Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-27
SAIL. no!
Skipjacks Set for Oyster Dredging
BY JOHN SHERWOOD
Star staff Writer

Gt4E GtaAA NAANeE
DEAL ISLAND, Nd, Oct.
26.-The town Of Princess Anne
is the spot where Route 1853
leaves the mainland to cross
the Manokin River on its lone
ly journey through Danes
Quarters Marsh to Winona, the
tiny island community here at
lands end.
Although the road begins in
the Goth Century. it leaves
time stranded on the mainland
when it crosses the islands
wooden bridge to wind around
the frame houses starched
white in the salty air. 1t is
somehow gratifying to know
that the islanders would never
sacrifice their homes for such
a thing as a straight road.
At winona, the strong smell
of saltwater oysters hangs
over the tail maSts Of sailing
ships, which appear like reflec-
tons against the willowy sky
over Tangier Sound. It it were
not for the busy oystermen
preparing their skipjacks for
the dredging season opening
Friday, this small harbor might
be the last port-of-call entry
in the log of q 10Th century
ghost ship.
Work on Mast and Mainsail
The tall center masts are
being stained and the canvas
mainsails and jibs being
patched. Balancing on the bow
spirit above q gold-gilted trail
board identifying his skipjack
as the Viola" is 71-year-old
lack Taylor. His pride at being
a ship master most of his life
is inherited from his waterman
father and his father before
him. lacks son, Michael. IA,
already has the look of the sea
about him as he paints the
foredeck while the afterdeck
dries.
On q red-shingled building
nearby, a weathered sign read
ing "Sailmaker" hangs over q
stone landing step. Inside, Al
bert Brown, 10, is wearing a
heavy leather palm" glove to
push an iron needle through
the heavy folds Of a canvas
mainsail.
Looking UP from his lifetime
work, there is a dignity in his
slow voce as he speaks through
a constant smile. about his
fathers taking over the bust
ness in 1870 from q Captain
John Stubs. At the other end
of the sailmaker's loft, a son,
Henry Brown. is bent over an
ancient sewing m achine,
pounding stitches into Dacron
yachting sails. Piled in a corner
are finished suits of canvas
sails for the sally BrambIe."
out Of Cambridge, and the
at h o m as Clyde" and Rosa
Parks"
Families at Work
Dickie Webster. %. is outside
working on the maggie Lee"
with his father, Clifton Web
ster. Dewey Webster. SIS, has
put aside his carving Of figure
heads and ships names on trail |
boards to fit out his MARY w. |
Somers. Websters, 3 entonsl
and Taylors and the other |
familiar families which make |
up the Deal Islanders. They are |
all engaged in similar activities. |
Paul Benton. IT., 52-year-old |
master of the Geneva May"
has no worries this year about |
spending $400 to $500 for a
new suit Of sails. But a carpen-
ter is busy putting down
sheathing so that the deck will |
not be cut when the dredging |
machinery brings the oysters
aboard. A yawl-a small power |
boat with V-8 motor that is
used to push the skipjack to
and from the oyster grounds
swings with the waves from a
sort Of cradle suspended off the
after deck. Each ship carries
from 5 to z men.
The Geneva May" along
with about 20 other skipjacks,
will probably sail out of here