FROM THE EDITOR 



Humbled by Honors 



n recent months, our North Carolina Sea Grant outreach programs 

 have received several national honors. We truly appreciate the national 

 recognition. Yet, we realize that our efforts — and these honors — would 

 not be possible without strong support from colleagues on our staff, as well 

 as additional partners on specific projects. 



Coastwatch earned a Grand Award from the national APEX 

 Communications Awards, organized by Communications Concepts. We 

 submitted our Spring 2005 issue — you may recall the cover story on 

 birding along the North Carolina coast. 



"This is a magazine that exudes quality ... compellingly written, 

 interesting articles, gorgeous photo spreads, clean legible typography, 

 effective sidebars and a nicely designed contents page. Not a lot more you 

 could ask for," the judges wrote. 



A total of 100 APEX Grand Awards were presented in 1 1 major 

 categories. Overall, 4,942 entries from businesses, nonprofits, government 

 agencies and educational programs were evaluated. 



Also, our first DVD project, The Amazing Oyster: A Keystone Species 

 for the Health of Our Coast received one of the 1 ,523 Awards of Excellence 

 presented across 109 individual categories. Jason Talley produced the 

 project while he was a Sea Grant intern. He now has his own company. Blue 

 Bear Productions. 



At Sea Grant Week 2005, our efforts also received honors among 

 outreach projects submitted by the 32 Sea Grant programs in our national 

 network. 



Our dune plants education campaign anchored by Tlw Dune Book, 

 received the judges' third place for individual projects. Spencer Rogers, our 

 coastal erosion specialist, and David Nash of NC Cooperative Extension 

 wrote the book and led follow-up workshops on dune management. Ann 

 Green edited the book and coordinated media efforts. 



Our role in the national Break the Grip of the Rip beach safety 

 partnership also received several honors. Along with Michigan Sea Grant, 

 we received two first place awards for "Collaborative Communications." 



IN THIS ISSUE 



Contributing Writers: 

 Kathleen Angione □ Ann Green □ Jamie Harris 

 Julie Powers □ Erin Seiling ° Pam Smith 



Contributing Photographers: 

 Kathleen Angione ■ Michael Halminski □ Daniel Kim 

 Chuck Liddy □ Jamie Moncrief ■ Alan Saunders 

 Pam Smith a Erin Seiling □ Scott Taylor 



North Carolina's diverse coast offers countless interestingsubjects. 

 The large dots on the map indicate story settings in this issue — 

 including Carteret, Jones and Dare counties. 



One award came from the judges and the other was a "People's Choice" 

 honor from meeting attendees. 



As a member of the national rip current safety task force organized 

 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. 

 Lifesaving Association, I coordinated logistics for the May 2004 news 

 conference to launch the campaign. Mchigan colleagues designed the Break 

 the Grip of the Rip sign and brochure. 



Spencer and I, along with Wendy Carey, coastal processes specialist 

 at Delaware Sea Grant, also received three of the inaugural outreach awards 

 presented by the National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP). 



During the announcement at the Sea Grant Week awards dinner, 

 Ronald Baird, director of the national office, drew laughs at mention of 

 Spencer's potential alternative careers. 



"Since his appearance in the Break the Grip of the Rip video Public 

 Service Announcement — which continues to air — along with quotes in the 

 New York Times, we heard Hollywood had offered Spencer a lucrative movie 

 deal. Thankfully, he continues to focus on coastal processes for Sea Grant." 



He also noted how Spencer and Wendy collaborated to develop a 

 technical workshop — and cited Wendy's efforts "from ongoing research on 

 rip currents, to collaborating with coastal processes scientists throughout the 

 nation ... to helping develop the task force's public message and educational 

 materials." 



And, he had some very kind words for me. "Katie organized the 

 event with her trademark grace — juggling camera crews, hotel managers, 

 speakers, VTPs and numerous logistical challenges — to make the press 

 conference, and the outreach campaign unparalleled successes. We thank 

 her for her Herculean efforts, for her wealth of talents, and for her steadfast 

 professionalism." 



But my efforts for the news conference were only a piece of a large 

 puzzle that included NOAA Public Affairs, the NSGCP, UNC-TV and our 

 hosts, the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort and Wrightsville Beach community 

 leaders. They — and anyone I have forgotten — share in the honor. 



Katie Mosher, Managing Editor 



