Maryland Watermens Association, MD Watermen, Commercial Watermen, Bay Men, Maryland Watermen's Association, Chesapeake Bay Watermen, Waterman
The Maryland Watermen's Association is dedicated to the interests of all who derive beauty & benefit from Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Waters		  

OYSTER BUY BOAT, "REBECCA FORBUSH"

Buy boats such as the one below once where very plentiful on the Chesapeake Bay, their job was to follow the skipjacks around and buy their oysters and carry them to the shucking houses. Buy boats where used for grain, watermelons, and other freight in the off season.

Now the few that are left follow the patent tongers to buy their oysters and in the spring they catch, haul and plant seed oysters. The watermen of the Chesapeake pay a surcharge on their license of Three Hundred Dollars, plus one dollar per bushel on all the oysters they catch.  This Maryland tax money is put into a special fund to be used to reseed the oyster bars.


The Buy Boat "Rebecca Forbush" out of Smith Island


Charlie Marsh owner of the Rebecca Forbush


Buying that first bushel of oysters


Chesapeake Bay Oysters heading for the table


Bushel of Chesapeake Bay Oysters


Charlie Marsh tally's his buy book

 

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