New Installation in Rotating Exhibit Room

(March 3, 2015) -- The Sun City Photography Club on Monday completed installation of the Maritime Center's newest exhibit in the Habersham Rotating Exhibit Room. Nearly three dozen framed photographs taken by members are displayed for pubic viewing. Everything from crabs to alligators to herons can be seen in this true celebration of the Port Royal Sound eco-system. There are even a few shots of the old Lemon Island Marina which the Maritime Center now calls home. The exhibit will run through the end of March. Framed prints are available for purchase with 30% of proceeds benefiting the the Port Royal Sound Foundation.

The Maritme Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please call 843-645-7774.

New Staff Member Joins Maritime Center

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jody Hayward, Director

(843)645-7774

www.portroyalsoundfoundation.org

Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center Adds to Staff

(February 12, 2015)  The Port Royal Sound Foundation is pleased to announce an addition to its staff. Jennifer Jenkins started this week in her position as Volunteer Program Coordinator. She will oversee all facets of the volunteer program including the organization, recruitment, training, scheduling and recognition of volunteers working with the Foundation.

Volunteers are integral to the daily operations of the newly opened Maritime Center as greeters, docents, field trip educators and even cleaning the 3,000 gallon aquarium and touch tanks. “Volunteers are the backbone of the Maritime Center,” says Jennifer. “They provide enthusiasm and knowledge of our unique eco-system to the many residents and tourists who visit the Center.” Several options are available to volunteers and Jennifer will work with each candidate to find the perfect fit.  Training and educational opportunities are available for volunteers to expand their knowledge of the Port Royal Sound.

Jennifer has a lifetime of fostering healthy lives (nursing and healthcare) and environments (gardening, habitat restoration and preservation). She is enrolled in the Lowcountry Institute’s Master Naturalist Class this spring. She has organized city-wide volunteer efforts and volunteered within her community.  Since the PRSF Maritime Center opened, she has volunteered as a host and docent.

Jennifer and her husband have been avid hikers and fly fishers throughout the US. They helped their fly fishing club sponsor partnerships between the Arkansas DNR and high schools. The Water Education & Training (WET) program taught teachers how to incorporate stream management and habitat preservation into the science and math classes. In addition, the students conducted field studies and sent data to the state database.

Jennifer has a diploma in nursing, a BA in Biology from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and an MBA from the University of Memphis. She and her husband recently retired from Colorado and now live in Sun City Hilton Head.

Interested volunteers can contact Jennifer by email (jjenkins@PortRoyalSoundFoundation.org), via the website (www.PortRoyalSoundFoundation.org) or by phone at 843-645-7774.

Port Royal Sound Foundation, a 501(C)(3) non-profit, is dedicated to the betterment and conservation of the waters and lands of our unique salt marsh ecosystem that is the Port Royal Sound Estuary system. There is no charge to visit the Maritime Center. Paid programming and workshops will be available throughout the year. Schedules are available online or by calling the Center. The Maritime Center is available to rent for event and meeting space. It includes the main exhibit building, an educational building with A/V equipment and kitchen space and two docks on the Chechessee River. The Maritime Center is located in the middle of Beaufort County at 310 Okatie Hwy at the bridge where Hwy 170 crosses the Chechessee River. Use the right exit ramps at the bridge from both directions.

"Tuesday Talks" debut November 25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tim Price, Naturalist and Program Coordinator

Port Royal Sound Foundation

tprice@portroyalsoundfoundation.org

(843) 645-7774

Tuesday Talks Debut at Maritime Center

November 23, 2014 –The Port Royal Sound Foundation (PRSF) will host the first lecture in its Tuesday Talks classroom series this Tuesday, November 25, at the newly opened Maritime Center.   Dr. Geoffrey Scott will present “What Makes the Coastal Lowcountry Unique and What You Can Do to Protect It.”  Dr. Scott is a well renowned authority on the interplay between human activities and their subsequent effects on water quality.  Current Chair of USC’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Dr. Scott will speak on the importance of keeping our coastal waterways clean and healthy, addressing the importance of each individual’s vigilance in protecting our fragile ecosystems. His presentation will show how, with everyone’s participation, our waters can be kept safe for recreation and safe harvesting of aquatic resources.

The Tuesday Talks are from 4:00 – 5:30 pm and cost is $8/person.  Reservations can be made by calling (843) 645-7774 or stopping by the Maritime Center at 310 Okatie Highway at the site of the former Lemon Island Marina.

Other presentations in the series include:

December 2: “Bald Eagles in the Lowcountry,” by Dr. Thomas Murphy, retired non-game biologist with the Department of Natural Resources;

December 9: “History of the Port Royal Sound Area,” by Dr. Andrew Beall, Executive Director of the Santa Elena Foundation; and

January 20: “Wading Birds,” by Christina Hand, wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources.

More information can be found on the PRSF website, www.PortRoyalSoundFoundation.org or by calling (843) 645-7774.

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PRSF Maritime Center offers "Talks & Tours"

Talks & Tours 

Thursday, November 6 will offer a glimpse of the Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center’s future programming. Throughout the day, short talks will be given by area experts in several areas. There’s a little something for almost everyone. Arrive early to guarantee a seat – first come, first serve. Free admission.

10:00 a.m.       Lowcountry Photography
World class photographer Eric Horan will speak about capturing all the beauty the Lowcountry has to offer. Mr. Horan is considered one of the Lowcountry’s premier wildlife and nature photographer and offers Photography Safari’s.  If you can’t make the talk be sure to check out his exhibit on display in the Maritime Center.

11:00 a.m.       Landscape & Gardening (with a Sound Mind) 
Curious about landscaping and gardening in the Lowcountry?  Whether it’s about designing a landscape, creating buffer zones, plants native to the Lowcountry, or gardening in general we can answer your questions.  Get answers from the people behind the Maritime Centers gardens: Michael Brock, Mark Dixon, and Laura Lee Rose. 

2:00 p.m.         Large Predators of the Sound
Ever been in the Port Royal Sound and wonder what was swimming right under your feet?  Wonder no more! David Harter, President of Hilton Head Island Sportfishing Club, will discuss many of the large creatures that call Port Royal Sound home.

3:00 p.m.         Welcome Home Carolina Snowball 
She has finally made it home! Carolina Snowball has returned to Port Royal Sound thanks to the hard work of longtime fan Kevin Vanacore.  Come enjoy Kevin tell epic tale of this albino dolphin, how she influenced the protection of all our beautiful sea mammals and how 50 years later she returned to the Sound.

4:00 p.m.         Catch & Cook
Have you been wanting to host a seafood soiree? Learn how to collect and cook your own seafood.  Craig Reaves of Sea Eagle Market will show you exactly how to collect and prepare some of the Lowcountry’s finest foods.

Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center Opens at former Lemon Island Marina

(October 27, 2014)  November 1, 2014 marks the highly anticipated opening of the Port Royal Sound Foundation’s new Maritime Center on Lemon Island.Located in the newly renovated historic Lemon Island Marina, the Maritime Center is on the Chechessee River and accessible by car or boat. The Maritime Center is host to several exhibits that will appeal to all ages.  Crowd favorites will include a 3000 gallon aquarium and touch tanks which will be home to several species that live in the Port Royal Sound.  The life size tiger shark, rays and loggerhead sea turtle which are part of the incredible Predator Ceiling Diorama will captivate guests as they enter the main exhibit hall.  ‘Carolina Snowball’, the albino dolphin who once swam the waters of Beaufort County, now resides at the Maritime Center where her story and her son ‘Sonny Boy’ are on display for all to enjoy.  Photography exhibits from the Callawassie Photography Club and Eric Horan will adorn the walls for the next couple of months and remind visitors of the ever present beauty of this area.

The month of November is filled with events to kick-off the opening of the Maritime Center.  On Saturday, November 1st, staff, board members and volunteers will host an informal ribbon cutting at noon to announce the opening of the Maritime Center.   Visitors are encouraged to attend the ceremony and enjoy their first ‘official’ tour of the Center between regular business hours of 10am – 5pm.

Thursday, November 6th, is “Talks and Tours” from 10am – 5pm with 5 talks on the hour featuring ‘Lowcountry Photography’ with Eric Horan at 10am; ‘Landscape & Gardening’ with Michael Brock, Mark Dixon and Laura Lee Rose at 11am; ‘Large Predators of the Sound’ with David Harter at 2pm; ‘Welcome Home Carolina Snowball’ at 3pm; and ‘Catch & Cook’ with Craig Reaves at 4pm.  The talks are a sampling of what visitors should expect from the programs and workshops that the Maritime Center will host throughout the year.

Thursday, November 13th the Maritime Center will host Eco Tours on the Chechessee with boat Captain Amber Kuehn.  An abbreviated version of her full scale tour, participants will get up close and personal with what lives in the Port Royal Sound.  Captain Amber will return to the Maritime Center on Friday, November 28th (the day after Thanksgiving) for her full-scale version of the eco tour.  Tickets will go on sale November 1st.

Saturday, November 22nd is Family Fun Day at the Port Royal Sound.  An experiential day is planned with animals, arts and crafts and lots of activities for the whole family.  Sea Eagle Market will have lunches for sale so come out and enjoy the day at the Maritime Center.

The Port Royal Sound Foundation’s mission is to advance the awareness of the Port Royal Sound and its contributions to the environmental, cultural and economic well-being of Beaufort, the region and the Atlantic Ocean.  The Foundation is active in the community educating the public about the Port Royal Sound and funding programs like the Beaufort County School System’sRiver of Words which exposes students to the life and beauty that surrounds the Port Royal Sound.  The Foundation’s latest project, the Maritime Center, is a place for visitors to better understand, explore and enjoy all that the Port Royal Sound has to offer.

There is no charge to visit the Maritime Center.  Paid programming and workshops will be available throughout the year and schedules are available online or by calling the Center.  The Maritime Center is available to rent for event and meeting space.  It includes the main exhibit building, an educational building with A/V equipment and kitchen space and two docks on the Chechessee River. The Maritime Center is located in the middle of Beaufort County at 310 Okatie Highway ‘under’ the bridge where Hwy 170 crosses the Chechessee River.  Use the right exit ramps at the bridge when headed both north and south on Hwy 170.