ABOUT US
The Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans)
Our Mission
We promise to bring you the highest quality sea salt in the world, made right here in America from the highest quality seawater. In taking the Blue Marlin as our moniker, we hope to convey that quality while paying respect to one of God’s greatest creatures.
Billfish are picky about where they live, and any water that’s good enough for a “blue one” is good enough for us. So when you hear Blue Marlin Sea Salt, or you see the marlin on our logo, you know where our water came from.
Our Namesake
Any billfish is amazing, but a grander blue marlin is truly awesome. Few anglers will get to catch or even see one. Luckily, one of America's greatest literary minds, Ernest Hemingway, did both and put its majesty into words. At a recorded peak of 18 ft and 1,400+ lbs, there’s no other bony fish in the Atlantic that can match it. Not any old stretch of the ocean can support this regal fish; they thrive in the clearest, most nutrient rich pelagic water, known to fishermen as bluewater.
“Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. ”
Our Process
Perfected by trial and error in the R&D greenhouse
We leave dock from Wachapreague, Virginia or Wanchese, North Carolina to go looking for bluewater. Once found, we collect seawater into potable water storage tanks. The water is strained through a Lycra sleeve at collection, as well as each subsequent transfer. After a bit of fishing, it’s taken back to dock and transferred to a trailer for the drive home.
The water’s final destination is our greenhouse, where it goes into large evaporating pans to maximize the surface area exposed to air. The pans are constructed of high grade, FDA-approved food-safe plastic. We strain for particulates every few days, which also serves to agitate the brine and achieve more delicate crystals. After the sun and wind evaporate all the H2O, only salt and trace minerals are left behind as pyramid-shaped crystals. Pure, unrefined, organic sea salt.
The resulting salt is harvested and graded before a final drying to remove the bitter liquid brine. You may notice other artisan sea salt can feel a bit wet. Dehydration ensures that we don't charge you for water weight. This extra drying step also allows us to offer a more shelf-stable sea salt. Commercial salts take the easy route with anti-caking agents and other additives. Other companies cook their water in stainless steel trays, which is simpler but tasted too metallic when we tried the same.
You may notice our packaging is plastic-free. That's not just an aesthetic choice. We went to great lengths to remove any single-use plastic products so we wouldn’t contribute to the plastic pollution crisis.
Our Team
BMSS is an old-fashioned Mom n' Pop company founded by Ben and Samantha Willis. We don’t like talking about ourselves, but here's some background to this venture of ours.
Ben has been blessed to live right on the water his whole life. Even when landlocked at school, he made the ocean a priority. At Hampden-Sydney College he finished his International Studies minor with a research project on the dangers of imported seafood. He spent one summer break as an offshore charter mate in Hatteras, one conducting a Pell grant project on the growing rift between recreational and commercial fishermen, and another finishing his Spanish major in Quepos, Costa Rica where the IGFA’s Offshore World Championship Tournament is held.
In law school he studied environmental law with a focus on nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay - despite skipping too much class when the weather conditions were good for diving. After an internship with a prominent environmental non-profit was more about pestering politicians than doing anything concrete, he spent his 1L summer volunteering time for the Outer Banks fishing community that was fighting unfair bluefin tuna quota allocations. 2L summer was more traditional, but life finds a way and he found himself drafting his county’s fisheries comment for the proposed Virginia offshore wind turbines. The gist was, “Unless you want the power cable snagged by countless anchors, you better let us moor up to the S.O.B.” He now limits his law practice to tidal wetland mitigation banking and coastal conservation matters.
Samantha was an elementary teacher for over a decade, so she has all the patience necessary to deal with Ben and his projects. A convert to the outdoorsy life, she was awestruck by the Gulf Stream on her first offshore trip and has rarely missed a trip since. She's no slouch in the fishing department, having fought monster tuna and AJs on stand-up tackle with no belt. She’s also toughed out 24-hour bouts of seasickness on some of our rougher overnight trips to the Norfolk Canyon. She’s the Chief Organizational Officer, ensuring timely responses and shipping. She represents what feminism ought to be, and this endeavor could not succeed without her.
We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the immense help and support from the Outer Banks fishing community, especially Captain Jamie Wescott with Risky Business Sportfishing, his son Noah, and others who have filled in for them. Not many boats can accommodate our tanks and over 7,000 lbs of water, but Jamie didn't bat an eye. If you’re looking for great family fun on your next OBX vacation with the best kind of people, check him out at Risky Business Shrimping & Crabbing Charters | Manteo NC | Facebook or drop him a line at fvriskybusiness.jw@gmail.com.