In the years since Larry Chowning’s book, Harvesting the
Chesapeake: Tools and Traditions, was published, the author has fielded
many questions from readers about why he didn’t include a particular
fishery or tradition in his collection. To answer those requests, Chowning
has created this second volume relating to the fisheries in his continuing
effort to document the heritage of the Chesapeake Bay. “The truth of the
matter is,” he confesses in his preface, “I like most watermen, and I like
what they stand for. I appreciate their tradition and their struggle to survive
in an occupation that does not fit well in today’s fast-paced urban society.
Chesapeake Bay watermen are a carryover from earlier days when people
had to be self-sufficient just to take care of their basic needs.”
It’s easy to share this appreciation for those who make their living on
or around the water when reading this volume. It is a treasure trove of little-
known gems about life in the Chesapeake region: tales from the days of
fishing under sail, reminiscences from women who survived in the
waterman’s world, recipes for salting herring and cooking muskrat,
descriptions of distinctive fishing vessels from bygone eras and their
modern equivalents, and even an account of a very special tradition—the
harvesting of human souls through baptism by immersion!
| Chesapeake Legacy: Tools & Traditions by Larry S. Chowning |
| $29.95 |