I was riding in my car with a friend today, and she said "Wouldn't it be interesting if you found a blog shot today while I am riding with you." Not fifteen minutes later I drove by this old oyster boat, up on blocks in a parking lot, in the village of Oyster Bay, of all places. I immediately jumped out of the car (well, I stopped and parked first...) grabbed my camera and spent 15 minutes photographing the scene. Note to anyone who might be a passenger in my car... be prepared to wait when I see an interesting subject. When I was growing up in Milford, Connecticut, across the sound, I would ride my bike down to Brad's dock after school, and every day at 3:30 PM a line of oyster boats would enter the harbor from the sound. The boats were dirty white with rust stains all over, from the iron fittings on the boat. I have taken some photos of them, and the negatives must be somewhere, and I hope I can find them one of these days. The oyster fishery in Long Island Sound collapsed after predators - starfish and oyster drills - and pollution, decimated the mollusk, and the boats have been long gone for years now.
8 comments:
Great Photo - Sad Story. Like that you used black & white.
Joan
I remember swimming and sunning at Fort Trumbull beach and using the return of the oyster boats as a timer for heading home. They were very punctual. Why is it that any view I have of the ocean doesn't look complete unless there's an island in the near distance?
Polly
Hi Polly: I have a wonderful book about the Milfort oyster industry that your mom gave some years back, and it so nice to read the history. There is a section on Dr. Loosanoff as well, and I worked for him at the lab for a couple of years during high school.
Reminds me of Popeye's boat.
That's funny... Popeye's boat! -:) thanks for that!
HI Ken,
Better late than never. But I wanted to let you know the Oyster Industry is not dead in Milford. In fact, the shellfish company that I have worked for here in Milford for 20 years goes oystering at least once a week. After 9-11 the clam market crashed in Fulton and we have been supplementing our income with the oysters from the Housatonic and outer beds. They are beautiful creatures and so delicious. I have done a 2nd printing of Mom's Oyster book, but I'm glad you have an original. - Bunny
What a great shot! What a great boat!
Nice shot. The boat is the Ida May, built by my Great Great Grandfather, Frank M Flower, and named for his wife.
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