The Best of Times on the Chesapeake Bay : An Account of a Rock Hall Waterman

A portrait of Larry Simns, a Maryland waterman preserving a way of life along the Chesapeake Bay.

Today, the Chesapeake Bay watermen’s way of life is under pressure to survive. Captain Larry Simns has worked as a commercial fisherman in the waters of Maryland for nearly sixty years, serving as President of the Maryland Watermen’s Association since the 1970s. Through good and hard times, Simns has labored to keep working watermen profitable and relevant in spite of declining water quality and severe encroachment of prime fishing grounds.

Here, find a funny, pointed, and candid portrait of Simns’s journey to lead independent, hard-charging commercial fishermen. In chronological order, Larry shares 65 stories reflecting memories of his “best of times,” peppered with views on everything from fishing to politics. Enjoy his practical wisdom and dry humor; see part of his past through pen and ink drawings created by Anne Crane Harlan of Centreville, Maryland.By Robert L. Rich, Jr.Robert L. Rich, Jr. was raised on a small farm near Annapolis. “Bob” graduated from The University of Delaware with a degree in agriculture and now lives in St. Michaels where he works with farmers in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.42 illustrationsAn Account of a Rock Hall Waterman42 illustrations