Women Who Work the Waters of the Chesapeake Bay

About this book

Sell Sheet Synopsis (Trade & Retail Pitch) Women Who Work the Waters of Chesapeake Bay by Mick Blackistone with Mitzi Bernard delivers an unprecedented, boots-on-the-deck celebration of the fierce women breaking barriers in North America's largest estuary. Long recognized primarily as shore-side support in a fiercely traditional, male-dominated trade, women today are claiming their rightful place on the open water-not as novelties, but as master captains, deckhands, and stewards of the Chesapeake. Spanning maritime hubs across Maryland-from Solomons Island and St. Marys to Deale, Arnold, Rock Hall, and Tilghman Island-this compelling non-fiction collection profiles women of all generations who proudly claim the title of waterman. The book captures their daily realities through vivid storytelling: The Relentless Harvest: Navigating grueling pre-dawn runs, foul weather, and backbreaking physical labor to trotline blue crabs, run hydraulic clam conveyors, haul pound nets for striped bass, and pull winter oyster dredges. Grit Across Generations: Profiles ranging from seasoned matriarchs and fourth-generation lifers to single mothers balancing childcare on deck, career converts, and prodigies like twelve-year-old boat-docking champion Peyton Reiss. Industry Under Siege: Real-time accounts of an aging trade fighting to survive devastating 2026 winter freezes, regulatory hurdles, shifting market prices, and ecological fallout. Advocacy & Heritage: How these women act as the Bay's fiercest defenders-fighting for sustainable fisheries, leading community fundraisers, and preserving a storied coastal culture. Richly detailed and deeply authentic, Women Who Work the Waters of Chesapeake Bay is an essential addition to regional history, maritime heritage, and women's studies collections.

Details

Format

Paperback

ISBN-13

9781962935210

Publisher

High Tide Publications

Published

October 1, 2026

Pages

114

Weight

13.6 oz

Subject

Social Science