Coastal Eco-Charters, Inc. 2008                  

Coastal Eco-Tours: Take a Ride With Captain Rutenberg

      By Dariel Bendin, Coast Magazine

     Captain Michael Rutenberg's love of local marshlands and sea waters is evident the moment you meet him. Preserving the environment is his passion - and a lifelong endeavor.

     He is the owner/operator of Coastal Eco-Charters, a brand new offering at Harbourgate Marina in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Michael Rutenberg is the brother of renowned South Carolina artist Brian Rutenberg. Both grew up on the water, and developed a love for the ocean and the local salt marshes. Brian incorporates his background into his paintings, while Michael takes a more hands-on approach to preserving the environment through what he calls "natural habitat boat tours."

     He will take up to four passengers at a time in "Straight A's," his family-friendly, very comfortable 17-foot Sea Hunt 172 for a trip along the Intracoastal Waterway . Every trip is customized to meet his passengers' needs. If your interest is birding, Rutenberg will focus on that, maybe traveling up to Sunset Beach, North Carolina or exploring one of the many tidal creeks.

     If your kids want to learn about fishing, you'll head to a different spot and anchor out by the jetties for a while. He'll tell you all about the seasonal movements of the fish as well as the food cycles of the estuary. Learn some scientific facts about catching more fish. Capt. Rutenberg will also teach you all about navigating, boating rules and how to tie nautical knots.

     Equipped with an onboard microscope and other equipment, "Straight A's" will stop at various spots along the Waterway, so your kids can measure the salinity of the water and learn about the local water quality. "Education is the frontline of conservation. I want kids to learn on these trips," says Captain Rutenberg.

     For me, the Coastal Eco-Charters excursion was an eye-opener. The Captain showed me problems along the Waterway, even as he shared his considerable knowledge about the local sea life. "There, look at that crumbling sea wall," he exclaims, clearly bothered by the sight. "It’s such a poor choice. It doesn’t do the job, and the homeowner will probably replace it – either with something even more harmful or with timber that will rot again. Horry County should not allow them."

     What exactly was the problem with sea walls, I wanted to know. Until now, it had never occurred to me that it was more than an aesthetic choice. "A sea wall blocks movement of sediment, marsh and plants. Erosion and accretion, it’s natural. " In coastal terms, accretion is the process where coastal sediments return to the visible portion of the beach or waterway bank after erosion – due to a storm or other event – has taken place. With a sea wall in place, there’s no opportunity to replace the lost sediment.

As he was explaining this, a stunning great egret flew just past us.

"Do you see that? Do you see how, when it flies, it creates a keel aerodynamic. So efficient," he explains, admiringly.

As we travel north up the Intracoastal through Little River, he shows me other waterfront properties, with no sea walls at all, just the natural barrier provided by the tall spartina grasses that do a superb job of protecting the homes form high waters, even as they promote the natural processes of erosion and accretion.

Suddenly a bird dives for a meal just near us. It’s an anhinga, related to cormorants found in other parts of the country. The black anhinga is native to this area. You’ll see them on posts, often with their wings spread to dry. Since these birds dive deep in the water, they don’t have the waterproofing oil in their feathers that birds such as ducks do.

At one point we see a large open pipe emptying directly into the Waterway. "It's most likely full of pesticides or other non-point source release," he tells me. The term non-point source refers to a release of material into the water that cannot be tracked. This is problematic because it affects the water quality, and poor water quality contributes to the loss of habitat. If the larval stage of species, such as the blue crab, can’t survive, it affects both the fish that feed on the planktonic crustaceans as well as the adult population of the blue crab. And where would Little River be without its beloved blue crab?

It is Captain Rutenberg’s hope that North Myrtle Beach will become a destination for eco-tourism. Susie Watson , manager for Harbourgate Marina is doing her best to make that happen. “We're working hard toward becoming a clean marina, “ she says. “Technology for boat owners and manufacturers is moving in that direction and we support it.”

Coastal Eco-Charters welcomes children five and older. No alcohol is allowed, and no swimming or snorkeling is permitted during the excursion.

Call 843-655-5593. All charters depart from Harbourgate Marina, 2120 Sea Mountain Hwyin North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.