The distance to the oyster beds on the Choptank was twelve miles, and with adequate winds the boats were lowering their dredge baskets by sunrise. It is now a few hours later and the morning's mist has all but disappeared. It has warmed up considerably but in the deep shadows of the Howard's sails, the crew and captain still feel the brisk morning chill.
Optimism reigns as the hard-working watermen pursue their harvest.
If the day is successful these denizens of the bay will be home by mid-day, but if it is not, they will work until almost sunset. Hopefully it will be a good day. The skipjack, Howard, was built in 1909 in Deep Creek, Virginia.