Watermen of the Chesapeake (1980)

for for unless you're up before the sun you'll be tagged a late Riser by the Waterman of the chesap [Music] travel South follow the Atlantic coast of the United States look for an opening in the shoreline about where Maryland meets Virginia this is the Ocean Gateway to Chesapeake Bay an Indian flavor lingers in the names of the many rivers that flow into the bay the pent pomac the pungu and rapan others like the James and York were named by early English [Music] settlers to understand the Bay Area you must see it as the Waterman does with eyes sharp enough to spot the flick of a fish's tail on the water surface muscles hardened by hauling tons of Nets fish and shellfish skin toughened by the weather men who value their daily Independence and are proud of their [Music] Heritage the island of Jamestown in Virginia is reminiscent of the Waterman's Heritage and the heritage of America the first Waterman came to Jamestown in 16007 a little later another English settlement was started in Maryland at St Mary [Music] City Life at first was crude and difficult but within a few years the rugged existence of the early settlers gave way to the gracious living of Colonial Williamsburg this lovely old city has been restored as a living Memorial of colonial days visitors from all over the country relive in dramatic pageantry the life of early Williamsburg [Music] [Music] [Applause] but gracious living came only with hard work and there was work for all on land and water here in the Tidewater area the settlers learned much from the Indians who were accomplished fishermen in their own right then as today fish and shellfish were in great Supply but some of the methods of bringing them in have changed [Music] in 1865 Maryland passed a conservation law still in effect prohibiting the use of power boats for dredging on natural oyster bars when the wind dies down a small dingy with a powerful engine appropriately called a pushboat is used to push the sailing dredge two and from the dredging [Music] grounds The Dredge itself is a sturdy device which is dragged across the Oyster Bed its teeth scrape the bed turning up shells and oysters which are caught in the attached net State conservation officers Patrol the baywaters to give the oysterman a helping hand [Music] hand tonging in any kind of weather is one of the oldest methods of harvesting oyers to grow oyster larv attach themselves to old oyster shells so the old shells are sorted out and thrown back small oysters too that's the law and the law Mak sense conservation laws are rigidly enforced to ensure a supply of oysters for the future the patent tongue uses the same Principle as the hand tongue but it's operated by a winch enabling the oysterman to work faster and save himself a back ache as in hand tonging the small oysters and old shells are thrown back patent tongs are permitted in deeper [Music] waters many islands in the Bay Area like andir and Smith hardly seem touched by time there aren't many places left in the world where hunting decoys are carved by [Music] hand traces of Old English accent can still be heard in the speech of the Islanders [Music] they take great pride in keeping their homes looking as ship-shaped as their boats there are many reminders of the watermen who long ago sailed the bay ways and traditions are handed down from father to son [Music] the Chesapeake is a chief source of crabs on the Atlantic coast a good crab fisherman wouldn't think of using anything but homemade crab pots the pots are baited and over the side they go but the crab fisherman doesn't Stand By and wait for the crabs to take his bait he may set and pull as many as a 100 pots a day [Music] at the end of the day the catch is brought to the by booat the bybo is a unique middleman buying Bay products from the Waterman to sell to the buyers on land [Music] to grow a crab must shed its shell crabs approaching this shedding period are called peelers to the experienced eye a pink mark on the crab's last pair of legs indicates that it is a peeler the peelers are placed in pens where they're kept for a few days until they shed with his hard shell gone the soft crab brings the fisherman up premium price hard clams abound in the Tide Water Area but the Waterman looking for them is no exception to the rule that it takes work to earn a living from the bay [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the hard clams are sorted for size and bagged before going to market the soft Clan another member of the Clam family is a totally different type of Chesapeake Bay taste treat hydraulic dredges use Jets of water to dislodge the soft clams from the Sandy Bottom clams can be brought up with rakes dredged or pulled out with just plain toes the oldest method of all outdoor cooking is popular with the watermen and their families as well as with Summer [Music] visitors hard or soft there is no shortage of clams [Music] here or crabs either soft shell crabs sizzling over an open fire wet many an appetite [Music] hard shell crabs boiled in specially spiced water to bring out their delicate flavor satisfy even the most hard to please Gourmet a perfect way to end the Sunday of rest before going back to work and out of Reedville Virginia the next day's work is to go after menhaden more menhaden are caught than any other fish but most people know little about them because they never see manh hatden sold at Food counters instead these fish are made into meal and oil and used for making poultry and cattle feed paint and hundreds of other products hopefully menhaden may become a food of the future in the form of a fish protein concentrate which will help feed many hungry people schools of manh Haden are taken in a per C San these nets are set out from small boats to form a large circle around the fish the lines are drawn in trapping the men haen when the catch has been concentrated a pump is used to lift the fish from the net to the hold large quantities of menhaden are taken in Virginia Waters but since menhaden multiply rapidly there is little threat to this valuable fishery resource finfish are as important to the Bay Area as shellfish and many methods are used to catch [Music] them Nets work differently even though they may look alike pound Nets are set in the water much like a tennis net to catch Herring shad and a large variety of other species the fish swim along the net until they enter a trap at the end where they're dipped out by the [Music] watermen part of the Waterman's catch is shipped alive part just refrigerated and part processed making life easier for the [Music] housewife B products can be bought alive freshly iced Frozen breaded canned and smoked ready for Preparation in mouthwatering [Music] ways spiced hard shell crabs are one of the many popular ready to serve Bay [Music] products many methods of refrigerated Transportation are used to bring fresh Chesapeake Bay products to [Music] Market the market men like the watermen must be up long before Dawn to speed the catch on its [Music] way the early buyers have the greatest selection from which to make their choice it doesn't take too long for the most popular varieties to be sold out [Music] [Music] and before the Sun is up Chesapeake Bay products are on their way to stores schools restaurants and homes all over the country you don't have to be an expert Chef to prepare an excellent meal just don't overcook fish and shellfish they're quick and easy to prepare and easy on your food budget [Music] too because fishery products are so nutritious they play an important part in School Lunch programs helpful services and information are available from the Department of the interior's fish and wildlife service the Rees the Bureau of commercial Fisheries prepares recipes for housewives gives advice on storage and displays to retailers and provides information for all on how to lower food costs by taking advantage of bargain fishery products constant basic research in laboratories on the water and land is necessary to solve problems as they develop the federal government and the governments of Virginia and Maryland as well as the fishing industry support research programs in order to learn more about the bay there is still much to learn and this requires comprehensive of research the chemical physical and biological data being gathered now will make the Chesapeake more useful to Future Generations as more and more people come to the Bay Area [Music] [Applause] [Music] and people are attracted to this area for many reasons Hunters come during the hunting seasons [Music] [Applause] and Anglers enjoy fishing in both salt and fresh water all year round the [Music] here's proof that a fish story won't have to be told today vacationers are attracted to the Bay Area for its variety of activities from water skiing to swimming and sunbathing there is fun for [Music] all others are intrigued by the quaint atmosphere of old landmarks like the Oxford ferry that still makes its Crossing on the tread Avon River the quaint is slowly giving way to the modern with the completion of the Harbor tunnel bypassing Baltimore the Bay Bridge near Annapolis and the bridge tunnel to replace the old Norfolk Ferry a trip to the Tidewater area for many is even practical on a weekend sailing for sport has become as familiar a site on the bay as are the many rugged fishing activities watermen and sailing enthusiasts share a common sailor's Bond expert knowhow is required to maintain the balance needed to keep racing sailboats moving at their fastest [Music] speed but the speediest of all are the many powerboats that have become so popular and racing is a favorite pastime for driver and spectator alike the climax of The regata is the award ceremony where the Victor receives his trophy from the Commodore and the [Music] [Applause] queen it's hard to get away from the marine environment of the bay and tourists love it a hard Crab Derby is always an attraction the crabs are ly up and at a signal they're off at a crawl on the wet Runway there goes the favorite now the first crab over the end wins and it's a fight all the [Music] way a little upset is no problem over the side he goes and is the champion crab for the day a popular annual event is the shinku pony run watermen turn Cowboys to round up the Shaggy ponies that run wild on atig island Legend has it that these wild Ponies are descendants of Spanish war horses wrecked off the coast hundreds of years [Music] ago the ponies are coaxed across a stretch of w water to the Corral at chinku where they will be auctioned off to bring joy to many a youngster [Music] a carnival comes to town to augment the festivities which include a rodeo Wild West style staged by the teenagers some stay top side While others go over the [Music] side at the pony auction a Keen Eye for horse flesh can help strike a good [Music] bargain the proceeds from the auction are used for Community [Music] improvements the Waterman may be considered honory stubborn and contener by Outsiders but this adds up to a pride of Independence that he strives to keep and by his very unique nature he will manage to keep it and survive among as many of his old ways and traditions as [Music] possible the Chesapeake Bay Waterman will be as familiar and important a figure in the future of the bay as he has always been in the past [Music]