OUR STORY
SEPTEMBER 9, 2023
Who knew soulmates could meet at a grungy beach bar called Huc-A-Poos? The odds were certainly stacked against them: Anna could have chosen environmental education roles anywhere along the East Coast, but a 4-H center position brought her to Tybee Island. Meanwhile, Carlton had just landed a job in Auckland and was preparing to pack his bags for a new life in New Zealand.
Huc-A-Poos
But on the evening of September 9th, 2023, fate had other plans. Despite Carlton’s focus on his upcoming move and Anna’s determination to use her Texas charm, they crossed paths. Anna set out to talk Carlton into a pizza and a Hobie 16 sail and as one might expect, she got her way (minus the pizza).
The connection wasn't immediate, however, Carlton, laser-focused on his move to the Southern Hemisphere, was initially wary of Anna’s bold confidence. But as they talked, her genuine love for the outdoors began to break through his defenses. He found himself unable to leave, staying late for the reggae band just to ask her to dance. They spent the night bonded by shared stories of growing up on ranches and farms, their mutual wanderlust, and a deep-seated love for the ocean. While Anna enjoyed his company, she was careful to keep her guard up, not wanting to send the wrong signal.
The night ended with Anna leaving with her friends, while Carlton headed home with his walls officially crumbling. The very next morning, he reached out to invite her to a rooftop bar. Anna, hesitant, ghosted him for a few days—prompting a simple, hopeful question mark from Carlton. When she finally replied with a "yes, but just as friends," Carlton nearly wrote the whole thing off; he knew his interest was more than friends.
Fate got a second chance when Carlton invited Anna to join him and his buddies while he gave a sailing lesson. After a bout of nerves and a navigation mishap that landed Anna at the wrong boat ramp, Carlton had to gently talk a frustrated Anna into staying. She arrived with strict "guidelines" on when she had to leave, but as the sun dipped lower and the conversation flowed, those deadlines vanished. "I can stay longer," she eventually admitted.
That was the day they truly hit it off. However, the New Zealand move still loomed large. Carlton laid out his plans to leave, and Anna, realizing the potential for heartbreak, understood the importance of not starting anything.
With every moment Carlton spent with Anna, his once laser-focused plans for New Zealand began to shift. He started to realize that the connection they shared was becoming more important to him than any geographic destination. Even so, he continued to speak as if his move was certain, long after he had unknowingly decided to see where this relationship might lead.
Carlton knew Anna was interested, but he also understood her hesitation to dive into a relationship with someone who was about to leave. He found himself at a crossroads: should he follow his career to New Zealand or take a chance on a relationship and stay in Savannah? The weight of this decision loomed over his final meeting with a New Zealand company.
Before that pivotal meeting, Carlton invited friends for a day of grilling and surfing at Wassaw Island. Once again, he and Anna hit it off effortlessly. As they worked together—Anna offering to help with the grill and Carlton constantly seeking her assistance—they realized just how compatible they were on a practical, everyday level.
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After lunch, a two-hour walk to a nearby dune led to their first kiss. As the tide came in, they floated back to their friends, and from that moment on, they were inseparable. On the boat ride home, they stood side-by-side, talking the entire way.
Carlton opened up about the experience of caring for his mother, revealing a side of himself that left Anna in awe of his emotional maturity and confidence. Meanwhile, Carlton was equally captivated by Anna—her ease on the water, her role as his adventurous sidekick, her beautiful smile, and her deep love for the ocean.
Naturally, Carlton and Anna have remained in Savannah ever since, growing and learning side-by-side as each other's ultimate adventure partners.
Our adventures continued...
