Sullivan's Island Winter-Spring 2018-19

10 www.SullivansIslandMagazine.com | www.SullivansIslandHomes.com because I married a geology classmate and started a family in Mount Pleasant,” Gentieu explained. After her second marriage, she and her Navy husband traveled around the world for a bit before landing back at his house on Sullivan’s Island in 2007. Even then, Gentieu was an early riser, anxious to get her feet on the freshly washed sands. “I was training for marathons back in those days and would start out at 5 in the morning to run the length of both the IOP and SI beaches to beat the heat of the day and see the sunrise – a great start to the day,” she said. Being on the beach every morning and also retiring from running due to its effects on her knees, it wasn’t long before Gentieu joined up with the Turtle Team. And, after all, walking is the perfect way to scour for trash and protect wildlife. “I heard about the huge garbage dump in the ocean. I especially concentrate on picking up plastics – there are tons of miscellaneous hard plastic pieces that wash up down near the fort,” Gentieu stated. So, what does Gentieu see on an average walk? Well, it most always varies, but the most consistent items are cigarette butts and plastic bottle caps. And as can be expected, weekends and holidays are always the worst. However, among the trash and various left-behind items, there sometimes are pieces that take her by surprise. “The most interesting piece of debris I’ve found was the charred remains of a handmade wood model of a Viking ship that presumably had been launched in memory of a departed soul,” she recalled. It’s no secret that for residents, tourists and Nature alike, Sullivan’s Island is a small piece of paradise, and driven souls such as Gentieu who care so deeply about maintaining its integrity and the well-being of all who set foot, paw or claw on the island is no doubt a blessing. Keep your eyes open for Gentieu on those early spring and summer mornings, take to heart her love for the island and all who inhabit it and, perhaps, if you get a chance, wave hello or even say “thank you.” [ Feature ] Gentieu with three of her sons and granddaughter. Gentieu discovered an armadillo on the beach during the summer of 2018. A loggerhead turtle hit by a propeller • summer 2018.