A RESOLUTION

DESIGNATING THE HENRY VASSA CATE FISHING REEF

Old Salt

My home is built
upon the land
where we old gulls
keep dreams
of soaring days
long past
o'er islands
in the stream.

But my soul
lives on the water
and my heart
resides at sea
drifting in the path
of the moon
that lights
the way for me.

WHEREAS, Mr. Cate was the grandson of Dr. Gustavus Vassa Cate, a well known Brunswick physician, and Margaret Davis Cate, the historian and postmistress for Sea Island Company who was largely responsible for Fort Frederica's designation as a National Monument; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Cate was the son of Vassa Cate, a druggist in the Cate drug store, and Cecie Gignilliat, a descendant of one of Georgia's charter families who came to Georgia with General Oglethorpe; and

WHEREAS, Henry Vassa Cate attended Glynn Academy and was married to his high school sweetheart Eleanor Stiles in 1935 and they celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary before he died in 1998; and

WHEREAS, Henry Vassa Cate worked at the Brunswick Shipyard during WWII, but was a jeweler and watch repairman most of his life until he retired at age 62; and

WHEREAS, from the time of is retirement until his death at the age of 82, he fished every day and was, without question, one of Glynn County's most avid recreational fisherman; and

WHEREAS, Henry Vassa Cate fished on Wednesday and died at his home on Thursday;

WHEREAS, Henry Cate caught more tagged fish than any other Georgia angler returning over 300 tags during the last 20 years; and

WHEREAS, Henry Cate's cooperative participation in the Department of National Resources' tagging program contributed monumentally to scientific studies on fish life history; and

WHEREAS, Henry Cate religiously fished the Twin Sisters and Dubignions Creek area of St. Simons Sound, the site of what is presently named the Twin Sisters Fishing Reef; and

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources wishes to honor the memory of Henry Vassa Cate, a true native of Glynn County and one of the area's most beloved and avid fishermen, and hereby designates the Twin Sisters Fishing Reef to be now and forever named the Henry Vassa Cate Fishing Reef and directs the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to permanently affix markings on the reef which so designate the reef in honor and memory of Henry Vassa Cate.

This 26th day of April, 2000

(signature)
Sara S. Clark, Chairman

(signature)
Billy M. Gilbert, Secretary