AC repair inDarien, GA

DARIEN, Ga. (WTOC) - The Georgia Department of Transportation hosted a public information open house in Darien today for their plans to reconstruct the Darien Bridge.

It’s the main connection between Darien and Brunswick along Highway 17 and business owners and people who live in Darien have stressed the importance of it staying open during construction.

Last month, GDOT released their preliminary plans for the reconstruction of the Darien Bridge. This open house served as an opportunity for people who live in the area to get their questions answered about the plan.

It was a packed house in Darien City Hall as people showed up to see the renderings of the construction plan.

“We’re particularly grateful that GDOT is listening to the members of our community and understand how important it is to keep our businesses open and traffic going across the bridge, so I think we’re going in the right direction,” said Bill Barton, a resident of Darien and a member of Darien Planning Commission.

Previously, Darien city leaders say they were told GDOT would be shutting down the Darien bridge for years while it’s reconstructed. Last July, GDOT confirmed that they would be keeping the bridge open to traffic. However, the preliminary construction plans still have a potential 30-day closure to connect portions of the bridge.

“I drive back and forth over the bridge three to four times a week at least, because I work in Brunswick. So, them doing half of the bridge at a time is really important to me actually being able to actually cross over,” said Katie Hay-Malopo, a resident of Darien.

GDOT representatives say construction on the bridge, built in the 1940s, is necessary.

“We’re coming up on about 80 years of life, generally bridges have roughly 50 years of life, especially as they were designed back in that time, so lots of things have changed. Modern vehicles have changed. Weights have gone up on these vehicles that are going to and from the bridge. It’s definitely safe for travel, but it’s been eyed for replacement for several years,” said Kyle Collins with the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Many residents came to the meeting to voice their concerns.

“My biggest concern is how are they going to slow traffic down coming off of the bridge? Right now, nobody slows down even though there’s a 35 miles per hour speed limit,” said George Bigham, a resident of Darien.

While GDOT is taking public comment now, construction isn’t expected to start until 2026.

If you were unable to make it to the meeting, you can still submit comments to GDOT online until January 31st.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.

DARIEN, Ga. (WTOC) - The Georgia Department of Transportation has released their preliminary construction plans for the Darien Bridge, that’s the one that connects Darien to Brunswick along Highway 17.

The bridge is an important part of the Darien community.

We now have a better idea of what construction on the Darien Bridge will look like. Local business leaders in Darien say that it remains critical that the bridge stay open through the duration of the project.

The bridge, originally built in 1944, needs repair, according to GDOT, who says it will continue to deteriorate if left as is.

“We have a huge workforce that travels from Darien to Brunswick, and vice versa. For our businesses, that could be hugely impactful for them to not be able to get quickly to work,” Darien-McIntosh Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Kat Hoyt said.

WTOC reported in July that the bridge would remain open during construction - welcome news for the community, after the state previously had planned to keep it closed for years.

“It was a huge sigh of relief. When I was able to read that they had changed it from 3-5 years being closed, down to maybe 30 days, that’s a big deal. It makes a huge difference in terms of our businesses.”

The construction plan includes building the west portion of the bridge first, and gradually moving traffic from the old portion to the new portion. They plan on closing the bridge for no more than 30 days, when traffic will be diverted to I-95, according to the plan from GDOT.

“It’s going to be a little different. When there’s construction on any roadway, there’s an impact. But, at least people will still be able to access them easily, and not be completely shut off.”

The construction plan also includes other things the community has been asking for – like a pedestrian and bike path - as well as a platform to use for Blessing of the Fleet, a McIntosh County tradition of blessing the shrimping boats for the commercial fishing season.

“I’m hoping that by expanding the bridge, you’re going to be able to connect those two areas of town. So, our natural resource area and Altamaha watershed, with the downtown Darien, that it just becomes a very cohesive experience.”

Construction isn’t expected to begin until 2026.

GDOT has scheduled a public information open house for the construction plan for Thursday, Jan. 12 from 4-6 p.m. at Darien City Hall at 106 Washington St.

Please click here to view the preliminary construction plan. There, you can also provide feedback on the posted plan.

Copyright 2022 WTOC. All rights reserved.

By Pat Foster-Turley September 30, 2022

Lots of my readers probably get the Harris Teeter weekly emails and they have a feature, “Meet our Fishermen.” And when it comes to shrimp specials, lots of the time they feature one Boone or another up in Darien, Georgia. Darien is only about an hour north of us by distance but it is decades away from Fernandina in time frame. It is still a small coastal fishing town, with active shrimp, clam, sturgeon and other fisheries in full operation, if you know where to look and are lucky to time it right.

Well this time we sure timed it right. We were in Darien, celebrating our 45th anniversary. We go there often to get away from the Fernandina Beach hubbub and I have developed a usual routine. After breakfast I go for a walk around the historic district, past old churches and groomed public parks. This time I was on my usual walk when I noticed a number of cars passing me and heading down a small road towards the water—Boone Dock Road. So I decided to follow them. The further I got down this dirt lane the more obvious the sound of machinery was in front of me. When I arrived at the dock I saw why. A shrimp boat was unloading their catch and all hands were on deck to receive it.

The ground crew was fine with my presence there, camera and all. I happily watched many pounds of beheaded shrimp being lifted from the hold of the boat in a large bucket on a pulley and dumped onto a conveyer belt that moved the product to the weighing station, where set amounts were then packaged for shipment. This particular boat was out fishing for six days, and presumably they beheaded the shrimp while still out at sea.

This was Boone’s fish dock, so I asked how many of the guys working there were Boones. And it turned out that most of them were! A regular family operation, the Boones, have been in the fishing business in south Georgia for four generations or more. One brother Greg, was manning the important weighing station, and another, Walter answered my questions. It turns out Walter is the head of Walter’s Caviar, in a nearby building, and he offered to show me his wares too.

And what a tour it was! Walter posed with some cans of his expensive caviar, extracted from wild caught sturgeon. Online the price of a small tin (4 ½ ounces) costs $139, a luxury for sure. Walter has paid up to $10,000 or more for a single large female sturgeon loaded with roe but he can sell the cured and packaged eggs (the caviar) for three or four times that amount.

Walter regaled me with stories about one of his relatives, Sinkey Boone, who in 1967 developed the first turtle extruder net to protect sea turtles from the shrimp trawls. This family also developed a thriving business catching jellyfish in a special net they developed for this purpose. Until recently they dried this catch and shipped tons of it to China, but now, Walter says, shipping is too expensive so they have stopped harvesting them. Inventing apparently runs in the family. Walter himself is a successful inventor and entrepreneur, having invented and marketed the Senoob (Boones spelled backwards) flare launching gun that can shoot arrows, bullets, flares, you name it, with about 120,000 sold per year.

After my interesting morning with the Boones I walked back to the hotel along the water’s edge, past shrimp boats and a few tour boats docked there. Along the way I admired the old tabby building that is being restored at great cost in the historic area.

Back at the hotel the only real decision we had to make is where to head for lunch. There are a number of fish camp/seafood restaurants in the area, all specializing in one type of seafood or another. There is Skippers, right on the water in Darien, which has a great oyster bar with their own take on oysters Rockefeller. Further up the road past Crescent is The Fish Dock at Pelican Point where they process clams. A bit further south of Darien is Mudcat Charlies, the best place ever for fried oysters. All of these places offer fresh wild caught shrimp and fresh fish and, of course, beer!

If you are looking for a quick getaway you can’t go wrong with Darien. Check it out and you won’t be disappointed.

Pat Foster-Turley, Ph.D., is a zoologist on Amelia Island. She welcomes your nature questions and observations. patandbucko@yahoo.com

DARIEN, Ga. (WTOC) - The Georgia shrimping season ended over the weekend, wrapping up a busy time of year for an important industry along Georgia’s coast.

This season came with its fair share of challenges as well.

While the Georgia shores are now closed for the season, federal waters – more than 3 miles out from the shoreline – are still fair game. Shrimpers like Wynn Gale, fish there outside of Georgia’s season.

“First drag, I did okay. I did probably five or six hundred pounds of shrimp,” Gale said.

He says this year was successful, but still came with some obstacles.

“Last fuel I paid for was $3.80 a gallon. I was up to $5.20 a gallon in the summertime. It was up really high, that put a severe strain on everyone’s pocketbooks. The shrimp prices were kind of mediocre this year, weren’t very good, so you had to catch a lot of shrimp just to pay for the fuel,” Gale said.

It’s not just the high cost of fuel impacting shrimpers this year, it’s also the salinity of the water.

Researchers with the state’s Coastal Resources division say that played a role in the decision to not extend the shrimping season.

“The one thing that stands out most to me was the high salinities that we saw. We saw very high salinities far up into our sampling areas, which again, is not favorable for the progression of shrimp out into the sound and into the harvesting areas,” said Eddie Leonard, a lead biologist for the Ecological Trawl Survey.

The two seasons prior had been extended into January. This year, the season was allowed to expire at its regular date of Dec. 31. Leonard says preservation of the shrimp population remains a priority.

“We saw a good number of shrimp early in the spring, and then we saw a reduction in number and a reduction in size throughout the course of the year. I primarily contribute that to a lack of rainfall in the watersheds,” Leonard said.

Gale said he’s expecting a strong season next year.

“I’m thinking it’s going to be a pretty good run there, maybe in April,” he said.

The Georgia shrimping season typically reopens in May or June. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources will decide on the season opener at a later date.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.

Outdoor adventures, coastal scenery, and more await at these small towns in Georgia.

Atlanta and Savannah are worth their hype, but don't overlook the tiny towns of the Peach State. With mountain adventures, coastal views, vegetable-themed festivals, fall foliage, and even a little glimpse of Europe, there's a lot to discover when you wander off the beaten path.

Here are 10 of the best small towns in Georgia, all with a population of under 12,000.

Darien

Millions have been captured by Savannah's charms, but about an hour south, the quiet coastal town of Darien has an allure all of its own. Founded in 1736, it's home to old live oaks, Gullah-Geechee culture, and picturesque views along the Altamaha River — not to mention great seafood, golfing, and pristine nature.

Senoia

Looking for something totally different from Georgia's usual suspects? Head to Senoia, famous for being the filming location of the hit TV show The Walking Dead. Senoia went from ghost town to popular destination thanks to this recent claim to fame, and today, visitors can take a Walking Dead-themed tour or explore the thriving Main Street, which is dotted with shops and restaurants.

Dahlonega

If you love wineries, hunting for antique treasures, waterfalls, quaint downtowns, and mountain scenes, Dahlonega is the place for you. Visitors can also explore hundreds of years of history here — the town was the site of the first major gold rush in the U.S. in the 1820s. You can learn more at the Dahlonega Gold Museum or opt for an outdoor adventure in the Chattahoochee National Forest, which is great for hiking, trout fishing, mountain biking, and chasing waterfalls. If you're more into liquid gold, check out the vineyards along the Dahlonega Wine Trail.

Jekyll Island

Visiting Jekyll Island is a bit like stepping into another world, a place where time moves slower and nature reigns supreme. The small beach destination is located on the southeast coast of Georgia, just north of the Florida-Georgia border, with more history packed into its 5,500 acres than you'd expect. In fact, this quiet barrier island once attracted Gilded Age nobility like the Rockefellers, Goodyears, and Vanderbilts, who loved escaping to Jekyll Island's 10 miles of shoreline in the winter.

Madison

It's no secret that people head to Georgia for a hearty dose of the great outdoors, but did you know that the small town of Madison is home to the first certified Forest Therapy Trail in the U.S.? If you want to try Japanese-inspired forest bathing, this is the place to do it. Visitors also love the boutiques, restaurants, and many spas.

Blue Ridge

While the scenic mountain town of Blue Ridge has a population of under 2,000, its abundance of restaurants, breweries, shops, and art galleries provide the perks of a much bigger destination. Nearby Chattahoochee National Forest is a major draw of the area, but don't miss the four-hour, 26-mile, round-trip adventure aboard the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, which winds through forests, Appalachian foothills, and along the Toccoa River in vintage rail cars. Blue Ridge is also a popular spot for leaf-peeping in the fall.

Vidalia

For a unique Georgia adventure, head to the small town of Vidalia. Go in the spring if you want to enjoy the town's biggest celebration of the year, the Vidalia Onion Festival. The four-day festival is dedicated to the sweet onion and includes eating and recipe contests, carnivals, concerts, onion runs, and more. (There's also the Vidalia Onion Museum if you're not in town for the festival, but still want to celebrate this humble vegetable.) While visiting, you can also get active on the Altamaha River or explore the tiny nearby town of Santa Claus for a dose of holiday cheer — or to mail this year's Christmas cards with the coolest stamp in the mail pile.

Tallulah Falls

Fewer than 200 people reside in Tallulah Falls, the gateway to Tallulah Gorge State Park, but the breathtaking scenery makes it more than worth a visit. Here, you'll find the two-mile, 1,000-foot-deep Tallulah Gorge — and, unsurprisingly, some seriously impressive waterfalls. Tallulah Falls is a hiker's paradise, but kayakers love it, too, thanks to the Tallulah River winding through the bottom of the gorge. Cross the 80-foot-high suspension bridge if you dare, and make sure to learn more about this Victorian town at the Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center.

Pine Mountain

Tucked away in western Georgia near the Alabama border, Pine Mountain is famous for being a beloved retreat of former president Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as for the nearby Callaway Gardens, which has a scenic lake, a butterfly house, bird exhibits, a golf course, and 2,500 acres of beautiful natural gardens. Hike the ??Pine Mountain Trail in F.D. Roosevelt State Park and visit the statesman's Little White House for the full Pine Mountain experience.

Helen

For a taste of Germany in the heart of northern Georgia, head to the tiny town of Helen (it's just over two square miles). Aside from the plethora of nearby activities — think vineyards, hiking Unicoi State Park and Chattahoochee National Forest, and tubing down the Chattahoochee River — visitors can delight in the town's Bavarian-style buildings, cobblestone paths, beer gardens, polka bands, and hearty German cuisine. Go for Oktoberfest or around the holidays to see Helen at its most festive.