Cathy Sakas is a well-known regional coastal naturalist specializing in tropical and sub-tropical marine and terrestrial habitats. In other words, she loves the nature of the southeast coast and thinks the barrier islands of Georgia are the most beautiful in the world! After landing in Savannah in 1970 to attend Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus, Cathy eventually ended up on Tybee in the early 90's and rented the downstairs of the house that she would later name Cottage of the Octopus Lair. Cathy's landlady had told her that she would never sell the house, but after a year of seeing how much Cathy enjoyed and cared for the cottage, the landlady wanted her to have it. As soon as Cathy purchased the Lair she surprised her former landlady with a dozen red roses in appreciation. A few years before purchasing the Lair on a trip to Africa Cathy met world-class award-winning artist Mary Jane Volkmann and they stayed close friends from then on even though a half a world apart. In 2005 Mary Jane moved her family from Namibia back to the US to Gainesville, Florida and very soon thereafter came to visit Cathy on Tybee. Mary Jane took one look at the Lair's south facing wall and the wheels began to turn. Over the Fourth of July week of 2005 Cathy and Mary Jane spent seven days from sun up to sun down working from scaffolding to draw and paint the coquettish fish, sassy octopus, impish seahorse and magnificent pink jelly creating the landmark ocean life mural that adorns the south-facing wall. A local television station documented the progress each evening on their news broadcast. Cathy and Mary Jane's next mural is the north facing wall so stay tuned for that event!