In 1966 the 'USAS American Mariner' was scuttled in the middle of the Chesapeake about halfway between Point Lookout and Smith Island. The retired missile tracking vessel was destined to be a target for training naval pilots in her retirement. In the late 60's, while the boat was still in good condition, intrepid Islanders who made the trip out to the ship claimed that the tables in the dining hall were still set with dinnerware. For a few years, some of the islands watermen worked on the weekends - collecting and selling copper and other scrap metal from the ship.
Decades of weapon testing by pilots flying out of Patuxent Naval Air Station took its toll on the ship. The hull continues to rust and deteriorate into the bay.
Exhibit Opening - Annapolis Maritime Museum - Event Photos
Thanks to everyone who came out to the exhibit opening on Thursday at the Annapolis Maritime Museum! We were happy to have a great crowd of guests who were eager to see the rotating exhibit that will grace the walls of the museum's Bay Room for all of 2018! Visitors are welcome to see the exhibit at the museum - admission is FREE!
A special thanks to the Maritime Museum's photographer Ken Tom for covering the event!
Mt. Victoria Gardens - Spring Photoshoot
On Saturday, I did a shoot for Mt. Victoria Gardens in Southern Maryland to show their huge selection of flowers, vegetables and herbs that they are growing for the 2018 season - these plants are as anxious to see spring as we are!
Tangier Island Oyster Dredging - Leon McMann
In early February, I went out oyster dredging with Leon McMann (87) and Ed Parks (83) - the two oldest working waterman on Tangier Island. I had shot a portrait of Leon and and photographed him crab scraping for a story that I did in the summer of 2016 for Anglers Journal magazine. I called Leon the night prior to ask about going dredging with him and Ed, he was reluctant to have me onboard during the winter with the condition of his old wooden workboat 'Betty Jane'. I understood his concerns, but assured him that "I have been out on worse boats in worse weather" I also knew the other boats working the same area would be there in case of emergency.
I met Leon and Ed at the dock the next morning and they headed the southeast of the island to 'Area 1' near Tangier Light. This wild harvest area is opened every other year by the state of Virginia. They arrived to the 'rock' just as the sun was breaking the horizon and put the dredges overboard. Leon and Ed were right in the mix with the fifteen boats in the fleet. After a good 'lick' of oysters, they would casually throw a marker off the boat and work around it. By mid day, after dozens of loads were dumped onto the culling table, Leon decided to call it quits. He had 11 bushels in the boat, five short of the sixteen bushel limit, but him and Ed were content with the day's work.
Leon pointed the bow of the 'Betty Jane' to the Northwest and headed back to the island. The bay's last working buyout -'Delvin K' - was waiting for their arrival. Mickey Daly and the crew of the 'Delvin K' helped Leon and Ed hoist their oysters from the box-stern workboat onto the deck of the buyboat. After unloading, I transferred my gear to the buyboat and rode with them to Reedville where they met a crew of laborers from a shucking house to unload the boat.
Amber Leigh and Elizabeth Ashby dredging for oysters at first light near Tangier Light in 'Area 1'
Leon McMann runs the workboat Betty Jane - named after his late wife.
Leon McMann emptying the bag of the dredge.
Ed Parks taking a rest in between licks of the dredge.
Red Beard sponge is a vibrantly colored sponge that grows on oysters, rocks and other hard substrate. The filter feeder thrives in the higher salinity waters of the lower Chesapeake Bay.
Hard Clams caught as by-catch while dredging on 'Area 1'