Let's Go Shrimpin

Last time I was in Brunswick, I stopped by Marshside for lunch.  While sitting at the bar enjoying a fabulously fresh grill fish sandwich and my first Yuengling of the trip, I over heard the guy at the end of the bar say they were taking a group out shrimping.  Seems they take tourist shrimping.  "Kewl.  I must remember to tell Tom."  Which I didn't.

60 Ft Lady Jane

This trip we rolled into Brunswick just before noon with empty stomachs.  Marshside was just the ticket.  This time I remembered and told Tom about what I overheard last time about the shrimping.  Soon after the arrival of our first Yuengling, a man came off the shrimp boat out back and sat at the end of the bar.  It was Captain Larry, owner and operator of the Lady Jane shrimp boat.  Tom engaged him in conversation and soon learned that Captain Larry quit commercial shrimping (foreign shrimp are killing the USA shrimpers) and instead takes tourist out.  One thing lead to another and we booked a trip with Captain Larry.

It was really windy today - gusts to 40 knots.  By 4pm cruise time it was also getting chilly but we boarded the Lady Jane and took off to cruise around the surrounding marsh land.

Soon the crew of two were deploying a net out the back.  Since it mainly cruises the marshlands, the Lady Jane does not have outrigger arms like most shrimp boats.

There is a chain that drag the bottom in front of the net stirring up all the shrimp and such and getting them to pop up into the net.

Did I mention it was chilly?

After about 15 mins it was time to bring in the net.

mega winch

Everyone gathered at the back of the boat to watch....everyone but my husband, who was transfixed on the jumbo winch used to crank in the net.  He stood watching how deckhand John maneuvers it.

 Slowing they reeled the net in.

Slowly.

The birds were very interested in our haul.  A few ladies were afraid of birds and a bit freaked out at first and then they calmed down.

Deckhand Cliff ( and I think marine biologist) hauling in the catch.

He dumped the small haul on the waist high sorting table.

The haul

Then he started showing us all the various creatures in the catch and telling us all about them.

Nice blue crab - boy crab we learned

After telling us all about whatever creature, he offered to let anyone hold it - most creatures that is except a few like the "thumb splitter" shrimp...for obvious reasons.

Squid

There weren't many takers on holding the various creatures but a few adventurous folks did.  One tourist had a bag and picked out some small fish to use as bait tomorrow on a fishing trip he had planned.

Small stingray - I can't remember exactly what type of ray

Horseshoe crab

After he sorted through everything, he scooped it all back into the water.  One big horseshoe crab escaped on his own.  A few fish didn't make it back into the water as the birds snatched them up mid-dump.

Horseshoe crab escaping while the birds close in on the rest

The Lady Jane is actually classified as a research vessel.  They record all the various items they haul in each time and then report them back to the Georgia Fish and whatever dept.

The crew put the nets out a total of 3 times for us to see a wide variety of sea life.  There were only a few shrimp as it's late and most are offshore this time of year.

We spent some time here aground on a friend's boat.  But deckhand John said he has too so that made us feel better.

However in between hauls we got to take in the wonderful views around the marsh and St Simon Sound.

The "golden hour" shot

We also got to enjoy some fabulous, fresh wild caught (that is important) Georgia shrimp, boiled up right on board.  Deckhand John had just caught them the day before.  They were creamy and sweet....delish!

Full moon

We chatted with deckhand John about the area, boating, his boat and such...when we got ready to leave, he loaded us up with two Styrofoam containers of the boiled shrimp.  We dashed back to s/v Honey Ryder, cranked our little heater to get warmed up and then tucked into our doggie bags of shrimp and a couple of Yuenglings.  Just the ticket.

Beautiful sunset

It was a really fun excursion and we learned a ton.  We would recommend it to anyone coming to this area.  They are right next door to Marshside.  Web site is ShrimpCruise.com 912-265-5711.  $39 each.