I was lucky enough to grow up spending large quantities of time on the Chesapeake Bay. Sadly, pollution, and a growing Washington DC population that loves to buy vacation places on the shores of the bay, have perhaps changed forever the character of the bay.
My grandmother Evelyn’s sister Nora. My grandmother had to compete a bit with her prettier older sister, until she took up acting and came into her own.
Still, memories of eating oysters freshly shucked, and catching my own dinner of fish or crabs (or both), without a thought of pollution or depleted populations, are ones no new generation can have.
Tilghman Island Warf, and I’m pretty sure that’s my mom in the arms of my grandfather on the dock.
The Sinclairs and Jamarts and Mc Cuthchens of the Eastern Shore made their living from the Bay. Oystering, crabbing, fishing and ferrying goods to the many islands now almost completely gone from erosion. The family lived for the most part on Poplar Island, the homes all almost gone today.
We are still a very casual family today! And perhaps just a bit messy! It does make me happy to see the genuine warmth though between father and son here.
Tilghman Island and Easton and the now very trendy St.Micheals (where many of my relatives rest in a cemetery), were also home to the family.
Uncle Harry Mc Cutchen (Uncle to my mother that is) shucking oysters for eating. No need to wait. You catch them and eat.
Going through old family photographs, it’s easy to see we were a family happy on the water. My own memories are quite fond ones, and it was fun to discover relatives not too long gone that also enjoyed the Bay as much as I did as a child.
You have to love Uncle Harry. A man can go barefoot, but he’s never fully dressed without his pipe. My sense of style, or perhaps total lack of style, I blame on genetics. Though really, pipes need to make a comeback.
Related articles
- The Chesapeake Bay Trust Wants You To Name That Bird (washington.cbslocal.com)
- “Reclaim the Chesapeake Bay” Public Awareness Campaign (smartgrowthmd.wordpress.com)
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Categories: Family, Maryland, Photography, Travel
Two Different Girls 
Good afternoon!! 🙂 My mom is a Sinclair and I am putting together her family tree and giving it to her for Christmas this year. Would you have any idea how I might get hold of any Sinclair photos or documents to complete my package for her?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Traci