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"Bail Out" Makes Annual List of Top Ten Boat Names

ALEXANDRIA, Va., February 4, 2010 - Boat names can reveal much about the personality of a boat owner. Or, they can also serve as signposts of the modern era. With the release of the annual Top Ten List of Most Popular Boat Names by Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.), one newcomer to the list stands out. "Bail Out, the number five pick, clearly speaks volumes about what's on boaters' minds," said BoatU.S. President Nancy Michelman. "With today's economic uncertainty, naming a boat Bail Out could indicate that boating is a survival mechanism for the family that will keep them afloat," she added.

The list is assembled each year by the BoatU.S. Boat Graphics service which offers a free library of over 8,500 boat names and also allows boaters to easily select, custom design and preview boat names online - without having to pay up front. For more information or to view videos on how to install a vinyl boat name, visit the online service at www.BoatUS.com/boatgraphics . A list with the annual top ten boat names -- starting from 1991 -- can also be found at the Web site.

Here is the Top Ten List of Most Popular Boat Names :
1. Second Wind
2. Seas the Day
3. Lazy Daze
4. Jolly Roger
5. Bail Out
6. On the Rocks
7. Pegasus
8. Serenity Now
9. Namaste
10. Comfortably Numb

Summerton, S.C……. The dates are set and programs are scheduled for the 3^rd annual Santee Birding and Nature Festival. On April 23^rd – 25^th, 2010, people will gather in a celebration of wildlife and the wildness that South Carolina has to offer. The mission of the Santee Birding and Nature Festival is to increase awareness of our national and state heritage in natural areas and provide wildlife watching opportunities in midland South Carolina. The committee is choosing to do this in a very special way this year; by offering the majority of festival events free to participants! Registration for all festival programs is still required, so sign up early!

This year, the committee is exploring the “nature” aspect of the birding and nature festival. Wetland Plant ID, Butterflies, Pine Needle Basket Weaving, Nature Illustration, and a Spring Wildflowers trip are just a few of the new programs on the schedule. We are also very excited to announce Rudy Mancke will be the keynote speaker at the Friday evening banquet at the Holiday Inn Santee.

The Santee Cultural Arts Building, located on Bass Drive at the Town Hall Complex, will be the center of festival events again this year. Conservation exhibitors will be featured as well as a registration table where participants can pick up their registration packets as well as sign up for field trips. All field trips will meet at the Cultural Arts Building unless otherwise indicated.

Many different conservation and tourism groups in South Carolina, including the National Audubon Society, National Park Service, Santee Cooper Country, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina State Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Friends of Santee National Wildlife Refuge, and Tri-County Regional Chamber of Commerce make up the festival steering committee. Festival business sponsors include; Santee Cooper Electric Cooperative, Santee Cooper Country, Orangeburg County, Bank of Clarendon, The Beach Company, Holiday Inn-Santee, and the Town of Santee.

For more information about the Santee Birding and Nature Festival and for registration information, visit www.fws.gov/santee and click on the link for the festival. You may also call the Santee National Wildlife Refuge office at 803-478-2217 or email susan_heisey@fws.gov.

The best thing I love about my work as a Freelance Writer is the people that I have met and made friends with both personally and professionally. My family has provided me with the support to make SC Traveler what it is today. In looking back over 2009 it has been a great year with a lot of milestones not just for myself but all the folks who make SC Traveler what it has become and the success my work has brought their businesses. Thanks to my sponsors they have kept SC Traveler a free ezine for all to enjoy.

From Santee Cooper Country in South Carolina, I bring you to the Home of South Carolina's largest Lakes. I have been blessed with working with the finest lakeside businesses and fishing and hunting guides in South Carolina. These are the cream of the crop so to say.

SC Traveler was born in 2002 by the Owner of SIGNS~ By Bill and http://www.thespendless.com , Bill Watkins. He gave me the vision of what possibilities there could be with an online Santee Cooper Country Travel Guide & introduced me to the people of Tri-County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Seven years into building SC Traveler I thank all who have made our vision come true and wish all a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Hunting and fishing are a way of life here along the lakes with lots of places to do both. The Santee Cooper Lake System encompass 171,000 acres of fishing and hunting adventures. Famous for Stripped Bass waters also inhabit the biggest catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, and bream.

From the shores of Lake Marion, down The Diversion Canal and into Lake Moultrie, known world-wide as Santee Cooper, and surrounded regions; The Blue Ridge and Piedmont, Inner & Outer Coastal Regions, and Coastal Zone Region, South Carolina is an outdoorsman's paradise.

Santee Cooper Country has diverse hotel, mobile home, and RV camping accommodations available. From waterfront lodging, full- hook up, to the most primitive of sites.

specializes in fishing year round and holds 2 catfishing tournaments a year. Next year's Spring Fling Tournament is the 2nd weekend of March. March 13-14, 2010. They offer a waterfront restaurant and marina, comfortable waterside motel or mobile home accommodations, and general store with catfish, bass, bream and crappie fishing tackle, and live bait. Fishing guides are available. Recommended is Capt. Tony Hall 1-859-979-4158 of Tony's Guide Service- . Capt. Tony has been fishing the tournaments on this lake since I have been covering them. He has won numerous catfish tournaments over the years and is now guiding out of Hill's. His experience with the seasonal fishing trends on these lakes prove to put you on the big fish. Also guiding out of Hill's Landing is Captain Terry Crowe of Crowe's Guide Service . To make lodging reservations or questions for the upcoming Spring Fling call Jamie Courtney 1-843-753-2731.

You will find comfortable camping in serene surroundings at Angel's Landing Campground and Marina Owned by Al Jones, it is located on the lower lake offering 145 spacious waterfront and water view full hook up campsites. Campsites have cement parking pads with extended patios for your comfort and enjoyment and entertaining. Their pull through sites can easily accommodate large 50 AMP motor homes. You can bring your camper to Angel's Landing for only $180.00/week! Price includes 6 night stay up to 4 people: Full hook-up with cable T. V., free boat docking, and swim in their new swimming pool. Explore this often wild and beautiful part of South Carolina by making Angel's Landing your starting point. There are many activities for you to choose and enjoy from Angel's Landing. Beautiful with abundant wildlife, Lake Moultrie is 14 miles wide and encompasses 70,000 acres. Swimming, Fishing, Hunting, Hiking, Biking, Jetskiing, Waterskiing, Camping, or just enjoying the Great Outdoors, whatever you are looking for, Angel's Landing is the perfect RV campground choice for your visit or getaway.

Want to go catfishing? Angel's Landing resident Catfishing Guide, Capt. Jim Kyle can take your family, friends, fishing on Lake Moultrie. He furnishes everything but fishing license and drinks or snacks and offers competitive rates and discounts. See recent catches on his website: http://www.kylescatfishguideservice.com

Here you can enjoy the peacefulness, yet be within an hour's drive from the historic, cultural, and recreational cities of Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina. Read more about what all Angel's Landing Campground & Marina in Pineville, SC on Lake Moultrie has to offer: visit their website at: http://www.angelslandingcampground.com or call 1-800-315-3087.

Nick and Lena Lucas of Randolph's Landing http://www.randolphs-landing.com have recently remodeled their lakefront motel rooms and are offering special winter rates. Call 1-800- BIG-CATS to make your affordable lake getaway accommodations or for upcoming fishing tournament information.

FISHING A GREAT VALUE FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS We live in such an awesome place. Getting a license to fish in South Carolina is still the best value for your dollar even as temperatures drop and fishing is heating up. Buying a fishing license is even easier than ever by either calling toll-free 7 days a week 24 hours a day at 1-866-714-3611 or go online at the DNR Website: www.dnr.sc.gov/purchase.html

Winter fishing is on and many guides have updated their sites with recent photo and video catches.

Captain Eddie Campbell of Eddie Campbell's Fishing & Hunting Guide Service http://www.scbigcats.com favorite time to fish is in the winter. With over 35 years of catfishing experience, Capt. Eddie has been featured in video and TV. He's just updated his Photo Gallery so you can see the big fish they've been catching.

Captain Darryl Smith of Captain Darryl's Guide Service http://www.captaindarryls.com/ has held 19 World Records of exceptionally big fish. 10 of his records are with kids under the age of 16 years old. Bonners Ferry resident Bud Larsen caught a world record catfish while fishing Santee Cooper Lakes with Capt. Darryl Smith www.captaindarryls.com . He has just released the culmination of his writing career, "Fishing With Uncle Bud" that includes photos and fishing with Capt. Darryl. Click here to Read more and how to order.

The wintertime is a great time to enjoy the outdoors. Shown above is a winter blue catfish caught Dec. 21st with Capt. Darryl Smith. See more winter huge catfish catches www.captaindarryls.com

Capt. Dave Broome of Dave Broome's Catfish Crappie and Bream Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Guide has also been having some great winter catches. Anglers have come from Ohio, Virginia, and other snowy landscapes to escape the cold and get rid of their winter time blues by catching huge Santee winter blues using Capt. Dave's fishing techniques. See updates at http://www.sctraveler.com/capndavebroome.htm .

Captain Wayne Vining, CATFISHNFOOL Fishing Guide of Eutaw Springs, has had a pretty exciting year. He's not only caught a lot of big catfish he harvested one of the biggest gators I have ever seen out of my creek. The Huge Gator Video, fishing videos, and more recent catches are online at: www.catfishnfool.com .

Captain Steve Shipley of Ship's Guide Service, http://www.shipsguideservice.com

A Pro-Staff member of Shakespeare and Purefishing tackle, Capt. Steve has been featured on Bob Redfern's Outdoor Magazine. Watch Bob Redfern's Outdoor Magazine Video with Steve Shipley fishing for Blue Santee Catfish.

Nick Hollaway (photo above) came from London, England to catch this 57 lb. Blue with Capt. Steve.

The newest member of the SC Traveler family is Capt. Bill Saltzman of Captain Bill Saltzman's Fishing Guide Service www.captwasbigcats.com He offers year round fun affordable catfishing excitement on the Santee Cooper Lakes, Lake Marion, the Diversion Canal, and Lake Moultrie in South Carolina. Catfishing on Santee Cooper lakes has fantastic scenery and monster sized catfish. Just take a look in his Photo Gallery !

Thanks also go to:

Chester Feagin of Lakeside Welding . See his video of welding repairs of a big houseboat at Bell's Marina. He offers a mobile service that repairs all types of welding. Trailers, Pontoons, and more. Call Chester at 843-303-3656 for your repair needs.

Jackie Duncan-Watts, The Computer Lady, http://www.eutawville.net who kept our computers up and running all year. She custom builds, repairs, does upgrades & networking. She offers home services and computer lessons. Give her a call at 803-492-3196.

FOR SALE NEW SNEAK BOAT 10 ft by 42'' wide, Custom trailer w/ new spare tire, 60 lb thrust motor 12 v. weedless propeller, new battery, paddle, fishfinder eagle cuda 242, adj. seat, foot steering and livewell, reverse and forward control. $1800 Call Jimmy 1-843-364-6944.

If you like to fish , hunt, and camp as much as I do ~ then you will really enjoy this site. Join our Mailing List~ it's free. Email: sctraveler@sctraveler.com

One of the spectacular benefits of Santee Cooper Country is the diverse activities that are available to the public. Here are Festivals and Events.

If you like the challenge of a good golf course we have plenty choices for you there, too. Visit Santee Cooper Country Visitor's Center http://www.santeecoopercountry.org/golf.html There are 17 18 hole golf courses within a 45 minute drive of Santee I-95.

Whether your fishing, hunting, bargain hunting the many shops, hiking the Palmetto Trail, golfing, or simply enjoying the weather, there is something here for everyone in the family.