Costa and Campsen family fishing on Palmetto Guard

Big HOO from 2009 deep sea trip

Dr. Costa with daughter's first tuna in 2007

Dr, Louis Costa and Senator Chip Campsen have been offshore fishing most of their lives. Both gents love the saltwater lifestyle, with a mix of friendship and fate bringing them together on the water each year. Raising families gives them the chance to share that same love for bluewater angling with their children. Given this opportunity, these young adults are now fishing with fervor. Fortunate to fish in May 2013 with Dr. Costa and Sen. Campsen, it becomes evident that their fondest memories involve fishing with family. The two local businessmen are now partners on a 58-foot B and B sportfisher made in Mateo, North Carolina. The Palmetto Guard  docks at the Ripley Light Yacht Club in what some locals call the ‘fishing marina.’ While some meatfish like tuna, wahoo and dolphin do come back to the docks to provide table fare, much of an offshore experience involves observing nature, and embracing the ethic of conservation. Ocean-going birds like the petrel and shearwater can be observed, along with flying fish and other forms of life dwelling in the Gulf Stream. It seems that growing up with a love for fishing has served the Costa and Campsen families well, and that formula can be shared and repeated with others. If living a conservation-minded life is a byproduct of such an upbringing, then these families and many like them in the Lowcountry are richly blessed. A Latin phrase on the transom of the Palmetto Guard is Deo Vi Nici, meaning God is our protector, and a prayer is spoken before each offshore outing to give thanks for their oceanic endeavors.

To view past blog entries about bluewater adventures click here. 

Sen. Campsen aboard Palmetto Guard in 2013

Dr. Costa aboard Palmetto Guard in 2013