< PreviousCompassionate Guidance in Your Time of Need. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has been serving Galveston County and surrounding areas with empathy and reverence for several decades. Our roots are deeply ingrained in the community by standing side by side with families as they take their first steps towards healing. During this time, you will seek guidance from someone who understands the needs of families in celebrating the life of their loved one with dignity. Making sure that we take all precautions in maintaining a safe environment to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of everyone. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has always been at the forefront of making sure the families we serve receive our utmost attention and care. We look forward to being your source for compassionate care and exemplary service. We stand ready to help you honor your loved one by keeping the tradition of offering “Quality, Distinctive and Professional Service”. 3828 Ave O | Galveston, TX 77550 409.762.8470 E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary42 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuNe 2024 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuNe 2024 43 FEATURE ‘OUR BACKYARD’ Island family surfs and makes memories together on beaches here and beyond story by SHANNON CALDWELL photos by STUART VILLANUEVA W hen Galveston’s Jena and John Krinock were married, their wedding theme was “Salty, Sandy, Happy.” Over the years, that theme has become a way of life for this beach-loving family. “Whenever I complain to John that the washing machine and our house are filled with sand, he reminds me of our wedding theme and that I said yes,” Jena said. Originally from Houston, Jena and John moved to Galveston 10 years ago, attracted by the coastal lifestyle. With their daughters Lily, 8, and Lucy, 5, they live in the Spanish Grant neighborhood on the island’s West End. Jena describes Spanish Grant as a golf cart community. “I can’t believe I get to live here,” she said. “We have a golf cart parade for every holiday, and the beach is our backyard.” (Above) Lily Krinock, 8, left, stands beside her surfboard with her younger sister, Lucy, 5, and mother, Jena. The Krinocks love the coastal lifestyle. The family travels all over the Gulf Coast for surfing competitions and often vacations where there’s a beach. (Left) Lily rides a wave in Galveston. She and her father, John, both are competitive surfers.Jena is a teacher at Trinity Episcopal School in Galveston and John is a nurse at the University of Texas Medical Branch on the island. Outside of work, you’ll find them at both local and far-flung beaches where Jena said some of their best family memories have been made. Krinock loves beach yoga, boogie board- ing and photographing surfers, which is no surprise given both John and Lily are competitive surfers on the Texas Gulf Surfing Association circuit. In March this year, John placed fourth in his age group while Lily won her age group in a Galveston Texas Gulf Surfing Association competition. “John has always wanted a little surfing buddy, so he was really happy when Lily first took up surfing three years ago,” Jena said. “She started competing two years ago and we are just so proud of her. This year, she was old enough to compete in the age group where they surf by themselves, and she won that section. “We hope Lily keeps surfing as she gets older because it is such a great sport, and you get to meet kids from all over Texas,” Jena said. “Lily told me she loves the beach. It makes her feel peaceful and she says the waves sound like home.” Their younger daughter Lucy has a grow- ing interest in the sport and likely will com- pete in the future. Parents considering the sport should develop their own swimming and water safety skills and remember not to rush their child, experts advise. Swimming lessons are a must for young surfers, and Jena recommends surfing camps like the one run by the Ohana Surf & Skate in Galveston. The family travels all over the Gulf Coast for surfing competitions and often vacations where there’s a beach with Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas and Costa Rica being favorite destinations. “We seldom travel places where there is no surf,” she said. “We love that surfers are conscientious of the environment and work to reduce ocean waste and protect ocean marine live. I hope they all continue with this awesome sport for as long as they can.” Even before becoming involved with the Texas surfing scene, Jena Krinock always found her bliss at the beach, she said. She has hunted for sand dollars in Matago- rda, swam with sea turtles and dolphins in South Padre and Costa Rica, and lived in a whale watching village in New Zealand. “I lost my mom when I was young and that pushed me to be a globetrotter in my younger years after college,” she said. “The beach is a place where I go to pray, connect with loved ones and spend time with God. I strongly believe that a dip in the ocean makes everything better.” She remembers a special time swimming in Australia’s Bryon Bay when a yellow but- terfly flew around her head and stayed with her even when she dipped her head below the water. Krinock had been thinking of her mother all day. After the butterfly, her strong feelings of grief were replaced by a sense of peace, and she feels the butterfly was her mother’s spirit reaching out to com- fort her, she said. Krinock is taking her love of travel to a new level by launching her own travel consultancy business under the Fora Travel brand. She can work around her teaching schedule, and is well suited to the role because she always has organized holidays and travel for her extended family and friends, she said. 44 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuNe 2024 FEATURE (From top) Jena Krinock walks with her daughters Lucy, 5, and Lily, 8, on the beach in Galveston. Some of the family’s best memories have been made at both lo- cal and far-flung beaches, Jena said; Lily, who started surfing three years ago, catches a wave in Galveston. She has been competing for the past two years.Presented by: Wild Lion Productions in association with Sam Addington Media Productions Juneteenth: The Galveston Story Juneteenth: The Galveston Story David H. O’Neal Jr. June Coins Puiam Lawrence Thomas Sharon Giins Eugene Lewis Samuel Coins III Moody Gardens 3D Theater, One Hope Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77554 June 16th & June 19th • 12:45pm & 4pm For ticket information: www.moodygardens.com/attractions/3d_4d_theaters/juneteenthMake our heritage part of yours. Join us as we celebrate Juneteenth all month long in the place where it began. Galveston Island is hosting a line-up of events honoring the fight for freedom and equality represented by Juneteenth. Go to visitgalvestom.com to plan your trip. JUNE 2 JUNETEENTH INC. SCHOLARSHIP GALA JUNE 5 27TH ANNUAL JUNETEENTH BANQUET JUNE 8 EMANCIPATION CELEBRATION AT THE GRAND JUNE 13 10TH ANNUAL JUNETEENTH GALA JUNE 14 2ND ANNUAL JUNETEENTH COMEDY FEST JUNE 15 JUNETEENTH PARADE & PICNIC JUNE 15 JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL & CELEBRATION JUNE 16 JUNETEENTH CONCERT: SPIRIT AND SOUL JUNE EVENTS JUNE 16 & 18 JUNE 15 JUNE 19 JUNE 19 JUNE 19 JUNE 19 JUNE 21 JUNETEENTH DOCUMENTARY: THE GALVESTON STORY JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL & CELEBRATION 45TH AL EDWARDS JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION JUNETEENTH FAMILY FUN DAY AT REEDY CHAPEL AME EMANCIPATION MARCH JUNETEENTH WITH DOMIQUE HAMMONS AN EVENING WITH THE KINSEYS48 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuNe 2024 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuNe 2024 49 HOOKED DON’T GET FRESH Spring rains mean anglers have to go deep to get salty story and photos by CAPT. NATE SKINNER W ith summer in full swing, anglers are dealing with a familiar obstacle — significant freshwater inflows from tributaries that dump into the upper reaches of our bay systems and marshes. Wet springs in recent years produced enough runoff to leave our bays with a layer of freshwater along the surface during the first part of the sum- mer, which narrows the options for catching fish. The mixing of freshwater with saltwater tends to create a layering effect because denser saltwater sinks to the lower half of the water column, while lighter freshwater floats on top. This means the saltiest water in estuaries is going to be down near the bottom of the bay, and that’s likely where the fish are going to be. Areas farthest away from the mouths of major bayous, creeks and rivers will hold some of the cleanest water. In the Galveston Bay complex, stretches of water along lower West Galveston Bay, around the Texas city Dike and Texas City Levee, and around the Fishing around deep structures such as rocks and shell is a good way to stay hooked up right now because the saltiest water in the upper coast estuaries is near the bottom of the water column. (Right) Soft plastics made by MirrOlure rigged on a 3 ⁄ 8 -ounce jig head will coax strikes from trout that are hanging tight to deep oyster shell reefs.Next >