Author: Madison Maxwell

The man known as the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament founder has passed away.  

Director Crystal Hesmer says “It is with great sadness we have lost another member of the original “Fabulous Fishing Club.”  Bob Simpson was a visionary and worked tirelessly to create what is now the “Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.” He was told it was impossible and eventually persevered.  We were so excited to have him as part of our 60th anniversary celebration and it will not be the same without him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.”

Bob Simpson was a part of the Fabulous Fishing Club along with Tom Potter, Jerry Schumacher and James Macy.  They gathered for the first time in April of 1965. “Up until then we had never caught any marlin. Then a blue marlin drifted up on the beach.  We had been talking about marlin and I was convinced there were blue marlin off here,” explained Simpson in a prior interview.

They decided to offer local captains a cash prize to land a blue marlin.  However, there were no sign of marlin that summer. The first blue marlin was landed the following fall of 1957.  “They gave me a rope and told me to string it up. Well, I had no idea how to string up a marlin, but I did the best I could,”  Simpson explained with a smile.

Simpson was the longtime owner of the famed “Sylvia II.”  She operated out of the “Sanitary” as a charter boat before she sank during the “Great GroundHog Day Storm” of 1976.  Bob bought her for the princely sum of $300 as documented in his book “When the Water Smokes.”  Syliva is known as the oldest fishing boat on the Carolina Coast.

In 2006, Simpson was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor. During the 1960’s he was instrumental in building support for the creation of the Cape Lookout National Seashore and even provided the first tours to politicians in his WWII amphibious vehicle.  His influence on today’s Outer Banks and the Crystal Coast is absolutely undeniable.

“You know, I’m proud of what we did,” Simpson said in a prior interview. “And I’m proud of all those people who worked with us and after us because they stepped up to the bat. We were told it was impossible – and we did it.”

Simpson will be greatly missed by our Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament family.  We are forever grateful for the time we spent with an amazing angler, businessman, writer and former United States Marine.

** some statements are from a 2015 interview with Simpson in ncoast.com

Linda Rike’s real estate signs are a staple around the Crystal Coast. She jokes about being in the business 33 years, “I only fish for buyers and sellers.” The truth is fishing is something dear to her heart.

2018 will be Rike’s twenty-first year as a Big Rock sponsor. She smiled when she thought about when she was first approached about the idea. “It was Crystal’s first year as director. She just walked in here and nicely asked. And I just said “sure” and didn’t think twice. The rest is history.” Rike credits the hard work of the board, volunteers and sponsors for what she calls a “huge milestone.”

The 60th Anniversary of Big Rock has Rike very excited, especially about the potential for charitable funds to be raised. “That is the aspect I love. Charity First. That is where it is at. It is dear to my heart and important to me,” she explained.

Rike says she could not resist the offer to sponsor the Keli Wagner Lady Angler tournament. She has had friends diagnosed with cancer and wanted to do more to support their care and recovery. She loves to come up with items for the seabag each year. And was not ready to reveal her contribution for 2018 just yet!

You can expect to see Rike at the scales for daily weigh ins. She also enjoys the social gatherings associated with the tournament and raves about the ladies events. “Every year when it is over. I think, what am I going to do tomorrow,” Rike explains.

At the end of our conversation Linda raised her glass to have a sip of luke warm coffee. She smiled as she drank out of a KWLA tournament cup.

The North Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Conservation Series is an annual sportfishing series operating cooperatively with eight major billfish tournaments held along the Tar Heel coast. The Series, managed by the Division of Marine Fisheries promotes conservation, protection, and preservation of our marine resources. Participating boats or teams are awarded Series points for billfish caught and released and for billfish taken which met tournament minimum size requirements. Penalty points are assessed for undersized fish taken, the emphasis being on fish released. Trophies are awarded to boats with the most points in both the “Private Boat” and “Charter Boat” categories. Individual awards are given to the outstanding junior boy, outstanding junior girl and lady anglers. In addition, trophies are awarded for the largest blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin.

Click here to see the this year’s schedule and Standings  www.ncgovcup.org

 

Steve has created exclusive art for the Big Rock Tournament seven times.  “I have a wonderful relationship with the Big Rock and helped to raise a bunch of funding for their charities through my illustrations,” he explains.  

Q. What is your inspiration for this years artwork?

A. The celebration of the 60th anniversary had me immediately thinking about historical elements which led to celebrating what Big Rock has become over the years. The incredible marlin statue at Big Rock Landing and depicting the afternoon weigh-ins is where I landed. Those elements really capture magical afternoons in June!

Q. How long have you been working on it?  When will it be complete? And what are the steps you take to make a signature piece for the tournament?

A. The creative process started when I was asked to be the 2018 artist a few months back.   I developed a few rounds of concept sketch’s with the Big Rock committee and then hit on the approved sketch.  Many times the creative process is the most difficult and challenging aspect. I can’t emphasize enough how important being the artist in the past (and last year) and spending a week with the Big Rock staff and at Big Rock Landing each afternoon helps the process! You live the highs and (some) lows with the committee behind the scenes, you interact with the public each day during the weigh-in and get their view/feel of the Big Rock..  By the weeks end your really tuned-into the complete Big Rock experience and then the job is to translate that into a illustration.

Q. This is the 60th anniversary of Big Rock.  How would you say marine art has evolved in the past 60 years?

A. Marine Art has exploded in the last 10 to 15 years as its surroundings and subject matter are very pleasant, exciting and attractive to illustrators. I believe the biggest change (as almost every business can attest to) is the internet and social media. Anyone who can design a website can become a “marine artist” overnight so the industry is flooded.  Most new “marine artists” will quickly find industry relationships, honesty, delivering on time and on budget projects all along with being a businessman first and artist second is the key to sustaining a long career!

Q. Do you spend more time fishing or creating artwork?

A. Definitely creating illustrations.  I may spend 50 to 75 days a year fishing but the rest of my time is in the studio. Although I am constantly teased about it.  Fishing is “work” for me. There is never a moment when I’m offshore that I am not observing, or looking for that next spark! It may be a mate rigging a bait, an angler in the cockpit, schools of baitfish, game fish, a story told by a crew member, sunrises and sunsets.  Being creative is a blessing and a curse, sometimes you wish you could turn it off if just for a moment.

Goione’s studio is located in Wilmington, NC. His original commission illustrations of sportfishing boats have become a hallmark in the industry.

The Big Rock Board of Directors and its Charity Committee have committed to a core group of charities in the community to receive consistent funding from the tournament. The entire process is driven by the fit between Big Rock’s five-point mission statement and the destination of the charitable funds. In addition to these yearly donations, the board also reviews new larger impact community projects. The donations are funded by the success of the tournament, our sponsors and retail sales.

In 2017 the Big Rock Board was able to contribute to their annual core donations but also fund additional needs within these core charities and beyond. The Salvation Army kicked off their capital campaign for a new building and Big Rock donated the seed fund of $262,500 just before the 2017 tournament began. Various Carteret County School donations for labs, special leadership programs and playground equipment totaled $37,200. In addition, the board will donate $200,000 this spring for the Domestic Violence Center’s new facility. These and other donations to our community and state are the basis of what Big Rock tournament stands for and total over $600,000 from last year’s event!!

Last year the Keli Wagner Big Rock Lady Angler Tournament (KWLA) was sponsored by ALEXSEAL YACHT COATINGS and held on Saturday June 10, 2017. A whopping tournament record of 144 boats participated and the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament donated $25,000 to the RAAB Oncology Clinic. Donations to the clinic since 2005, total over $278,916. Overall, the ladies tournament has donated a total of $324,416 since it began in 1998. Way to go ladies!!

The tournament is very proud of its past contributions totaling $4,909,791 after the 2017 tournament. This year’s Tournament Charity Committee consists of Tom Bennett, Chairman, Dale Britt, Richard Crowe, Curtis Strange and Caroline Henry.

The Newport Historical Museum was the recipient of Big Rock Foundation’s generous donation of $14,000 for the repair of the Museum roof and new shingles. The Museum is located in the historic Teacherage building on Chatham Street in Newport, across from the Newport Elementary School. The preservation of the Teacherage is paramount to the Historical Museum organization’s purpose to preserve the past and promote the future of Newport.

The Newport Historical Museum not only houses a collection of items from Newport’s past, but offers the following: (1) guided tours of the Museum, (2) lectures on the history of Newport by various speakers, (3) scholarships awarded annually, and (4) a military memorial room to honor our military men and women. A Civil War Park commemorating the Battle of Newport Barracks is located adjacent to the Museum.
The organization also preserves artifacts from the old Newport School building, which no longer exists. Many of the members attended school from grades one through twelve in this building and have fond memories of this time. Through its newsletters and reunions held in years past, many schoolmates relive these memories and keep in contact.

The Museum raises funds from memberships and donations, as well as several fundraisers including dinners, cookbook sales, and the purchase of bricks for the brick pathway located in front of the building.

The Newport Historical Museum is grateful to be the recipient of this donation from the Big Rock Foundation. Preserving a historical building is costly, and the money will be used for much needed roof repair and new shingles.
The Big Rock Foundation is truly an asset to the nonprofit organizations in our community.

 

Susan Davis, President, Newport Historical Museum

The Seaman’s Service Center was established at the Morehead City Port in 1971 and was incorporated as a 501(c) 3 organization in December 1989. The purpose of the Center is to serve the temporal needs of seafarers of all nationalities, ethnic and religious backgrounds who visit the State Port and to a lesser extent military personnel awaiting deployment.

The Center is located on the Port in a 2500 square foot facility. Here our visitors are provided a game room with a pool table and ping pong, a quiet chapel, free internet service, a TV room and refreshment area, and quiet phone booths for private conversations with family members. In addition, the Center has a 15 passenger van to shuttle passengers to retail shops, mailing facilities, restaurants, and medical/dental facilities.
During a typical year, Center volunteers will visit 120 ships. Each ship carries an average crew of 25 which means approximately 3000 seafarers visit the Port each year and our volunteers interface with approximately 1000 during the year.

The Ministry appreciates the support of the Big Rock Foundation in providing funds to help with much needed upgrades to the Center.

Big Rock donated $32,500 to The Bridge Downeast, a non-profit organization that seeks to have a positive impact on the Down East community by offering a variety of programs through out the year.

Giving back to veterans and wounded warriors is what Operation North State is all about.

There were more than three hundred people fishing and hanging out on the pier.

What is unique about this event is all the wounded warriors and disabled veterans were able to bring their friends and family with them.
Retired US Air Force veteran Jim Kiger said he loves fishing, but also spending time with the others he served with. “This is one of those things that we do as ya know brothers in arms. We get together we just have a great time. Every couple of weeks, every couple months we get together all over the state and this is what we do. We fish we see each other, what a wonderful way to spend time together,” Kiger said.
This festival was free for the veterans and families to attend.

One of the organizers said this is only one of many other events Operation North State has throughout the year.

Big Rock donated $5,000 to WRAL’s Coats for the Children, a major community campaign to support disadvantaged families in need of warm clothing for winter. Presenting the check were Tommy Bennett, Charity Committee Chairman; Crystal Hesmer, Tournament Director and Billy Kornegay, Past President.