Trips of Discovery - For me, boating is never just about the destination, it's always at least as much about the journey.

A quiet moment to say thank you

December, 2025 As the holiday season gently arrives, we find ourselves reflecting—not just on a year gone by, but on the people who made it meaningful. You. Your support, encouragement, and belief in Rising Wings have meant more to us than words can fully express. Every message, every share, every conversation, every moment of trust—you’ve been with us on this journey, and we are deeply grateful. Because of you, Rising Wings has traveled far and wide. Since beginning our film festival journey in 2024, the film has received 36 awards including Grand Prize for Best TV Documentary at the Culver City Film Festival in Los Angeles and 11 finalist selections across the U.S. and around...

St. Marys, Georgia on a Slow Boat to Florida

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes – SBFL* Stop 38 – Planned – I am imagining and planning now. As the gentle Georgia breeze dances on our faces, we find ourselves inching closer to the sunlit shores of Florida. After all, we are on a journey, our Slow Boat to Florida, what is the rush? Our journey isn’t about rushing to our destination but about savoring each moment and every stop along the way. Today, our adventure brings us to a historic gem nestled by the sea—St. Marys, Georgia. Interestingly, neither Dorothea and Stuart Jones, the couple from 1958, nor Allan Fisher, Jr., from 1973—both members of National Geographic and our sources of inspiration for the...

Navigating Georgia’s Tidal Marshlands – St. Simons Island in the Golden Isles

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes – SBFL* Stop 37 – Planned – If you’ve been following our planning for the Slow Boat to Florida (SBFL) adventure, you know it’s shaping up to be quite the journey. It’s certainly going to be slow—very slow. For us, the entire journey is the destination, not just Florida. We originally planned to kick off in October 2020, but like many, Covid derailed our plans. We’ve been working on kickstarting our eight-month trip, but things have changed since the pandemic. However, that hasn’t stopped our dream or the continuation of our planning. For those just tuning in, welcome aboard! In our plans, we’re taking our time virtually cruising down the...

Magic in the Marshes: Bioluminescence at New Teakettle Creek, GA

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes – SBFL Stop 36 – Planned – Hey there, fellow boating adventurers on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)! Welcome back to our Slow Boat to Florida journey (SBFL)! If you’re just hopping on board, we’ve been planning a cruise on the ICW to Florida starting in just outside of Annapolis, Maryland. But no worries if you’re late to the party—this is the SBFL journey, and we’re all about taking our sweet time. Journey to St. Simons Island So, last time, we soaked up the charm of Savannah, Georgia and then Richmond Hill as well.Now, we’re setting sail towards the Golden Isles and our next stop: the lovely St. Simons Island....