Sullivan's Island Winter-Spring 2018-19

9 www.SullivansIslandMagazine.com | www.SullivansIslandHomes.com Eve Gentieu M eet Eve Gentieu. She loves quiet morning walks beside the ocean and the thrill of seeing a fresh set of turtle tracks. She sees sights many of us have seen only in the pages of National Geographic or perhaps a show on “Animal Planet,” such as horseshoe crabs mating in the spring, sea hares that extrude purple dye, lion’s mane jellyfish more than a yard in diameter, bonnet head sharks By Helen Harris that swim close to shore, and, oh, all the birds. You’ve probably seen her figure on a summer morning waning in the distance as she trails down the sandy shores of Sullivan’s Island. Maybe you’re just waking up and sipping your first cup of coffee as you enjoy the sunrise in your year-round home. Or maybe you’re just here on vacation with family and basking in that quiet half hour alone before the kids wake up. Well, whoever you are and from wherever you come, Gentieu is making Sullivan’s Island a bit more beautiful for all who wish to enjoy its beach and small-town feel. Her motivation is pure, as is her love of the island and maintaining a kempt and preserved ecosystem: “I get a degree of satisfaction knowing that I’ve done a small part in keeping the ocean free of some hazards and keeping the beach more pleasant for beach-goers.” A Philadelphia native, Gentieu spends part of the year back in her home state but returns to Sullivan’s for the warmer months. … And, when she’s back, she’s really out there. “Every sunrise is different,” she assured. Gentieu has always loved the beach, but her affinity for Sullivan’s Island in particular could probably be pinpointed to a family visit to Charleston in March of 1972 for the Historic Charleston House Tours. “We camped at the Sand Dollar Campground where Wild Dunes is now. That trip led to me attending the College of Charleston, and then I ended up staying here An Angel of the Island Photos courtesy of Eve Gentieu. Gentieu celebrates a turtle nest near Station 17 in June 2016. Gentieu found a lion’s mane on the beach in August 2018.