Ed Thomas: Commercial Fisherman and Bayman Ed Thomas was born in Baldwin, NY, and has been fishing for as long as he can remember. His started his first business at eight years old, digging soft shell clams and putting them in a basket on his bicycle, and selling them house to house down the street. […]
Anders Langendal: Master Boat Builder and Restorer, Greenport, Long Island Anders Langendal was born in Sweden, arriving in Greenport in 1967, shortly after completing his boat building apprenticeship. “When I came here about 50 people were working here, 7 good carpenters, machinists, painters and roustabouts. In those days there were three classes of workers, and you […]
Paul Ketcham: Boat Builder and Restorer, Amityville, New York Paul Ketcham, Jr. was born in Amityville in 1935 to a local boat builder family. During the 1930s depression, Paul’s family settled in Florida, where his father worked in the Daytona Boat Works. In 1944, following the death of his grandfather, Paul’s family returned to Amityville […]
Tom Jefferies: Bayman Tom Jefferies was born in Freeport, following a long line of fishermen in both the Jefferies and the Remsen families. Tom learned to fish from older fishermen on the Nautical Mile, including Frank Cona and others. His family owns a bay house, where he learned to harvest clams, crabs, mussels and other […]
Bill Hamilton: Bayman Bill Hamilton was born in Sayville and lives in Patchogue. He learned to fish, clam, and to catch oysters from local fishermen and baymen like Samuel Ockers; he also catches fluke, flounder, and eels using pound traps and fyke nets. Besides being a fisherman Bill is also a boat builder who makes […]
Chris Hale: Boat Builder and Model Maker Chris Hale has worked at many boat yards on Long Island, including Coecles Harbor Marina on Shelter Island, at Hampton Shipyard in East Quogue, and currently at Weeks Boatyard in Patchogue where he has worked since the 1990s. He works on traditional wooden boats ranging from skiffs and […]
Bill Fetzer: Bayman Bill Fetzer is an independent bayman from Bayville who works in Oyster Bay harbor on Long Island. He is active in the North Oyster Bay Baymen’s Association. The North Oyster Bay Baymen’s Association was part of our Waterfront Heroes exhibit. View videos about our Waterfront Heroes here. “I first started clamming with […]
Ducks Unlimited: Waterfowl conservation Wetlands restoration. Environmental education. Wildfowl carving. Hear these words, and then think of Ducks Unlimited. This is their mission. Ducks Unlimited was started in 1937, when the dust bowl threatened to decimate the entire wildfowl population of the country. The mid-continent, where most waterfowl are born, is a long way from […]
Bob Doxsee: Deep Sea Clamming by Nancy Solomon Bob Doxsee, the owner of Doxsee Sea Clam Company, which closed in 2013, carried on the traditions of his family, one of the older families to settle on the south shore of Long Island. The Doxsees began as farmers and fishermen, including James H. Doxsee who was […]
Donn Costanzo: Boat Builder and Restorer, Aquebogue, Long Island Donn Costanzo is the founder of Wooden Boat Works, where he built and restored traditional recreational sail boats and motor boats. Raised in Sayville, Don first became interested in the skiffs and garveys used on Great South Bay by local baymen. Donn went clamming and scalloping, […]
