Photo story and text by Haley Williams
In Eatonton, Georgia along the gorgeous Lake Oconee, Charlie Vaughn manages Fish Tale Marina, the only marina on the lake that doubles as a boat dealership. In his seven months on the job so far, the dealership has grown in both size and services in the community and has aimed to be a one-stop shop for boaters and fishermen in the area. They provide mechanical services, boat repair, cleanings, fiberglass repair, and of course, have the dealership. While Vaughn has only been managing Fish Tale for seven months, he has been in the marina business for over 20 years and loves everything about being on and near the water. If you spend enough time at the marina, you are going to see Vaughn and mostly likely become friends quickly. “Being out on the water is one [thing I love], being next to the water, interacting with people that are going out on the water, which is obviously where I want to be all the time.”
Vaughn spends most of his day outside, either on the water or in the bay working on boats. While the rush is smaller in the off-season, Vaughn could still drop nearly one hundred boats for customers from storage into the lake. Boats are both taken down and returned to their resting place by forklift. The driver takes the boat out of the water and carefully raises it up to appropriate height to deliver it perfectly into its resting place in the bay. Vaughn says the forklift is probably the most fun he has at the marina, “It’s sort of mind clearing, like that’s all you’re thinking about. You’re just thinking about being safe and making the right moves while you’re maneuvering the truck and it’s really fun.” He makes times to interact with local fisherman in the area, providing tips for the best spots and loves to catch up on the fisherman hearsay throughout Lake Oconee. “I just try and help them out and give them hints and tips on where to catch fish and how to catch fish. I sort of pass that [hearsay] on to other people so they‘re successful too.“ Most of all, Vaughn cares about the people he meets and the people that entrust their boats to him. “People interaction is huge for me, always has been.”
Haley Williams
I love photos. I love the way they capture a moment, and I love the way they tell a story. I’ve been intrigued by photography my whole life, or at least ever since I knew what a camera was. But I have been taking photos more officially for the last 4 years. If I had to pick a favorite lens, I would choose the 50mm on a camera that creates normal view. Having a photo that mimics what I see with my eyes is, to me, the best kind of memory. As you can see, much of my love for photography involves using it to serve as a memory box for me, and an artistic outlet for what I see. For most of my personal work, I shoot 35mm film.