Thu, Jul 24, 2008

BY ANNA FERGUSON

The Brunswick News

Southeastern Adventure Outfitters tour guide Luke Rositer approaches the small vessel, adjusts the pedal alignment and declares the duo of first-time kayakers ready for their three-hour expedition.

"Excellent, good stuff," Rositer says, making sure the foot pads are just right. "Yep, you guys are good to go."

Visiting the Golden Isles from New Jersey, the Cristman family is part of a growing trend in coastal Georgia, a trend that has kept Southeast Adventures exceptionally busy all summer with scenes similar to this recent early morning launch. In the wake of high fuel costs and an overdeveloped nation, individuals are becoming more environmentally aware. More and more families are going down an all-natural route for vacations, which has created a boom for area ecotourism.

Rather than spending their vacation days in shopping malls or amusement parks, tourists are increasingly looking for ecotourism options, said Bill Tipton, executive director of the Brunswick-Golden Isles Visitors Bureau.

Luckily for Golden Isles visitors, there are a cache of eco-opportunities waiting at their fingertips. Kayaking, birding and salt marsh tours have topped the list of favorite outdoors excursions so far this summer, though many families are not even aware they are participating in ecotours, Tipton said.

"Parents and kids are becoming more aware of the environment, and want to get out there in it," Tipton said. "They may not even be aware they are being ecotourists. They just want that experience of being out and connecting with nature."

Though environmentally savvy tours may have caught wildlife in the mainstream of late, ecoexcursions are nothing new for the Golden Isles. Outdoor immersion activities have been a staple in the area for decades.

Jeanne Pleasants has been operating Salt Marsh Tours near St. Simons Island for 22 years, with a constant flow of customers coming through her doors, longing for a hands-on experience with nature. Once guests board her boat, that is exactly what they get. Pleasants takes her riders through area marshes, pulling up on beaches to allow them to touch and feel the salty shores.

"People, especially city people, are drawn to eco-type tours," Pleasants said. "It's nothing new, but it is something that has been getting more attention lately. People want to learn, especially about the environment here."

For almost 15 years, Southeast Adventure Outfitters has been paddling strong, with a rapid fire taking shape in recent years. This year has been even more so, said Michael Gowen, owner of the kayak and adventure outfitter. Visitors to the outfitter for June were triple over what they were in the same month the previous year. So far in July, numbers have been also been higher than usual, Gowen said.

"We've been really busy so far this season," said Gowen. "Because our marsh lands are so pristine, as other areas become more developed, there becomes more appreciation for what we have here, for our natural elements. More people are becoming aware of their outdoor adventure options and are wanting to take advantage of them."

On Little St. Simons Island, going green and being environmentally minded is not a new trend. The resort has a long-lived reputation for its eco-efforts. Most recently, the resort stopped using plastic water bottles, instead opting to give each guest a Nalgene plastic bottle to keep. It may cost the company a bit more, but in the end, it's worth it, said Joel Meyer, general manager of The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island.

"It's the right thing to do," Meyer said. "There has been so much attention paid in the media lately to being environmentally friendly, and while it is nothing new for us, our guests are appreciating our efforts more. And they are wanting to share that with others."

Habiba Doyle, too, has been privy to the eco-trend drifting through the island. As owner of Eco-Nook on St. Simons, Doyle has plenty of customers who come to her store merely for the name. The word "eco" has a large draw, she said, and during the past year, she has seen its power grow.

"I find that people seek me out just because of the name," said Doyle, who opened Eco-Nook at the start of the environmental craze last year. "People drive by, see the word eco on the sign, and come in. Consumers are becoming more informed and are looking for those environmentally friendly, free-trade and locally made products. It's very exciting."