp, residen-tial mortgage surveys, F.E.M.A. certificates for flood insurance, acreage, commercial parcels, large or small, it doesn’t matter. He has the local experience and professional knowledge to help you with any of your survey needs. Give them a call at (941) 423-8875 or visit them online at ShremshockSurveying.com.

Caddy-CartsKeeping your golf cart safe and secure while you’re away just became a little easier. Trust Caddy-Carts to pick up, store, and then rede-liver your cart to your home when you return. Caddy-Carts offers indoor and outdoor stor-age as well as detailing service so your golf cart is shining clean when it is returned. This is also the best time to get your annual service done. They strongly recommend having a yearly ser-vice performed on all golf carts, both gas and electric. This will ensure that your cart is run-ning efficiently and reduce costly repairs due to lack of maintenance. Give Caddy-Carts a call today at (941) 474-4747 or online at Caddy-Carts.com.


Does your business have

something to say?

If you would like to have your business

news featured in this section, please call

(941) 257-4352.

Island Talk

Changing your home or business phone?Consumers are changing their home and busi-ness telephone service at a fast pace these days. Unfortunately, if your telephone line is the communication path for monitoring your secu-rity alarm system, you need to ensure that the new telephone provider knows that you have a monitored alarm and that you TEST that com-munication before they leave. Security Alarm Corporation wants you to continue to enjoy the peace of mind their services bring. Don’t let a telephone technician unknowingly deprive you of that. For more information visit us at www.securityalarmcorp.com or by calling their office at (941) 625-9700.

Hot Days, Cool Nights with Bedmasters!Summer has arrived in southwest Florida. This year, instead of frozen peas, try one of their new COOLGel pillows with your new COOLGel mattress. As the coolest products in the furniture market, their gel mattresses are manufactured right here in Port Charlotte and are great for keeping you cool and comfortable at night! Try one at home, on your boat, or in your RV. Visit them at 4105 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte, at www.bedmasters.com, or call (941) 766-9122.

Truex Preferred ConstructionSpecializing in all phases of construction from small to large projects. Are you thinking of re-modeling or new construction? Would you like to update your kitchen with new cabinets and countertops? How about replacing your old tub/shower and fixtures? Want to expand your living space with an addition or by enclosing your lanai? Let their team of professionals help you create your “dream.” Call Truex Preferred Construction for a free estimate today at (941) 475-6680.

2013 Spring Furniture and Accessory UpdateZ Interior Decorations just returned from the International Home Furnishings market in High Point, North Carolina where teal greens and medium toned emerald and kelly greens were the latest new colors. Strong blues and tur-quoise also featured prominently on furniture finishes and fabrics, perfect for Florida deco-rating! Casual sofas and chairs were also cov-ered in neutral linen colors running from soft beiges to grays. Rough hewn natural or lightly stained woods were paired with these lighter fabrics which exude a light Florida theme. Up-holstered headboards were huge! Select a shape and cover it in your choice of fabric. Border detail it with some decorative nailhead trim and WOW! Sweet dreams. Contact Z Interior Decorations for all of your interior furnishing and window treatment needs at (941) 575-9891 or [email protected].


ROI MediaAre you looking to increase your business and brand yourself as a leader in the community? Look no further than ROI Media. They are the areas’ only full service advertising agency that focuses on you. From brand identity to print-ing to web design to publishing, they are the experienced leaders in the market. With their publications including North Port Magazine & Boca Grande Magazine, along with access to multiple Chamber of Commerce guides and other area publications, trust that your adver-tising dollars will be wisely spent and give you the return on investment that you expect. Call them today to see how they can partner and help your business grow to the next level. You can reach them at (941) 257-4352 or visit on-line at www.ROIMedia.us

Mark Kaufman RoofingMark Kaufman Roofing specializes in metal, tile, shingle and flat roofs. They also do all types of roof repairs. They have been in business for 25 years serving Boca Grande and surrounding counties. They were chosen by your neighbors to receive Best of Englewood 2012 in the roof-ing category. Mark Kaufman received the pres-tigious national “Remodeling Big 50” award – chosen out of 188,000 contractors nationwide. They are licensed and insured, employees are drug tested and background checks are done for your protection. If you have a concern about your roof, big or small, don’t hesitate to call for a free estimate – (941) 473-3605 or visit www.MarkKaufmanRoofing.com.

Did You Know That 40% of Older Adults Postponed Their Retirement?A University of Michigan study found that 40% of Americans age 50 and over postponed their retirement in 2008-2009 as the recession hit. During those years, the study reported typical households lost about 5% of its total wealth. To make up for that loss, the average person would have to work 3.7 to 5 years longer than planned. In fact, those surveyed intended to work an av-erage of just 1.6 years longer, not enough to re-coup their loss. By and large, those postponing their retirement thought they would leave less money to their heirs. For more information, call William E. Rich, Financial Services Representa-tive for MetLife at (941) 961-6100. Source: Diane Swanbrow | “Retirement plans after the Great Reces-sion: U-M study tracks the changes” Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan | May 2, 2012.

MaryJo Shaffer of Gasparilla Properties: What Can She Do For You?MaryJo markets your property like no other broker. She ranks #1 on Google and Trulia and statistics show that 87% of buyers start online! MaryJo works to stay on top of the game. She has earned her Broker’s license and is a Certi-fied Luxury Home Marketing Specialist. This Luxury designation enables her to effectively market the exclusive properties that comprise the real estate market on the Island. She owns and operates the little office next to the bakery on East Railroad Ave. where she and her assis-tant, Cannon Jones provide individualized at-tention to clients. Whether you are selling your property or looking for a place to call home, please call or email MaryJo today at (941) 961-0630, (941) 964-2222, [email protected] or visit BocaGrandeHomes.net.


Island Talk

Lillian Bay enjoys a tea party with friends aboard Cavana Charters

14 BOCA GRANDE MAGAzINE SUMMER 2013

The GirlsA Day for

Written by Jessica HobbsPhotos by Caroline Clark


Lillian was born with Cystic Hygroma, a rare and little known disease that causes facial and tongue swelling. She was unable to breathe or eat on her own and has had over twenty sur-geries. For a long period of time, she was fitted with a feeding tube and an endotracheal tube to help her breathing. Today though, she is like any other 3 year-old who enjoys dress-up, painting and spending time with her closest friends.

Lillian’s father, Brad Beatty, is a UPS courier on Boca Grande. Over the years he has made a number of friendships through his deliveries to residents. Caroline Clark of Cavana Classic Charters is one of them. “Caroline jumps on my truck and encourages me to not give up and gives me a hug, and it’s turned into a cool friendship, and that’s the way it is out there (Boca Grande), it’s a very, very giving place,” explained Brad.

Lillian Bay is a bright, funny and openhearted little girl who easily brings a smile to everyone’s

There aren’t many things better than spending an afternoon out on a boat, enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. Unless of course that afternoon includes a tea party for a deserving little girl and her friends, and a ride on a classic luxury boat. Lillian Bay Beatty is a brave little 3 year-old who has experienced more in her short life than most adults ever will. With her vivacious and friendly personality, she has won over the community of Boca Grande and they continue to give back to her in every way they can.

face. “I met Brad because he’s my UPS man and he’s become a friend, and then I found out about his daughter maybe a year ago. And truly, she is a miracle child.” Caroline offered up her services to take Lillian and three of her friends out for a day of dress up, snacks and play. Not so long ago, this would have been an almost impossible trip for Lilly to make. But she is out of the woods now and doing remarkably better than anyone could have imagined.


Lillian’s friends Skye, Kylie and Brenda Lee’s daughter Cierra also got to take in the experi-ence. “Lilly calls them ‘my girls’ and it’s special because Lilly is so close to them,” explained Brad. He has a special relationship with the girls’ parents as they helped him with necessary repairs on his home that were essential for Lil-lian and her medical equipment when she was a baby, in and out of the hospital. They did this graciously and would not accept any kind of payment in return. This was a special way that

he could give back to them as well. “The cutest thing was Lillian and how devoted those girls are to her. She ran up and hugged them. It was just amazing to me how well they got along and how well behaved they were,” said Caroline.

Lillian along with her Dad and her three friends, enjoyed a spectacular day. The girls dressed up in classic tea party attire. They en-joyed the water on Cavana Charters’ 40ft San Juan, Brigadoon, chartered by Captain Ran-dy Rhines who volunteered his time for the day. The boat transported the girls to nearby Useppa Island where they enjoyed a tea party complete with vintage teacups and saucers. They also got to enjoy some playtime on a playground right off the water. “It was a really special day. I actually got to put my feet up and watch for a change, which is nice, and watch everyone have fun,” explained Brad.

As if an elaborately themed tea party wasn’t enough, ice cream sundaes were served to the girls at the Collier Room at the Useppa Island Club. The fashionable party of ladies took a golf cart ride around the island and even got to do a little exploring when they came across some turtles. Afterwards the party climbed back on

The fashionable party of ladies took a golf cart ride around the island

and even got to do a little exploring when they came

across some turtles.


their vintage boat and enjoyed the view of the lighthouse on their trip back to Boca Grande. The Brigadoon was wonderful and the girls went down underneath and jumped on the bed and hung out with Captain Randy at the helm. I was so glad that we got to do that for her,” said Caroline. “I wanted to do this for Lil-lian but I got more in return, I think. It was a magical day.”

The day was a hit for not only the girls but the adults involved as well. It offered a day to sit back and relax while enjoying Lillian and how far she has come. “I think it was pretty spe-cial because it kind of captured a moment in time of Lilly and her friends and we were just blessed to be a part of that,” said Brad.

Local businesses and friends also contributed to Lilly’s day by providing items to fill out the tea party theme. Kim Newlin from Newlin’s donat-ed the finger sandwiches for the tea party and Brenda Lee of Antique Boutique donated vin-tage dresses, hats and jewelry the girls wore for

the day as well as the porcelain tea cups and picnic basket.

Recently, to acknowl-edge the wonderful sup-port and help from the people of Boca Grande and to bring awareness to her disease, Brad along with author Ron Knight, published two books about their plight and struggle over the last three and a half years. The adult version, Saving Lillian Bay, recounts their personal story and a children’s companion book, Miracles Happen: The Sav-ing Lillian Bay Story was written to offer hope for other children having a difficult time.

To learn more about Cavana Classic Char-ters and the services and boats they offer, visit www.cavanacharters.com. To learn more about Lillian and her struggles with Cystic Hygroma or to purchase one of her books, visit www.savinglillianbay.com.


Photos by Gulf Coast Preservation Society


HIDDENGiants

Written by Larry Bestor, PresidentGulf Coast Preservation Society

The sperm whale is the largest odontocete, or toothed whale. It is among the deepest diving cetaceans, and is found in all oceans of the world. Females and their young travel in permanent units, whereas the much larger males rove between breeding and feeding grounds. So, are these once hunted to near extinction creatures making a comeback? Or will we soon be saying goodbye to our renowned sperm whale?


Sperm whales of the Gulf of Mexico just might be making that comeback, but studying these deep-sea divers isn’t easy. The sea still harbors its mysteries, and perhaps the Gulf ’s best-kept secret is the existence of its biggest resident: the sperm whale.

It helps that they spend much of their time in places that humans can barely enter. To find one of their secret spots, you’d have to head far out from the shore where the continental shelf drops off to the deeper waters of the con-tinental slope. From there, leave the sunlit sea behind and descend 3,000 feet to a place where no light penetrates.

Most sperm whales can be found off the Browns-ville/Matamoros coast, at the mouth of the Mis-sissippi, and west of the Florida Keys. Swimming in pods of about 10 female relatives, friends and juveniles, some dive for food while one or two stay behind to watch the calves. In contrast to the stay-at-home females, males leave the warm-water breeding grounds at around age six to spend their lives traveling the seas. They spend most of their time diving for a few hours each day; however, in the afternoon they return to the

surface, communicating with a distinct series of Morse code-like clicks called codas.

Over millions of years, the sperm whale has evolved to exploit a unique ecological niche. Sperm whales can consume as much as a ton of squid a day. Impressively, that puts their col-lective annual seafood catch on the same level as that of humans.

Sperm whales typically dive half a mile deep. They are able to reach depths of nearly two miles and can hold their breath for as long as two hours.

As if extreme diving wasn’t enough, sperm whales later evolved sophisticated built-in so-nar to locate large squid in the black depths. Every three to five minutes, they’re detecting prey and changing turning radius, and are able to eat a dozen to three dozen prey items a dive.

A Sea ChangeBut with its incredible ecological success, is the species entirely out of hot water? Although sperm whale numbers have rebounded, their recovery is not yet ensured.

That’s a concern for all of us, since these marine mammals play a key role in the Gulf ecosystem. “If there were no sperm whales, the system could be thrown off balance”, says Briggs.

Although a struggle against manmade odds, the sperm whale enjoys several factors in its fa-vor. A worldwide whaling ban protects it from direct mortality by humans, its biggest enemy. It doesn’t compete with humans for territory either, so habitat encroachment is not an im-minent threat.

However, the sperm whale’s reliance on sound to navigate, find food and communicate makes it particularly vulnerable to another threat: mankind’s underwater noise pollution. Its ocean home has become 10 times noisier in the past 40 years, according to a recent study by re-searchers at the Scripps Institution of Ocean-ography. Some 30,000 loud, large ships ply the world’s oceans, creating an unprecedented level of background noise. According to the Na-


tional Marine Fisheries’ draft recovery plan, “…If the noise is chronic, individuals may have an increased vulnerability to disease or increased potential for negative cumulative effects, such as chemical pollution combined with noise-induced stress…”

In the Gulf, ironically, the biggest threat may come from the same industry that once helped save the species from the brink of extinction: oil and gas production. Before the whaling ban, the introduction of kerosene oil had the im-mediate effect of reducing pressure on whale stocks by re-ducing demand for whale oil. Today oil and gas production is moving farther into the deeper waters of the Gulf, where the sperm whales live.

But when the searing summer heat attracts humans to the surf, a juvenile male sperm whale will lift his huge tail fluke,

plunge to the depths and leave the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. If all goes well, he will spend his life swimming the world’s seas. By the end of his life, he will have circled the globe many times and produced as many as 60 offspring. Will that be enough to help his species fully recover from the brink of extinction? That, like so much else about the sperm whale, still remains a mystery.

The biggest creature in the Gulf of Mexico:• Has the biggest brain of any creature on earth • Is one of the deepest mammalian divers (only beaked whales

and elephant seals dive deeper)• Makes one of the loudest sounds of any animal.

For more information about the Gulf of Mexico or the author, go to www.gulfpreserve.org or contact: [email protected]

According to the National Marine Fisheries’ draft recovery plan, “…If the noise is chronic, individuals may have an increased vulnerability to disease or increased potential for negative cumulative effects, such as chemical pollution combined with noise-induced stress…”



Petition to the President: Don’t Allow Seismic Blasting

This grisly scenario may soon become a reality in an area of the Atlantic Ocean twice the size of California, where the Department of the Interior is currently reviewing a proposal to test the seafloor with seismic airguns, all in the speculative pursuit of more offshore oil and gas.

Seismic airguns are towed behind ships. From there they discharge compressed air to generate intense pulses of sound, 100,000 times more intense than a jet engine. These sounds are loud and powerful enough to penetrate the earth’s crust and bounce back, potentially uncovering pockets of oil and gas deep beneath the ocean floor. Ani-mals caught in the crossfire are considered collateral dam-age by the industry. In this case, the government - by its own, likely conservative, estimate - predicts that 138,000 marine mammals will be injured and possibly killed by the blasts in an area that stretches from Delaware to Florida.

The constant airgun noise is particularly harmful for whales and dolphins which depend critically on their hearing to survive. As animals that rely on sound to navigate their environment, find food, find mates and communicate, going deaf is effectively a death sentence. For some of the animals in the proposed area of testing the margin for survival is already razor thin. There are fewer than 500 North Atlantic right whales left on planet earth. The government predicts the testing will directly injure or kill nine of them. Innumerable fish and sea turtles would also be harmed by the blasts.

In the best case, the reward for all this destruction would be the opening of more of our oceans to the kind of off-shore drilling that a few short years ago resulted in the worst environmental catastrophe in the country’s history, and fresh new reserves of fossil fuels to burn as the earth’s thermometer ticks steadily upward.

There has been an online petition circulating to reject the proposal for seismic airgun testing in the Atlantic. The White House committed to respond to the petition if it recieved more than 100,000 signatures within 30 days. The 30-day deadline is May 15, but may very well be extended, so please attempt to log-in and sign it even past the May 15 deadline. Here’s what you need to do to locate the petition and add your signature to it: • Visit petitions.whitehouse.gov and click on “View Petitions”• Find this petition by clicking on “Environment” under the

“Filter by Issue” button.• Click on “Stop Seismic airgun testing for oil and gas of the

U.S. east coast” petition. • Click the “Create an Account” button on the petition’s page.• Fill out the form, and then wait for a confirmation email.• Click or paste the link in your email to get back to the site,

and then return to the petition.• Click the green “Sign This Petition” button.• Now send the petition to all of your friends and share on

Facebook and Twitter.

In the ocean you find a symphony of sound, from the clicking of snapping shrimp to the long mournful wails of whales, and zips of dolphins. Now imagine this oceanic soundscape shattered by dynamite-like blasts, every 10 seconds for days and even weeks on end. Blasts so loud they can literally deafen marine mammals that need to listen to live, possibly injuring or killing these animals by the tens of thousands.

Photo by Adam Bartolotta



History of the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament

In 1983 the “World’s Richest” Tarpon Tourna-ment was originally called the Boca Grande Club Invitational, sponsored and run by the private Boca Grande Club located on the north end of Gasparilla Island, and tradition-ally run during the summer.

In 1991, the Boca Grande Club decided to dis-continue their sponsorship of the tournament and the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Com-merce took it over renaming it the “World’s Richest” Tarpon Tournament and opening en-tries to the general public.

At its height, the total purse of the “World’s Richest” exceeded $175,000 and anglers from all over the world traveled to Boca Grande to enter for a chance to win it.

The impressive “World’s Richest” perpetual trophy is on display at the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce office and features the names of the winning team leaders for each year the tournament has been in existence.

In 2005, the Chamber of Commerce decided to take a hiatus from sponsoring the tourna-ment to focus more on economic develop-ment for its growing membership base.

The Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association took over the tournament and renamed it the Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association Tar-pon Tournament which ran until 2011.

Now in 2013, on the 31st Anniversary of its inception, the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce will once again sponsor and direct the storied “World’s Richest” Tarpon Tourna-ment in its triumphant return.

This year, as it was promoted in 2012, educa-tion and conservation of the fishery combined with sport fishing will be the primary focus. Safe boating, sportsmanship and responsible angling will be promoted in order to encour-age a safe, successful family-friendly event that will ensure the protection and proper steward-ship of our natural resources so that they may be enjoyed for generations to come.

The urgency towards conservation has be-come increasingly apparent over the last few years and the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to taking the lead in creating opportunities to help rehabilitate a habitat that has flourished in southwest Florida for thousands of years.

All-release, no-weigh, no-kill tournaments are an alternative whose time has come. Bringing families together in sport and education en-riches not only our estuaries and fisheries, but our community as a whole.

Our 2013 “World’s Richest” Tarpon Tourna-ment scheduled for May 23rd & 24th is com-bined with the 3nd Annual Gasparilla Island Kid’s Classic will be held on May 25th hosted by Gasparilla Outfitters. The weekend-long events which will be combined with a down-town festival that will include music, food and games for the kids.

Written by Lew Hastings, Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce

The impressive “World’s Richest” perpetual trophy is on display at the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce office and features the names of the winning team leaders for each year the tourna-ment has been in existence.

Boca Grande has a very unique and storied history when it comes to tarpon fishing—in-deed, this is the tarpon fishing capital of the world. There is nothing we won’t do to ensure that we retain that moniker.

Most importantly, the way in which we can do that is to educate residents, visitors, and vaca-tioners alike as to how we can work together to create and maintain a sustainable fishery.

First off, we have to acknowledge and respect our blessings that we have been placed in this unique environment—that we have the specific ingredients in this region the tarpon can to mi-grate to, pre-spawn, create a nursery, and grow to maturity in. I have been lucky enough to get involved in current scientific studies that are the only type of their kind anywhere in the world to ultimately try and understand why tarpon are attracted to this place—our backyard, to grow and perpetuate their species in. We would be irresponsible and ignorant to minimize the im-portance of our place in their life cycle and the importance of our actions on their behavior in their habitat and in their home. So make no mis-take—this is not about a fish. There are millions

of fish and species that deserve their day in the sun, that deserve attention, that deserve respect. This is about an ecosystem: our ecosystem, their ecosystem, and what is unique to our area and the role we play in the entirety of the tarpon life cycle and its effect around the world. This is not about any one man, woman, or group. There are plenty of people who think they know what is best for the environment, but some are really only concerned for themselves—they like to hear themselves talk, they talk a big game but when it comes to actually doing something, they really don’t deliver. This is not about an organi-zation or a club, because both or either can be-come myopic and focus on the things that ben-efit only their concerns and goals and promote only their views and beliefs. When that happens people see through it as false concern—back-ground noise, self-serving tactics, and no one is taken seriously and nothing in the end gets done. Community…community is what mat-ters. Community working together. Grassroots up is powerful, impactful. When the commu-nity says like ours has, “Enough is enough, we will no longer tolerate the abuse of our natu-ral resources and the misrepresentation of our community”, someone, everyone has to listen,

To Protect, Preserve and Defend Our Natural Resources.By Lew Hastings, Executive DirectorBoca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce

This is about an ecosystem: our

ecosystem, their ecosystem, and what

is unique to our area and the role we

play in the entirety of the tarpon life

cycle and its effect around the world.

Photo by Matt Mativi


On April 17th, the FWC, short for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, unani-mously moved forward with a proposal to make tarpon and bonefish catch-and-release-only fisheries. The tarpon and bonefish catch-and-release-only proposal includes potential chang-es for management in state and federal waters off Florida. One of these potential changes in-cludes eliminating all harvest of tarpon with the exception of the harvest or possession of a single tarpon when in pursuit of an IGFA record while in conjunction with a tarpon tag. Another change would focus on keeping the tarpon tag price at $50 per tag, while limiting fishers to one tag per person, per year. In conjunction with the tag pricing, a modification of the tarpon tag program would also be altered. New laws would include reporting requirements and shifting the start and end date for when the tarpon tag is valid. As where bonefish are concerned, the permit would be discontinuing the bonefish tournament exemption permit which allows tournament anglers to temporarily possess bonefish for transport to a tournament scale.

Along with this proposal, the Commission also discussed how directed staff should re-examine the definition of snagging and rede-fine what gear should be used in the Pass. This issue will likely be brought up during the next meeting as a draft proposal that will take place during June in Lakeland during the final deci-sion of the proposal at hand.

For more information please visit MyFWC.com/Commission.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission:

A PROPOSAL REvIEW

Written by Jessica Tenbusch

and that is what is happening today. The citizens and friends of the Boca Grande community have come together to say unequivocal-ly, “Everyone is invited to come and enjoy the beautiful God Given natural resource we have to offer to the world, but you will respect it and you will help preserve it not just for us but for generations to come.” The Boca Grande Area Chamber has been dedicated to that end as long as I have been executive director for the last two years and I hope it will be long after I am gone. We didn’t have to revive the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament (as far as the Boca Grande Chamber and everyone else was concerned it was on extended hia-tus for the last seven years), but on its 30th anniversary there was a reason to bring it back more than just for the historical significance of the heritage of Boca Grande—but for the new mission: conserva-tion, education, sportsmanship. These three words define what the area residents of Boca Grande have been promoting and encouraging for years upon years—generations, in fact. Employing conservation tactics and recommendations to ensure a healthy fishery, education of the public, both residential and visitors on the importance of our role and location in the life cycle of tarpon and other marine species, and the adherence and maintenance to the tenets of sportsmanship. Somewhere along the way, some of us have forgotten the meaning of the word sportsman and the responsibilities and expectations that go along with being a sportsman. We need to make sure we not only bring this teaching back, but make sure that it is not forgotten—not now or in the future generations. So what is next? What do we expect from our visitors, our residents, and ourselves? Put simply—respect. Respect the fish, respect the pass.


Wild

by

Natu

re

Sean and Brooks Paxton (aka the Shark Brothers), are pro-duces, writers, educators, entertainers, expedition goers, and most importantly—shark and marine environment enthusiasts whom have created a hands-on approach to engaging children and adults alike in the history, wild-life, and exploration of their research. Their corporation, Think Out Loud Productions, has become one of the most modernized ways of sharing with the public a very real and personal viewpoint of their experiences and findings. These brothers actually film, write, create, and research all of their own work—enabling for a very up close-and-personal approach to educational entertainment.

Among their many quests, one specific goal of theirs con-tinues to stand out: Educating the public on the impor-tance of shark release fishing. In fact, in 2010 Sean and Brooks created and produced the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament and Festival to include groundbreaking collaborations with Dr. Bob Hueter at the Mote Center for Shark Research, Dr. Guy Harvey and his Ocean Foundation. This pioneering format featured live streaming broadcasts of shark-release fishing and other unique educational elements to demonstrate why it is so important to catch, release, and handle sharks properly.

A few of their most recent endeavors took place at some of our very own southwest Florida schools: The Island School and The Out of Door Academy. Sean and Brooks shared an incredible presentation with both schools in order to let the kids in on the importance of our marine world. The presentation, titled Wild by Nature, included multi-media produced films and photos demonstrating the brothers re-nowned conservation work along with some of their own personal endeavors as well. The assemblies not only edu-cated the youth, it also encouraged and inspired them to take action. While rated “E”, for “everyone”, children of all ages were able to participate. Included in the presentations was a hands on instructional program, titled “Best Prac-tices for Proper Shark Release Fishing”, which had been adapted from the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge. Other curriculum included courses such as Ethical Sport-ing Practices, Tackle and Equipment, Shark Species Identi-fication, Conventional Research Tagging Techniques, and Rules and Regulations (not to mention a plethora of other subjects that came up along the way).

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by: J

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To explore wild ideas that support Science, Education and Sustainability.


Who They Are:

“We’ve been fortunate in finding creative ways to pursue our pas-sions for nature, exploration and history, while involving the pub-lic and supporting science and education in the process. Looking back, it was our childhood fascination with adventure and wild-life that never went away and the years spent traveling the world with our show business family that led us to where we are today.” - Sean Paxton

Why They Do... What They Do:

We’re driven by our curiosity about the natural world, history’s mysteries and the adventure that comes with exploring that curiosity, but there’s a deeper purpose behind it all. We’re compelled by a heightened sense of urgency to do our part in taking on challenges that face some of the world’s natural, historical and cultural resources.

That’s why our underlying mission is to explore, but not just in the traditional sense. We also ex-plore wild ideas about how to engage, involve and motivate the public, and at times, even direct the actions and decisions of policy-makers. In some cases, we’re responding to the need for vital fund-ing to support important scientific research, an educational initiative or the recovery and curation of cultural and historical artifacts.

Fortunately, we’re not the only ones that feel this way, and through strategic alliances and with the generous support of sponsors over the years, we’ve turned more than a few wild ideas into effective so-lutions. We’d like to thank them all for their criti-cal support because none of our shared successes would be possible without their involvement.

While the brothers are well known for their innovative productions and conservation work with sharks and the marine environment, they maintain a non-stop schedule driven by a host of other projects highlighting a number of exploration, history, archeology, wildlife and habitat topics, in addition to live appearances and speaking engagements. Their work has been seen in-ternationally on: Discovery Channel, Shark Week, PBS, National Geographic, the Weather Channel, Fox, and the NBC Nightly News, to name a few.

At the helm of Think Out Loud Productions, they fill multiple roles including cameramen, producers, writ-ers, expedition and science team members. As a result, they find themselves directly involved in the stories and experiences they share; a hands-on approach to engage children and adults alike in the history, wildlife, and exploration topics they document and produce. Their collaborative efforts with distinguished individuals and organizations on historically significant documenta-ries, science and research expeditions and innovative live events include: the Mote Marine Laboratory and Center for Shark Research, Dr. Bob Hueter, Guy Har-vey, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, South Eastern Archeological Services, ADM Exploration Team, the Florida Aquarium, and the Boca Grande Area Cham-ber of Commerce.

The expedition to explore and dive the mysterious Deep Hole in the Myakka River State Park gave us a great reason to throw a perfectly good shark cage into a gator-infested sinkhole.”

L-R: Sean Paxton, Brooks Paxton, Lisa Bramlage, Steve Koski, Curt Bowen, Jim Culter, Jon S. Perry, Rene A. Jannerman, Diana Donaghy , John Ryan, Joe Bamford


Tarpon Fisheries Documentary:

Rich History, Priceless Future - the Tarpon of Boca Grande Pass, presented by the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce, is an engaging and educational documentary that explores the history of a modern day tarpon fishery worth bil-lions of dollars annually, that originated over a century ago in the waters around Florida’s Boca Grande Pass, also known as the “Tarpon capital of the world”. It was imperative to us, from the start, that we take a high-ground look at the larger issue of sustainability through the lens of the Charlotte Harbor and Boca Grande Pass fishery. We stayed focused on making sure that, whether you’re from Kansas City or Key West, the mission of conservation, education and sportsmanship put forth by Lew Hastings and the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce was well understood. It’s been an amazing experience and there’s a long list of people to thank in making this documentary possible. We encourage everyone to get a copy and share it with your family and friends and make sure you watch the cred-its! For now, a special thanks to Lew Hastings and the Chamber of Commerce, the community of Boca Grande and all our sponsors for their participation and support of this project.

This film explores the answers to those questions and takes an in-depth look at how the local community in and around Boca Grande, renowned scientists, educators and conservationists have joined forces in a forward-thinking strategy designed to protect this priceless fishery for future generations.

You can purchase the DVD at the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce or by calling (941) 964-0568.

For more information on Sean and Brooks Paxton or their ed-ucation programs please visit www.thinkoutloudproduc-tions.com

Upcoming Projects:

Within days after the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament this year, Sean and Brooks be head-ing to Beaufort North Carolina, to film and pro-duce an educational series and live streaming event focused on the final phase of operations to recover artifacts from the “Queen Anne’s Re-venge” – Blackbeard’s flagship which was sunk in June of 1718. The series and live event will also recount the final days of this infamous North Caroline pirate. This is an innovative educational project with the State of North Carolina Depart-ment of Cultural Resources Underwater Archae-ology Branch and Friends of the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

The Shark Brothers will also develop some unique educational outreach and distance learning programs with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and the Florida Aquarium, and are excited about the prospects of an expedition and film project in Africa to explore the top-ics of elephant and rhino poaching, the illegal animal trade, and some of the uniquely effective conservation efforts taking place there.

Our work with the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge also continues with a modified format this year designed to support ongoing Mote Center for Shark Research studies that are part of the Mote-Boca Grande Partnership. They’re also supporting the efforts of a new all-release shark tournament in their old stomp-ing grounds of Montauk, Long Island, which is the birthplace of recreational fishing for sharks.

Filming a segment for the documentary with Dr. Guy Harvey at his world headquarters in Davie, FL.


Rockin’ the Oceans at the

Tortuga Music Festival

On a beautiful weekend in Fort Lauderdale beach on April 13 and 14th the inaugural Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival presented by Landshark Lager was held. Bring-ing together twenty-plus top-tier that performed on three stages located on the sands of Fort Lauderdale’s picturesque South Point Park Beach. A few of highlights included elec-trifying performances by headliners Kenny Chesney and

Eric Church as well as high-energy performances by some of country and rocks biggest names including Eli Young Band, Jake Owen, The Avett Brothers, and Grace Potter.

In the heart of the festival grounds, Tortuga Fest featured a one-of-a-kind Conservation Village in partnership with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. The village boasted

Photos by Adam Bartolotta, Danette Bartolotta and Matt Mativi


exhibits from 30 world-class preservation and educational organizations and daily appearances by Guy Harvey him-self. Local chefs prepared sustainable seafood while news anchors ran panel interviews with scientists and artists al-lowing music fans to learn more about ocean preservation and ways to get involved.

Rock The Ocean:The Rock The Ocean Foundation is dedicated to supporting scientific research, education and increasing public awareness about the issues impacting the world’s oceans.

RTO teams up with high profile musical art-ists and entertainers who perform and par-ticipate in events that educate the public on marine conservation. RTO founder Chris Stacey is an avid ocean lover, diver and 20-year music industry veteran. Tortuga Music Festival will bring to life his vision, uniting the best and brightest in music, working to raise awareness about the issues currently impacting our oceans and their delicate ecosystems.

Their mission is to increase public aware-ness about the issues impacting the world’s oceans and to support scientific research, education and ocean conservation initia-tives through benefit concerts, brand part-nerships and entertainment industry events. Working together with their partners, they were able to treat fans to a weekend of in-credible music in a stunning location, while educating about the ways that we all can become active participants in the efforts to defend the oceans.

Rock the Ocean has a few issues they are promoting such as (education to make a difference) and to maintain balance. With a rapidly expanding human population, grow-ing demand for seafood, and constant im-provement of fishing technology, fish stocks are under severe threat. Worldwide, 50% of all fisheries are “fully exploited” (U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization).


Wyalnd, Sean Paxton of Think Out Loud Productions and Lew Hastings of the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce.

Wyland with Danette and Adam Bartolotta, owners of ROI Media and publishers of Boca Grande Magazine, North Port Magazine and the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament Magazine.

Jo Ellen King of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust with Nashville recording artist Colton James.

Greg Jacoski, Wyland and Steve Stock.

Expedition Florida 500’s paddle boarder, Justin Riney with Jennifer Reeves of NBC Miami.

Annette Robertson, Wyland and Jennifer Reeves.


Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation:

The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation strongly believes in sup-porting efforts to educate and engage youths about our oceans and marine wildlife. It’s critical that we teach the next genera-tion of anglers not just to enjoy fishing, but how to do so re-sponsibly. To do so, the GHOF is partners with organizations, programs and projects that teach sustainable and sound ap-proaches to marine stewardship. They are particularly con-cerned about economically disadvantaged communities in which children are raised disconnected from nearby shore-lines. As such, they are making an extra effort to ensure that no youth is left behind in their efforts to teach and inspire the next generation when it comes to a love of our oceans.

The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation is a leader in international efforts to protect our oceans and marine environments. The GHOF advocates for sustainable fishing practices, funds inspired scientific research and supports innovative educational pro-grams. Its principle objective is to help ensure that future gen-erations will enjoy and benefit from a naturally balanced ocean ecosystem where fish and other marine wildlife flourish. GHOF has led or assisted include the establishment of a shark sanctu-ary in Bahamian federal waters, the addition of five species of sharks to Florida’s protected list and the enactment of the U.S. Billfish Conservation Act. In the fall of 2012, the GHOF led a petition drive in support of the National Conservation Law in the Cayman Islands. The GHOF also assisted the launch of the first catch-and-release fishing tournament in Venezuela.

“ The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation will help ensure that future genera-tions will enjoy and benefit from a naturally balanced ocean ecosys-tem where fish and other marine wildlife flourish. I would like to personally thank you for your do-nation. I pledge to you that we will fund only the very best research programs and conservation efforts. The Guy Harvey Ocean Founda-tion works closely with our funded partners to ensure not one dollar of your donation is wasted.”

Thank you for your support, Dr. Guy Harvey

Guy Harvey and Wyland.

Marine Life Artist, Wyland, painting with children.


Adam Bartolotta, Colton James and Matt Mativi.

Guy Harvey and Annette Robertson

Conservation VillageAs part of the Rock the Ocean Foundation mis-sion, one of the goals of the music festivals is to increase public awareness and engagement about the issues impacting the world’s oceans. Conservation Village is an arena of exhibits within the festival grounds that offers a vari-ety of interactive, educational experiences to festival-goers. Each exhibit partner is carefully selected to highlight local organizations that are striving to conserve our oceans and their vital resources. From sustainable seafood prepared by top chefs to touch tanks with stingrays to virtual gaming consoles, Conservation Village is where people not only learn about our oceans, but also experience and connect with them.

Conservation Village PartnersGuy Harvey Ocean Foundation

Shark Savers

International Game Fish Association

Sea Turtle Oversight Protection

Mote Marine Laboratory

For Reef License Plate

7th Symposium on Harmful Algae in the U.S.

Loggerhead Marine Center

National Coral Reef Institute

Georgia Aquarium

Ruben Marine Debris Art - Seagrass Restoration Services

SharkLab

Oceana

Ocean Conservancy

Tampa Bay Watch

Nature Conservancy

RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program

Florida Aquarium

Florida Program for Shark Research

Florida Fishing Academy

Guy Harvey Research Institute (NSU)

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust

Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission

Wildlife Foundation of Florida

Sea Turtle Oversight Protection


May 27th: Memorial Day Ceremony, music entertainment at 11:00 am, Ceremony at noon located at the Center Stage, followed by a re-ception in Museum with War Tales from 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Presented by Military Heritage Museum.

June 8th: Charlotte Harbor Nature Fest & Outdoor Recreation Expo, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. In recognition of National Marina Day visit with organizations and businesses throughout the village dedicated to the envi-ronment and the natural habitat of Charlotte Harbor and the Peace River. Market your busi-ness or not for profit organization to many visitors at Fishermen’s Village. Call (941) 575-3067 for pricing and booth reservations.

July 4th: Fourth of July Celebration, at noon – 9:00 PM, Center Court. Annual Freedom Swim, Live music, restaurant specials. View-ing of annual fireworks display over Charlotte Harbor begins at 9:00 PM. Call (941) 639-8721 for more information.

July 26th- 28th: Pirate’s Festival, Fun for the entire Family! Pirate Parade, Pirate Flotilla Invasion. Pirate theatrical antics, children’s costume contest, and a treasure hunt through-out the Village. There will be lots of live music and pirate themed vendors. Call (941) 575-3067 for more information.

August 17th: “Hot on the Harbor”, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Fun activities for the entire family. Music for your entertainment. Call (941) 575-3067, for more information.

September 14th: Fishermen’s Village Fall Harvest, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Visit with or-ganizations, vendors, exhibits and fun activi-ties for the entire family. Interested in exhibit-ing? Call (941) 575-3067 for more information.

September 21st: POW/MIA Remem-brance Ceremony at 1:00 PM in Center Court, presented by the Military heritage Mu-seum and U.S. Paratroopers. Call (941) 575-9002 for more information.

October 12th: Fishermen’s Village OKTO-BERFEST, fun activities for the entire family. Weiner dog derby, music and dance for enter-tainment will be held at Center Court. Call (941) 575-3067 for more information.

October 19th & 20th: Fishermen’s Village Fine Arts & Crafts Show, presented by TNT Events, 10:00 AM -6:00 PM on Saturday and at noon – 5:00 PM on Sunday. All fine arts will consist of handmade, juried work including pottery, jewelry, ceramics, fine art. Call (352) 344-0657 for more information.

October 19th: Barktoberfest Pet Costume Contest at 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM located at in Center Court. Presented by Salty Paws. Pre-registration required. Call (941) 575-7599 for information.

Fishermen’s Village Waterfront Mall and Marina

UPCOMING EVENTSFishermen’s Village is

located in Punta Gorda just 3 miles west of I75 extit 164,

on Marion Ave. For more information

visit www.fishville.com or call (800) 639-0020



Island Must-Haves

Oyster Creek Shorts

“Dammit, Jim, I’m a fly-fisherman, not a contortionist!” There may be plenty of things that turn you all cantankerous out there. These shorts won’t be one of them. The back pockets, positioned slightly forward, have slanted openings and velcro closures, which makes it easy to keep track of their contents. Though you may have to hunt for something else to complain about. ($69.99) at True Flies, www.trueflies.com.


Peel ‘n Eat Belt

When it comes to some kinds of security—especially where keeping your pants up is concerned—leave nothing to chance. Double D-ring buckle keeps handsomely decorated nylon webbing lashed down tight. Quick-drying and durable, it won’t shrink or bleed. Bahia Honda/Hibiscus shown. ($29.99) at True Flies, www.trueflies.com.

Designer Plushes

14kt Yellow gold sandollar bracelet with a sandblasted fin-ish with diamond cut centers. ($1,330). Available at Barbara Anne’s, 410 Park Ave, Suite 1, Boca Grande, (941) 964 -1776

Yeti® Roadie 20

As Yeti® says, “Wildly stronger! Keep ice longer.” This one is a great size for those on the move. Customized with TrueFlies® Logo in Washed Sky. ($219.99) at True Flies, www.trueflies.com.


Island Must-Haves

All Wrapped Up With A Bow!

Ladies diamond bow ring! Extremely unique and very unusual. This 3-dimensional ring in 18K white gold is encrusted with diamonds that total over 3.50ct. $7,999. It can be seen only at Classic Creations in Diamonds & Gold, Venice. (941) 497-6331 www.classiccreationsjewelers.com

Natural Canary Colored Diamonds

This specially designed ring features three natural yellow canary diamonds that total 2/3ct. The quadruple micro pave’ style setting is 18K yellow, white and rose gold. The diamonds total 1 /34ct. $7,999. It can be seen only at Classic Creations in Diamonds & Gold, Venice. (941) 497-6331 www.classiccreationsjewelers.com

A 1 of a Kind Piece from Classic Creations!

Bright & brilliant 18K white gold mounting is encrusted with 1.80ct. of diamond baguettes and round brilliant cut diamonds. The center features an 11.48ct. GEM quality pear shaped Tanzanite. Absolutely stunning! $11,999. An original from Classic Creations in Diamonds & Gold, Venice. (941) 497-6331 www.classiccreationsjewelers.com

Dreamy Afternoon

Entitled “Dreamy Afternoon” by Adamson-Ray. Mixed media collage, 55”H x 51”W x 1”D. $949.00. This and other unique art pieces and accessories available through Z Interior Decorations Inc., Carlene Zeches, (941) 575-9891 or www.zinteriordecorations.com.


Canine Couture

Why shouldn’t your dog have the best? Pamper your dog by getting it a bed by Sniffany & Co., Chewy Vuiton, or for the tech savvy dog an iBone bed. ($129.99 - $149.99) available at Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming located at 480 E. Railroad Avenue, Suite 6 Boca Grande, FL. 941-964-WOOF (9663) Woof Gang Bakery, 480 E. Railroad Ave. Suite 6, Boca Grande, 941-964-woof (9663).


Island Must-Haves

Electric Bicycles

Experience the luxury of the outdoors with five new models for 2013. You will find the right E Bike to get you around the island during your electric bicycling adventure. Feel the freedom of power. ($2,499.99) at Caddy Carts, 12691 Tamiami Trail, North Port, (941) 474-4747, www.caddy-carts.com.

Nautical Notions

Silver - plated anti-tarnish bracelets, assorted styles in nautical motifs ($20 each) . Available at Barbara Anne’s, 410 Park Ave, Suite 1, Boca Grande, (941) 964 -1776


Island Must-Haves


Freja Dress

Shown in new green everything nice, $188. Picture Perfect Wedge 47302, shown in hotty pink lucky seersucker, $178. Mini Gosling dress 47657G, shown in resort white nibbles, $98. at The Palm on Park, 444 4th Street, Boca Grande, (866) 964-4448. www.thepalmonpark.com

Nicci Dress

Shown in resort white pinwheel organza, $348. Kat Kitten Heel 47290, shown in nude, $198. Mini Nicci dress 47662G, shown in resort white daisy lane lace, $94. Mini McKim 48974, shown in gold metallic, $68. at The Palm on Park, 444 4th Street, Boca Grande, (866) 964-4448. www.thepalmonpark.com

Compass Rose Boca Grande Enamel bracelet

Compass Rose Boca Grande enamel bracelet in sterling silver with a tar-pon clasp. Handmade. ($285) at Cruisin Coastlines (941) 780-5786, www.cruisincoastlines.com.

Boca Grande Pass Yellow Gold Ring with Tarpon

Boca Grande Pass ring with black enamel and diamond. The finish is a process of hand workmanship to achieve a one of a kind look. Great for everyday wear from fishing to cruisin’. Custom add ons like a boat name or a diamond in a special location, are accepted. ($1,100) at Cruisin Coastlines, (941) 780-5786, www.cruisincoastlines.com.

“Boca Shells”

The uniquely decorated hair barretts are handmade and adorned with local

sea shells. What makes these even more special is that the profits of each sale

benefits Neuroblastoma Cancer Research. ($9 donation) at The Antique Boutique

“Hats off”

Need a special hat for “that” party or Sunday best? Look no further than The Antique Boutique, where they offer a large assortment of the finest bonnets on the Island and available for every budget.

“True Treasures”!!! Gems and jewels! One of a kind estate jewelry

collected from all over the world. Everyone could use a little bling. Come find your treasure! Avil-able at The Antique Boutique.


Island Must-Haves


Local wearable art at its best!

Beautiful silk scarf hand created by local artist Kelly Reark just in time for tarpon season. Also available scarfs featuring tarpon, snook, birds, nautical scenes. Available exclusively at The Antique Boutique.

The 29th Annual

Suncoast Super BoatGrand Prix Festival

For the 29th year in row, the Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix Festival will once again be held on Lido Beach and surrounding areas from June 29th through July 7th. As with each previous year, this year’s festival will be packed with special events both on and off the water.

Written by: Jessica Tenbusch


Varying from the golf tournament on the 29th, to the Bayfront fireworks spectacular show on the 4th, each distinctive event will lead up to the infamous, yet treasured, grand finale boat race on the last day of the festival. With many of the events remaining free of cost, the community remains pleased to participate in an annual festival which supports not only a great cause, but also brings an endless amount of entertainment to the people of southwest Florida.

The Suncoast Charities for Children, Inc.—the creators of the festival, have been working hard to keep the festival’s main goal afloat. They serve special needs children, teens, adults, and their families by raising money to benefit local, non-profit agency facilities. Since 1985, this area has profited tremendously from the earn-ings of the Super Boat Grand Prix Festival. The Florida Center for Early Childhood’s build-ing, constructed by the Suncoast Charities for Children, currently serves as a place of various treatments for children’s potential needs. This building focuses its efforts on speech, occu-pational and physical therapy, mental health services, fetal alcohol aid and prevention, and child abuse prevention programs. The Cen-ter for Early Childhood, as well as other non-profit organizations that occupy buildings constructed with revenue from the event, are obliged to pay only a $1 fee per year in rent. This is to ensure that the funds and attention of each facility remain in the needs of clients. With the help of over 200 volunteers, the festi-val usually makes on average around $60,000. According to Lucy Nicandri, festival director,

The Florida Center for Early Childhood building, constructed by the Suncoast Charities for Children.

The Suncoast Charities for Children, Inc.—the creators of the festival, have been working hard to keep the festival’s main goal afloat. They serve special needs children, teens, adults, and their families by raising money to benefit local, non-profit agency facilities.


and vice president of the Suncoast Charities for Children, “Over the past 28 years, $14 mil-lion dollars worth of facilities have been con-structed”, since the first festival. Six facilities in total have been constructed by the Suncoast Charities over the past 28 years.

With that being said, and as wonderful as it is, coming up with funding for the event is not always that easy. A sanction fee (money spent providing a safe race site for both racers and viewers) can average out close to $100,000. According to Lucy, included in those costs are “on-site, specially trained medical rescue divers, race officials, liability insurance, a crane, heli-copters, permitting, marine life protection”, and many more necessary precautions for an event of this nature. Fortunately, coming up with the income for this year’s festival has largely been taken care of by the Sarasota County Commis-sion. Lucy states, “We are extremely grateful to the Sarasota County Commission for their deci-sion to fund the sanction fee of this year’s race which is $79,200 in addition to a $15,000 sports marketing grant and a $3,500 worth of in-kind services… A special thanks also goes out to The City of Sarasota who is providing $36,582 worth of in-kind services.” With help from the Sarasota County Commission, the City of Sarasota, and

numerous sponsors and volunteers, the festival has once again been made possible.

While the long week will be filled with numer-ous events for all to enjoy, the grand-finale boat race will be sure to draw several crowds dur-ing the festivals last day. The race begins on Sunday, July 7th, and will take place between New Pass and Big Pass. The first race will be-gin at 11:00 AM, and the second race will begin at 1:00 PM. Each race is expected to last ap-proximately 1 hour, (assuming no marine life or weather delays occur). Among the various rac-ers, local resident, Richard Davis, a two-time Triple Crown champion of 2006 and 2012 will be racing on his memorable boat, the Tilted Kilt. For the best viewing location, anywhere along the Lido Beach area is recommended.

For the 29th consecutive year, Sarasota re-mains one of the largest continuously running race sites in the world, all while supporting a cause where 100% of the profit goes to non-profit organizations.

For more information on the Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix Festival, please visit www. suncoastoffshore.org

For the consecu-tive 29th year in

a row, Sarasota remains one of

the largest con-tinuously run-ning race sites

in the world, all while supporting

a cause where 100% of profit

goes to non-profit organizations


Saturday, June 29th

Aqua Plumbing and Air Grand Prix Golf ClassicWhere: Heritage Oaks Golf and Country ClubWhen: Begins at 7:00 AM

Sunday, June 30th

Car ShowWhere: Lakewood Ranch Main StreetWhen: 10:00AM-3:00 PM

Boat and Personal Watercraft “Fun Run” on Sarasota BayWhere: Bearded Clam Water-front Restaurant and Tiki BarWhen: Begins at 10:00 AM

Monday, July 1st

Texas Hold ‘em Poker TournamentWhere: One-Eyed Jacks Poker Room at the Sarasota Kennel ClubWhen: Begins at 6:00 PM

Tuesday, July 2nd

“The Friendliest Catch” Outing for the Physically and Mentally ChallengedWhere: Sarasota Outboard ClubWhen: 9:00 AM- 1:30 PM

Super Boat Gran Prix Throttles Down for KidsWhere: Sarasota Yacht ClubWhen: 6:00 PM- 10:00 PM

Wednesday, July 3rd

“Fleming’s Fan Fest” for Local Race TeamsWhere: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine BarWhen: 5:00 PM- 8:00 PM

Thursday, July 4th

Bayfront Fireworks Spectacular Where: Sarasota Bayfront ParkWhen: Dusk- 9:00 PM

Friday, July 5th

Powerboats by the BayWhere: Centennial ParkWhen: Noon- 5:00 PM

Festival Parade of BoatsWhere: Downtown Main StreetWhen: Begins at 7:00 PM

“Boats by the Bay” Downtown Block PartyWhere: Between Orange and Pineapple Ave.When: 5:00 PM- Midnight

Saturday, July 6th

“Meet and Greet Who’s in the Driver’s Seat”Where: Hyatt Regency Sarasota BallroomWhen: 10:30 AM- Noon

Powerboats by the BayWhere: Centennial ParkWhen: 10:00 AM- 8:00 PM

Motorcycle Charity Ride(Details TBA)

“Miss Super Boat Grand Prix” Bikini ContestWhere: Centennial ParkWhen: 3:00 PM- 4:30 PM

Hyatt Regency’s Pre Race Party and Fashion ShowWhere: Hyatt Regency Sarasota BallroomWhen: 6:00 PM- 11:00 PM

Sunday, July 7th

Annual Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix Boat RaceWhere: Lido Beach (between New Pass and Big Pass)When: Begins at 11:00AM and 1:00 PM

Race Awards CelebrationWhere: Hyatt Regency Sarasota BallroomWhen: Begins at 5:00 PM

Schedule of Events(Subject to Change)


Witness is a 1957 27’ Chris Craft Semi Enclosed Cruiser that has recently been completely restored. It is ready for you to embark on a trip that will provide your fam-ily with memories that will last a lifetime.

Photos by Adam Bartolotta


Welcome aboard Witness, Cavana Classic Charters newest addition to their fleet of exquisite vessels. Witness is a 1957 27’ Chris Craft semi enclosed cruiser that has recently been com-pletely restored. It is ready for you to embark on a trip that will provide your family with memories that will last a lifetime. You and your guests can enjoy the perfect sunset cruise in the canals while sipping on wine and munching on hors d’oeuvres. Or if you are look-ing for a little more adventure, let one of our local fishing guides hook you on a majestic silver king and have an authentic Boca Grande tarpon fishing experience you will never forget.

Cavana Classic Charters is also excited to announce that they have partnered with The Gasparilla Inn & Club. Now visitors and guests of The Gasparilla

Inn & Club will have the unique op-portunity to experience the full beauty of Boca Grande and her surrounding areas on the water. Guests can choose from any vessel of the Cavana Clas-sic Charters fleet and go sight seeing, cruise to a specific destination, or take in a beautiful sunset cruise on a boat that some people will only dream about experiencing.

Step back in time and enjoy an excursion aboard one of Cavana’s classic vessles. Whether your desire tends toward a lazy canal cruise, a full day of exploring the flats and beaches, or departing your wedding reception in Grande style, they can certainly fulfill your charter needs in a truly unforgettable fashion! For more information on Cavana Classic Charters call (941) 875-4946 or visit them online at CavanaCharters.com.

The newest vessel of their amazing fleet



On the Wild Side

The blue crab can be found from Mas-sachusetts to Texas. Blue crabs are omnivores, eating both plants and animals. Males and females can be dis-tinguished by the shape of their abdo-mens and the color of their front claws. Males have blue claws and females are red tipped. Blue crabs have the ability to sacrifice limbs to avoid capture and then are able to regenerate the missing limbs. Natural predators include eels, striped bass, trout and humans.

Written by Jessica HobbsPhoto by Lynda Venditti

Blue Crab



Advertising

ROI Media(941) 257-43522500 Bobcat VillageCenter Road, Suite GNorth Port, FL 34288www.roimedia.us

Apparel & Gifts

Antique BoutiqueLocated in the Train Depotwww.antiqueboutique.us

Ariel Ltd.(941) 964-0480444 4th StreetBoca Grande, FL 33921 www.arielltd.com

Boca Grande Outfitters, Inc.(941) 964-2445375 Park AvenueBoca Grande, FL 33921www.bocagrandeoutfitters.com

The Palm on Park(866) 964-4448444 4th StreetBoca Grande, FL 33921 www.thepalmonpark.com

True Flieswww.trueflies.com

Woof Gang Bakery(941) 964-9663480 E. Railroad Ave. Suite 6Boca Grande, FL 33921www.woofgangbakery.com

Beds

Bed Masters(941) 766-91224105 Tamiami TrailPort Charlotte, FL 33952www.bedmasters.com

Blinds

Creative Window Treatments(941) 828-00004880 Placida RoadEnglewood, FL 34224www.mycreativewindow.com

Boating

Beach Road Watersports(941) 475-90991350 Beach RoadEnglewood, FL 34223www.beachroadwatersports.net

Cavana Classic Charters(941) 875-4946PO Box 357Boca Grande, FL 33921www.cavanacharters.com

Cleaning Services

Best Pro Team Cleaning Services(941) 726-12161720 El Jobean Rd, Suite #101Port Charlotte, FL 33948www.bestproteam.com

Construction

EOK Construction(863) 385-8649

Truex Preferred Construction(941) 475-6680579 S. Indiana Avenue, Suite AEnglewood, FL 34223www.truexpreferredconstruction.com

Business Directory


Dental

Davis & Beyer Dental Health Professionals(941) 488-10751218 E. Venice AveVenice, FL 34285www.venicedentist.com

Financial Planning

MetLife(941) 961-61061819 Main Street, Suite 1300Sarasota, FL 34236

Flooring

Friendly Floors(941) 624-00773785 Tamiami TrailPort Charlotte, FL 33952www.friendlyfloors.com

Gas

Accurate Gas & Plumbing(941) 893-8423www.accurategnp.com

Golf Carts

Caddy Carts(941) 474-474712691 Tamiami TrailPort Charlotte, Fl 34287www.caddy-carts.com

Hair Salon & Spa

Kyle Kurtis Salon & Spa(941) 830-834413435 S. McCall RdPort Charlotte, FL 33981www.kyle-kurtis.com

Home Inspection

Second Opinion Home Inspection(800) 940-7114secondopinionhomeinspection.com

Interior Decorations

Z Interior Decorations(941) 575-9891www.zinteriordecorations.com

Jeweler

Barbara Anne’s Jewelry & Repair(941) 964-1776410 Park Ave, Suite #1Boca Grande, FL 33921

Classic Creations in Diamonds & Gold(941) 497-63312389 Tamiami Trail. SVenice, FL 34293www.classiccreationsjewelers.com

Cruisin Coastlines(941) 780-5786 www. cruisincoastlines.com

Lawn Care

Coastal Quality Services, Inc.(239) 344-9326(941) 815-2077www.coastalquality.com

Liquors

BnT Liquors and Fine Wines(941) 698-10118725 Placida RoadPlacida, FL 33946

Medical

RTR Urology(941) 485-3351 (24hr)842 Sunset Lake Blvd.Suite 403Venice, FL 34292

Museums

Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum(941) 964-0060Barrier Island Parks Society880 Belcher RoadBoca Grande, FL 33921www.barrierislandparkssociety.org

Photography

Photographic Images(941) 475-51487233 Summer StreetEnglewood, FL 34224www.heidemariephoto.com

Real Estate

Gasparilla Real Estate Team Bob Melvin(941) 380-8891471 Park Ave.Boca Grande, FL 33921www.bobmelvin.wordpress.comGasparilla Properties, Inc.

Gasparilla Properties, Inc. MaryJo Shaffer(941) 961-0630380 E. Railroad Ave.Boca Grande, FL 33921www.bocagrandehomes.net

Michael Saunders & CompanyKevin HydeOffice: (941) 964-2000Direct: (941) 628-4730420 E Railroad Ave Boca Grande, FL 33921www.bocagrandelistings.com

Restaurants & Hotels

Loose Caboose(941) 964-0440433 W. Fourth StreetBoca Grande, FL 33921www.loosecaboose.biz

Zydeco Grille(941) 828-14728501 Placida RoadCape Haze, FLwww.zydecogrille.com

Roofing

Mark Kaufman Roofing(941) 473-3605www.markkaufmanroofing.com

Security

Security Alarm Corporation(941) 625-970017776 Toledo Blade Blvd.Port Charlotte, FL 33948www.securityalarmcorp.com

Surveying

Shremshock Surveying, Inc.(941) 423-8875www.shremshocksurveying.com

Tours

Grande Tours(941) 697-882512575 Placida RoadPlacida, FL 33946www.grandetours.com

Travel Agency

Boca Grande Travel(941) 964-02005800 Gasparilla RoadBoca Grande, FL 33921www.bocagrandetravel.com


It’s five o’clock somewhere...

The Perfect MargaritaBrought to you by B&T Liquors

3 lime wedges

2 ounces gold tequila (Cuervo 1800)

1/2 ounce tequila (Cuervo white)

1 1/4 ounces Rose’s lime juice

1/2 ounce triple sec (Bols)

1 splash of orange curaco (Bols)

Crushed ice

Combine all ingredients except for the lime into a shaker. Squeeze two of the lime wedges into the shaker and shake well. Rim out-side of glass only with lime and then with salt. Add fresh crushed ice to glass and then strain mix-ture over ice. Squeeze remaining lime wedge in glass.

boca grande magazine · a line of handcrafted jewelry inspired by a love for boat cruising. jason...

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