Inspiration and Awe on a Saturday Night
Record crowds packed the main sanctuary last weekend as
Christ Church’s Mandarin hosted Jase Robertson, the popular Louisiana
duck hunter from A&E’s Duck Dynasty.
Spreading his family’s message of “Faith, Family and Ducks – in that order"
Jase Robertson preached to the masses about the importance of God and family in our
lives. His candid telling of how his father’s dark times actually brought the
family closer together, and how at age eight, he first experienced God’s
majesty from a hunting stand left the congregation with the realization that
the Lord truly does work in mysterious ways and through ordinary people.
Duck Dynasty has
captured a huge audience since first airing last year. Set around the family
business of making products for duck hunters, most notably duck calls, the
shows popularity stems from the pure likeability of the Robertson clan. “They
are an outrageous and unpredictable bunch of characters, but people can relate
to them and they are simply fun to be with,” remarked one of the show's producers. Rather than the usual drama and
four-letter words, the quintessential recipe for a popular reality show, the
Robertson’s face their daily challenges and…gasp...compromise. “A family has its ups
and downs, but in the end, we are a
family and have to be there for each other.” This was part of the message Jase
was sharing last weekend. That and God. He explained the importance of faith and how God truly
works through all of us. “God uses flawless people to spread the knowledge
of His word. I mean, look at me?!”
Jase also took the opportunity to talk a little about the show,
duck hunting and the family business the Duck
Commander. But truly, he was there to talk about faith and being okay with
who you are and what you believe in. "Life," he said, "came from something and that something is God." Making the most of this life can only be achieved
by keeping your priorities straight: Faith, Family and Ducks – in that order. And this is ultimately, the message of the show.
Fresh from Jase’s simple yet inspiring message, our small group decided to continue with the outdoor theme and make dinner a bit of an adventure. Located right on Julington Creek at Hoods Landing is Clark’s Fish Camp, a rustic, seafood restaurant well-known by the locals for its fare and its ambiance. A Jacksonville staple for over 30 years, Clark’s Fish Camp touts the largest privately owned collection of taxidermy in the country. Once an actual fish camp, Clark’s is no-frills but big on thrills in terms of décor and atmosphere. Everywhere you look the menagerie of preserved animals is, in a word, overwhelming. Add to that a recently opened aquarium as you walk in the door featuring Lilly, a five-foot North American Alligator, local turtles and fish and you have the makings of an outdoorsman’s paradise.
Being a city girl, I’ll admit that I was a little unsure as
to what my friends had gotten me into. I quickly realized I had nothing to
worry about when at 6:30 on a Saturday night, Clark’s was not only full but the
wait was close to 45 minutes. Clearly, we were not the only ones who wanted to
continue the Duck Dynasty theme of
the evening as I noticed several of our fellow table waiters were wearing some
sort of Duck Dynasty attire. We
settled on the dock with couple of cold beers waiting for our name to be
called.
Once seated in what seemed to be the main dining room, our
server was quick to offer drinks and get appetizers started. The room was
bustling with diners and servers all under the watchful gaze of the animals –
have to admit, a little creepy – as I studied the menu. Not unlike the
restaurant itself, the menu was just as overwhelming. Seafood, Prime Rib and Wild Animals; sautéed,
fried or steamed; charbroiled, blackened or Caribbean style. Anything you could
imagine was on the menu, prepared in most any way imaginable and then some. I
found it a little difficult to know what to actually order. (Had I read some of
the reviews, I would’ve realized that the Prime Rib is popular.) I let the
group help me decide on Clark’s Low Country Boiled Platter.
Gator Tail and Fried Pickles were the first to come out, I
might add quite swiftly, and they did not disappoint: piping hot and fried to
perfection. Our server came to take our entrée order. She was friendly, knowledgeable
and apologetic in regards to the menu – Rock Shrimp was not available for our
Country Boil – but she was prompt to offer a substitution at no charge. She did
inform however that additional snow crab legs would be an upcharge but we
decided it was worth it. Entrees came next and our party was presented with the
Low Country Boil, the local whole-bone in catfish platter and the Fish Camp
Platter. The shrimp in the Low Country Boil was a bit mushy due to being at the
bottom of the platter and the Crawfish was a bit overcooked. But the clams were
actually quite good as were the snow crab legs. Both of the fish platters were
fried and done well however, the coleslaw, being a very “personal-taste” item,
was not the best. The hushpuppies, on the other hand, were delicious with lots
of great flavor, served warm and seconds brought when requested at no charge.
With full bellies, quenched thirst and inspired hearts, we
stepped outside to see the twilight over the creek and complete the Clark’s
Fish Camp experience. Overall the experience was unique and tasty. The service
at Clark’s was phenomenal which of course makes one want to come back and try
some of their other specialties. Naturally, the atmosphere is unparalleled and
worth the trip if you don’t mind the décor staring back at you while you eat.
