Shore to Shore: The Craft Of Crabbing One Trip At A Time
CAMBRIDGE, Md. — In Cambridge, crabbing is more than a pastime. One boating excursion is giving visitors the chance to get a closer look at the tradition in the newest edition of Shore to Shore.
The Choptank River is beautiful any time of day, but this local business is giving visitors a whole hands-on experience — whether it’s a sunrise, a sunset cruise, or an Eastern Shore traditional crabbing experience.
It doesn’t take long on the Eastern Shore to hear about blue crabs. But most folks don’t get the opportunity to see the craft of crabbing up close. Tides and Traditions is changing that, one boat trip at a time.
Tides and Traditions Captain Tony LeCompte said, “What we offer mainly is a chance for outsiders to have a glimpse into our lives. So, we’re all commercial watermen or still are at some point.”
Crabbing has been part of the Eastern Shore’s culture and economy for generations. The catching process dates back to the 1600s, when watermen used log canoes and sailboats to travel down the crabbing line.
“The importance of the water made it the economic lifeblood. It was the food source. It was the transportation. I mean, people didn’t really start with the horses and all. Originally, they got in the boat and went wherever they had to,” said LeCompte.
Tides and Traditions Captain Brandon Wingate explained that this is the first year they are making a splash.
“That’s kind of the heart of this area. That’s what the whole — that’s what this industry was. It was all based around the water and, to a big extent, it very much still is,” he added. “The whole industry in this area has always been based around this — crabs or oysters.”
For the captains leading the Tides and Traditions excursions, sharing that knowledge is a way to connect with visitors and crab-pickers alike.
LeCompte said, “I think that I really enjoy seeing people’s reactions when they are out here doing this or on a cruise with us, and seeing that as a takeaway is what impacts me. When people are thrilled and they learn something they didn’t know.”
For Wingate, the experience is a reminder of how special traditions like crabbing can be.
“The experience between the crabbing and the people who have come on the cruises and just things that we take for granted because we live here, we’re out here every day. We both run tackle fishing charters. We’re on the water all the time. I’m on the water 250 days a year, and I think it’s just things that we take for granted that don’t really hit us the same.”
So, how exactly do you catch a blue crab?
The process follows a rhythm watermen know well: bait, drop, wait, pull — and hope there’s a claw hanging on to the bait bag below the water’s surface.
“The crab comes along and starts gnawing on the clam and is not savvy enough to realize that he’s slowly rising off the bottom to get dipped by the reporter who is getting that filmed, and they get dumped into the culling basket, culling box, and then when we get down the end of the line, we’ll go through, sort out the big ones. The weight goes overboard.” said LeCompte.
Wingate said, “They’re going to get to keep — obviously, they have to be legal, which currently that’s 5.25 inches part of the year.”
If you’re more into picking crabs than catching them, the charter also offers an evening cruise, sourcing from other local businesses.
LeCompte said, “The sunset cruises will always talk and give you history and insight and tell stories. There’ll always be someone that’s sharing their life with you as a charter of the boat.”
He added, “If you want the fine dining with white towels, we do that. Everything. You’ll be waited on hand and foot. We’ll have cocktails of your choice, beer and wine of your choice, homemade chocolates. We do all that.”
For more information you can visit their website.
