Cooperative Living June 2015 - 14

COVER STORY Story by Audrey T. Hingley, Contributing Writer
The
Waterman's
Song
Heritage Tour Program Is a Step Toward Preserving a Way of Life
I
12
n the early morning chill, Captain
William Saunders deftly maneuvers
his 38-foot deadrise Miss Nicole
from its mooring at Carter's Cove
Marina in Weems and heads out
toward Irvington's famous Tides Inn resort.
Accompanied by first mate Rusty, a
larger-than-usual Yorkshire terrier,
Saunders pilots his boat effortlessly on
calm creek waters. Designated the official
boat of Virginia, the deadrise features a
flattened V-shape on the hull's bottom
and can accommodate heavy, bulky work
equipment. Useful in both shallow and
rough water, traditional workboats like
Saunders' have been used by Chesapeake
Bay watermen since the 1880s.
Saunders, 45, grew up in Weems, a
historic watermen's community in
Lancaster County on Virginia's Northern
Neck. With close-cropped hair and a
ready smile, he talks easily about his
hometown and work.
" There used to be 150 boats [here]
when I was a kid, " recalls Saunders, who
now lives in Kilmarnock. " Today there
are only two privately owned working
boats on this creek, one owned by my
cousin, and my boat. "
Gesturing toward a large house on a
knoll overlooking the scenic creek,
Saunders says, " My grandparents sold the
land on that hill for $3,000. It's now
owned by [a bank executive] who only
comes here once or twice a year. "
On the water since age 4 with his
waterman grandfather, Saunders owned a
construction company in 2007; just as
the recession was hitting he decided to go
back on the water. From October to
February, he dredges in designated oyster
grounds harvesting wild oysters to sell.
Otherwise, he stays busy with another
kind of catch: taking tourists on historic
watermen tours and other specially
designed cruises.
One of Saunders' clients is the Tides
Inn. " The Oyster Experience " lets visitors
board Saunders' boat for a trip to local
oyster beds, where they learn to sort and
size oysters. After loading the harvest,
they visit a shucking plant and learn how
oysters are cleaned, shucked, packaged
and shipped. The tour includes an eatwhat-you-catch
component.
Tides Inn food and beverage manager/
executive chef T.V. Flynn explains, " We
do a tasting when they return; they can
sample the oysters raw, roasted and fried.
The feedback has been great. "
Saunders is an enthusiastic supporter
and participant in the just-launched
Virginia Watermen's Heritage Tour, a
focused effort connecting trained, seasoned
watermen with visitors wanting to
experience the heritage and culture of
Virginia's waterways. The training helps
watermen develop their own tourism
businesses, offering new income possibiliCooperative
Living/June 2015

Cooperative Living June 2015

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