The Bright Hour
Getcha SomeSTORY AND PHOTOSBY GREG GARDNER In the rough waters of competitive kingfishing, few women dare to fish much less field a team that places second out of 300 boats in the invitation-only nationals. The four Fort Pierce women fishers aboard Getcha Some are lifelong friends who along with Captain Robbie Yancy brought home the trophy and a 21-foot Contender last year from Biloxi, Miss. The most important piece of equipment in their efforts was a 31-foot Contender fully loaded with all "the bells and whistles," said Melissa Blandford. "This boat is special because we're the only boat in the SKA [Southern Kingfish Association] that has an all-female crew," she said. "We’re not out there for a suntan. We’re out there to fish." "The boat is bad to the bone and it is fast," said Christy Blandford. "And Robbie is a great captain. I’ve done all kinds of fishing, but kingfishing is my favorite. It’s so exciting when you catch that big fish." After nine years on the SKA tour spending too much time and money fishing, Robbie Yancy sat down with his wife and asked how they could keep going. Joy Yancy suggested forming a team with her friends and Team Getcha Some was born. "The first tournament they were hooked," said Captain Yancy of his crew. "They ate it up and loved every minute of it. They pay attention and they listen. We have a great time." Yancy also has a few tricks to get that extra competitive edge from his boat. "I have a different T-top which has less resistance. I carry my rods on the side using special clips so they don’t get a beat up. We have two separate bait wells and beanbag chairs for the girls." "I chose this boat myself because it is a fishing machine," said Yancy. "We drove 90 miles offshore and back three days in a row at 45-55 miles per hour. I wasn’t the least bit worried about equipment failure. When the seas are 5 to 7 feet we still fish." "When the weather is rough we get to the fishing spot fast," said Dina Hicks. "It rides great and fast in rough water when you have to check in at a certain time. That boat and the way it handles. We have a unique crew," she said. "We’re all lifelong friends and sometimes it’s stressful and dangerous," said Blandford. "For us to be able to get off the boat at the end of the day and still be friends is pretty special in itself." |
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The HarmonySTORY AND PHOTOSBY GREG GARDNER While many sailboats spend a large amount of time sitting around with sails in storage, Paul Rubin’s Harmony has logged more than 75,000 miles from the South Pacific to the Caribbean. You would never know it to look at the Harmony today, but the racing schooner sustained $180,000 damage after Hurricane Wilma. "I was tied up at the Pelican Yacht Club when a motor yacht broke loose and totaled four boats," Rubin said. "Mine was the only one that survived. There was no structural damage, but it takes forever to repair." Today the boat looks spotless with shiny metal and teak from stem to stern. Rubin keeps the boat at Harbour Isle in Fort Pierce, where he said the marina offers perfect protection from hurricanes with the surrounding buildings blocking heavy winds. When his business transferred him to Hong Kong, Rubin took Harmony apart, and shipped it to its new home on the South China Sea. After putting it back together again, he would log thousands of miles in the South Pacific. "The Philippines is the nicest place," he said. "You put into a harbor, go ashore and meet the most friendly people. There are some really beautiful islands. It is like going back in time." At the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, where Rubin is still a member, "there was always a conversation about what to do about pirates. You can’t carry a gun. In some countries it is penalty of death. So if you surrender the gun, then you have to worry about whether you will get it back. Most sailors don’t carry guns. We decided you unhook your propane tank, heave it onto the pirate boat and shoot a flare into the boat. They don’t really bother sailboats. They want cargo ships or small tankers." The highlight of Rubin’s sailing adventures in Asia was winning the 1996 China Sea Race with a crew of eight including sailors with five different nationalities. "It’s the biggest race in Southeast Asia, from Hong Kong to Subic Bay, Philippines — 800 miles. It is the equivalent of the Newport to Bermuda race." Rubin plans to enter the 2009 Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta. "It’s nice to get out there and race with the other classic schooners. It’s more about the fun, but it is serious racing. It’s a great big party." The Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race and the New York City Mayor’s Classic are two other regattas Rubin has raced as captain of Harmony. Lately, he takes the boat out for day sailing every other week and three or four times a year to the Bahamas. "I’m not ready to give it up yet," Rubin said. "I enjoy just working on it. I was varnishing all day today. I will keep it up as long as I can raise the main sail." |
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Tie Up and DineBY GREG GARDNERTaking the boat out each weekend to try a new place for lunch will take you almost six months to tie up at the two dozen waterfront restaurants on the Treasure Coast. That doesn’t include the restaurants in downtown Stuart, Fort Pierce and Sebastian within walking distance of public docks. Martin County boasts a dozen riverfront locations, St. Lucie County has seven and there are five scenic eateries in Indian River County. "We have 26 boat slips to accommodate up to 70 feet with a 5-foot draft," said Frank Kilian, general manager of Finz Waterfront Grille. "On weekends about 25 percent of our business is boat traffic. We keep the slips open." Kilian said one couple rides up three or four times a month and order food they eat on their boat. Food yes, but alcohol, no. "We can’t sell alcohol to go," he said. The Manatee Pocket in Stuart is popular on sunny weekends with Shrimper's, Finz, Bare Bones Grill and Brewery and Pirate's Cove Resort and Marina all almost within sight of each other. Pirate's Loft Restaurant offers poolside dining and a place to cool off after a day at the Stuart sandbar off Sailfish Point. "The weather is a big factor," said Bones Maxson from the Pirate’s Cove Marina. "On the nice weekends people are off and they come in here. We have a pool and reggae." Two especially picturesque spots are next to the Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart, the Pelican Cafe and Fiji's. Both are accessible from the city docks, which fill up quickly once a month for the Sunday jazz concert. Within a half-mile are a dozen restaurants in downtown Stuart. Another popular riverfront destination is the Dolphin Bar and Shrimp House, one of the oldest locations in Martin County. Formerly Frances Langford's Outrigger Restaurant, The Dolphin has retained its Polynesian feel and has an interesting shrine to Langford. Its boat slips, which were recently renovated, are again open for boating diners. Another rustic building is Conchy Joe's Seafood just north of the Jensen Beach Bridge to Hutchinson Island. It was heavily damaged by the two hurricanes, but recent renovations shored up the main building, which dates back to the 1920s. A quiet restaurant west of the old Roosevelt Bridge is The Deck. A little farther north on the east side of the new bridge is Wahoo's on the Waterfront. Warm weather and live music draw people to the outside tiki bar. Port St. Lucie’s boating destinations are both on the North Fork of the St. Lucie River, Club Med Sandpiper and Hurricane Grill and Wings. On the way to Fort Pierce is the Landing Restaurant at the Nettles Island Marina. In downtown Fort Pierce there are a dozen restaurants within walking distance including Cobb's Landing and The Original Tiki Bar of Fort Pierce. Boaters who prefer a location near the South Bridge can stop at 22 Fisherman's Wharf and those north of the North Bridge can stop in at Harbor Cove, 1930 Harbortown Drive. In Indian River County, Vero Beach's most popular place on the water is the Riverside Café under the north bridge. But for sheer size Captain Hiram's in Sebastian is the king with huge crowds jamming the riverfront each weekend. Bob Litchfield has been boating local waters since 1965. Every week or so he heads out for food and drink at a different spot. "We go out to eat and we like to fish at night," said Litchfield. "We keep live bait in the well. I’ve caught a lot of snook off the dock at Conchy Joe's. I don’t keep many of them. We eat at the restaurant and let the fish go. Your game fish are nocturnal. Dock lights attract predators and bait," he said. Bob Henderson of Palm City likes to take his 46-foot Sea Ray for lunch with his friends. As he prepared to shove off from Finz in Port Salerno, Henderson said he likes to get out once a month usually to the Manatee Pocket where he has four choices to dine. "The Waterway Cafe (in Palm Beach Gardens) was my favorite spot, but now it costs too much to go there," he said. Steve Bohner likes to take one of his two boats out each weekend to enjoy dinner on the water. "It's a nice way to go by water," he said. "You can go anywhere. There is no traffic. It's a nice leisurely cruise. We're blessed to be able to go around Stuart by boat." |
Academy of GolfSTORY AND PHOTOS BY GREG GARDNERIn just five years, more than 2,700 students from all over the world have gone through the Jensen Beach Golf Academy, the first program of its kind on the Treasure Coast. "I'm the initiator, not the imitator," said Robert Petelinkar, director of golf at the academy, which is accredited by the PGA and staffed with four other teachers. "There was no structured program on the Treasure Coast. I decided to do it because I wanted to grow the game of golf." Watching the 43-year-old Petelinkar, known as "Bobby P," at work is a lesson in patience and enthusiasm. He is always upbeat as he eggs his students on with humor and encouragement. A recent class had a retired couple, a high school freshman and a couple of other golfers in between. "He's funny. He's more like a kid," said Jimmy Pembroke, who hopes to make the golf team next year at Jensen Beach High School. "He's one of the greatest teachers for golf. People at my school say he is the best. If I make a bad shot, he fixes it. He has tools to help keep your arm straight, show you the right swing plane and a mirror to show you your body's alignment." While students have ranged in age from 3 1/2 years to 93, Petelinkar relates especially well to teenagers. "His real forte is the kids," said Paul Howley, an occasional fill-in instructor and owner of Eagle Marsh Golf Club, where the academy is based. "He's very patient. He's good at transmitting the message in a fun manner. He's pleasant and energetic. He enjoys working with kids. He's forming them more than just teaching them golf. He teaches them manners and respect. And he's got a pretty good success rate." Petelinkar said his most successful students are twins Daryl and Derek Fathauer, whom he taught during his first academy class. The two college seniors are nationally ranked and are No. 1 and 2 on the University of Louisville golf team. "Their work effort and internal drive not only to beat each other but be the best they can be is what motivates them to become PGA tour players. They help me teach the kids during the summer. They are always willing to chip in." Petelinkar said another student of his to follow is Maria Castellanos. "She is a senior at Jensen Beach High and she is going to the University of Louisville," said Petelinkar, who has been her mentor over the past few years. Another academy graduate, 7-year-old Sean Gardner, is ranked 82nd in U.S. Kids Golf. Yet even older golfers show up at the academy for lessons. Pierre and Christine Desbiens, a snowbird couple from Montreal, are in the third year of instruction with Petelinkar, but their experience isn't just about golf. "We come here for golf lessons, but it's part social, part golf," said Christine Desbiens. "He corrects our bad habits and gives us confidence. He changed my swing, but it took two years. I had bad technique. With Bobby we are not stressed. We like to learn." "It's a group of people having a supervised practice. One on one is pressure," said Pierre Desbiens. "If you practice by yourself, you practice your mistakes. When you practice in a group you correct your flaws. I have been teaching flying all my life. One of the first qualities of an instructor is you have to love what you do and be able to transfer your knowledge in an enthusiastic way." Justin Ferraro, 7, sees his lessons a bit differently. "It's almost the best thing I have ever done. Whenever I step out of the car here it changes my life. He gives us nicknames and we learn. Mine is 'just in time.' I want to be a golf champ," Ferraro said. Petelinkar said the hardest thing is to teach someone who doesn't have the drive to be a student of the game or the physical ability. "When a father or a husband pushes them, the defense mechanisms are up and you can't penetrate that." Although he teaches six to seven days a week from morning until dark, Petelinkar manages to play 18 holes twice a month. The first day he arrived at the first tee at Eagle Marsh he was running late. He loves to tell the story of how he hit two huge shots to the green and drained the putt for what he thought was birdie three, only to find out he had made an eagle on the par five. He's been a fixture at Eagle Marsh ever since. "I can express my passion for the game of golf and the people I meet. I teach people from all over the globe. I have been given the ability by Paul Howley to fulfill a dream, play golf and get paid for it," Petelinkar said. "When a student can square up the clubface and hit the ball with distance, it's a good feeling. The money is a great attribute of my efforts. If I was independently wealthy, I would do it for free." |
The ART TeacherSTORY AND PHOTOSBY GREG GARDNER As the only art teacher at Felix A. Williams Elementary School in Jensen Beach, Kathy Kernan can’t event count all the different hats she wears each week. During a recent early dismissal day, Kernan was manning a bullhorn following the students' walk around the school’s track. Amid a cacophony of energetic, bubbling kids, she showed the skill of an experienced cowhand in rounding them up before they headed back to class. "I teach every child in the school," said Kernan, a 21-year art teacher in Martin County. "All 660 of them pass through my doors once a week. It’s fast paced. It’s hectic. It’s exciting. There is a lot of prep for six shows a day." In addition to her six classes a day, and each class certainly gets a show, Kernan serves on several schoolwide committees, annually makes the school teacher of the year banner, prepares the school’s art display for the Martin County Fair, and finds time to volunteer as mentor for a small fifth-grader named Riley. "He gets that one on one," Kernan said. "I help him with his other classes. Mostly I'm there to ask him if everything is OK. I try to be there for him." Howard Marder, assistant principal at Williams, said Kernan is eager to pitch in to do what's needed for the school. "She facilitates schoolwide events and is a valuable staff member to Felix Williams," Marder said. "She’s a team player. It’s very easy to give her accolades," Marder said. And her peers have three times recognized Kernan's commitment to inspiring her students. She was named Teacher of the Year at J.D. Parker Elementary in 1989 and again in 2002 at Felix Williams. But the biggest recognition came later in 2002 when Kernan was named Martin County Teacher of the Year. "There is a good feeling about getting kids to work from the inside of their thoughts and ideas and bring that to the outside in the form of expression through visual arts," Kernan said. "The hardest thing is stopping after 45 minutes when they are really into it and they don’t want to go and I don’t want them to go. When I see the parts of what I do displayed as a whole and when I see the variety and talent I say, 'Wow. Look at what they are doing.' It’s cool. They inspire me." Kernan’s influence lingers long after the kids leave Felix Williams. "Every day I teach I hear her name all day long," said colleague Kathleen Bartemes. "She entertained them. They love Miss Kernan." Despite her love for her students and her work, Kernan worries about the future of teaching and the arts. "I worry about budget cuts and the arts getting put on the chopping block. I feel passionate that it's important that we keep art in public education. The kids love it. They need it. They benefit from it." Created on 12/27/2007 08:25 PM by ind1an Updated on 02/25/2008 11:11 PM by ind1an |
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Twin ForceSTORY AND PHOTOS BY GREG GARDNERIn 10 short years, twin brothers from Jensen Beach have gone from their first golf lessons to being among the best collegiate players in the country. Derek and Daryl Fathauer, 21, are in their last semester of eligibility at the University of Louisville and are almost certain to make the PGA Tour as pro golfers, according to their coaches and mentors. "They’ve really progressed. They have the ability," said Frank Dobbs, golf pro at Eagle Marsh Golf Club in Jensen Beach. Dobbs, a player in two U.S. Opens and three PGA championships, said he mentored the boys, giving them little tips and bits of advice during the hundreds of skins games they played together at Eagle Marsh. "If they choose to, they will make it," Dobbs said. "When they came here, their swings were all over the place, heads moving. They were out here seven days a week every moment until dark. They kept working at it." The red-haired identical twins are both very modest and say they are equally matched as golfers. "We both want each other to do well," Daryl said. "We always root for each other. One day one of us is better. The next day the other." Both young men are quick to credit their grandmother for pushing them into golf. And both are equally grateful for all of the golf courses that opened up their links for them to sharpen their skills. "We were 10 and our grandmother bought us clubs and gave us lessons," Derek said. "We used to watch golf with her and talk golf, eat dinner. It was fun. Eagle Marsh and Pine Lakes. If it weren’t for the people there we would have given up on it." Bruce Yeates, manager at Pine Lakes Golf Club, remembers their perseverance. "They would rush home after school, get their bikes and clubs and come to the course," he said. "They would clean up for me and then they would play, sometimes 54 holes. They would play until dark. They would practice all the time. They didn’t want to go to the beach. They were a pleasure to have around." John Sweeney, who works at Pine Lakes, also remembers their work ethic. "They weren’t afraid to work and they loved to golf," he said. "They lived golf. They were little tots when they came. Now they’re grown up. They did whatever you asked them to do. No questions. No problems. Nice boys, very polite. Something we need on the pro tour are boys like them. I hope they have a lot of success and they get on the pro tour. I know that’s what they want." The twins' first goal is to finish school and get their degrees in sports administration. "There’s no way we will skip out on our degrees," Daryl said. "We owe it to the school and our parents to finish school. We are not all-star students because our main focus is on golf." The Fathauers have been on full scholarship since their freshman year and have been No. 1 and 2 on the University of Louisville golf team since they arrived. "After our freshman year we could have transferred somewhere else, but they gave us the opportunity and it wouldn’t have been right to leave," Derek said. Both brothers have shot 11-under par 61. Derek has had three holes-in-one while Daryl has had two. Their father, Jay, said his sons want to market themselves after college as a team. "They want to do it together," he said. "They would be a team for a sponsorship package." "Two years ago Derek won the big East Championship. This year Daryl won it. Two years ago Daryl was No. 1 on the (Louisville) team. Derek was No. 1 this year. It’s been great watching them grow up and playing golf. I’m not a golfer. It’s been a godsend. They found this sport golf at age 11 and they’re still doing it. They’ll probably do it until they die. Golf is like a lifetime sport." Growing up as twins and learning the game of golf together has given them an advantage, he said. "They each have someone to play with all the time. They practice together. They share a car, live in the same house. Twins are unique. They tend to know what each other is doing. They kind of move together. Twins have a special bond." Derek said his parents have also been a large part in their golf success. "They played a really big role in it," he said. "We couldn’t have done it without them. They signed us up and took us to the tournaments." Their four years at college has brought maturity to the Fathauers, according to University of Louisville Men's Golf head Coach Mark Crabtree. "They’re great young men. It’s been a great experience for them and for me personally to develop a relationship with them, to watch them improve, watch them accomplish some of their goals and watch their excitement grow for the game of golf." "They are very coachable young men. Today, a lot of young kids believe they are coachable, but they really don’t want to be coached. They have a real passion for the game. A lot of young men think they have a passion for the game, but they don’t. The next three to five years will test the waters to see if they have what it takes," Crabtree said. Asked where Derek and Daryl Fathauer rank among the golfers he has coached over the past 21 years, Crabtree said without a split-second’s hesitation, "One and two." Created on 12/07/2007 09:14 PM by ind1an Updated on 01/20/2008 11:27 AM by ind1an |
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