Welcome to the Fall 2008 edition of Tidecast, written exclusively for the members of the Tidewater Society and members of the William Bartram Leadership Circle.

With all that is going on today—in our state, the nation and the world—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Political and economic forces seem to spin out of control. Good intentions go awry, long-held assumptions are upended, all is topsy-turvy. Where’s the silver lining in all these clouds? What can one person do to restore sanity?

Horizon on Sample Farm

I’d like to humbly suggest that the Coastal Land Trust may offer some valuable solace to Tidewater Society members. How? Because saving land, thankfully, is a safe investment. Over time, nature preserves become more and more valuable.

Members bird watching at Sea Gate Woods

Unlike so much else these days, the results of your Tidewater gifts to the Coastal Land Trust are delightfully predictable: more land saved, more forests protected, more rivers and streams kept pristine. Now that’s a nice feeling!

A scenic bank along the Neuse River

In fact, since I wrote the last edition of Tidecast, in July, we’ve completed four new projects—the largest addition to Masonboro Island in several years, a farmland project in the northeast, our first acquisition along the beautiful Waccamaw River, and a new nature park for Craven County near Bayboro.

Picturesque view at Waccamaw River

It’s even more reassuring to step back a bit, and take a long-term view. My friend (and fellow Tidewater Society member) Ed Norvell has written a new novel, Portsmouth, about German submariners who preyed on the Outer Banks in World War II. The residents of Portsmouth and Ocracoke survived hurricanes, the sacrifices of war, and the threat of enemy submarines. Through it all, they held fast—to family, community, and their own special place on the Carolina coast.

So perhaps it’s time to reconnect with that sense of place, which is instinctive to so many southerners. Perhaps it’s time to refrain from “high-flying” ways, and to remind ourselves that we still have much to cherish and much to be thankful for. For no matter what happens in Washington, New York or London, the lands that you’ve helped protect—here at the coast—will still be here for you tomorrow.

Bird Island walk

So turn off the TV for a while, ignore the negative ads, and glide away from the computer screen. Take a deep breath of crisp autumn air and join me outside! Fall is such a wonderful time to enjoy our coast. In fact, you can visit our website to sign up for a leisurely paddle along a river or a spirited kayak race. You deserve it!!