Seasons of the Waterman

Watermen measured their livelihood by the seasons rather than weekly paychecks, shifting among oystering, crabbing, clamming, fishing, farming, carpentry, boatbuilding, and other work as the year changed. In Shady Side, especially in the early 20th century, summer vacationers created added opportunities as watermen took out fishing parties, built work and pleasure boats, worked on cottages, and relied on their families to help feed guests and catch crabs. Local African-American watermen often went north to Delaware Bay for two months at a time after oystering season to crew on large dredge boats. Even during the 19th century height of oystering, most earned their living on the water in winter and on land in summer, as Captain Salem Avery did as both a buy boat captain and a farmer with two farms. Winter work remained especially hard and dangerous, with ice threatening wooden hulls, copper sheathing used for protection, boats sometimes moved to Annapolis to work from its ice-free harbor, and long cold days ending after dark.

Shady Side, Maryland · United States