Baymen's Seafood & Music Festival at Tuckerton Seaport |
I don’t know why it is but my car and my desire to be near the water continually draws me back to explore Route 9. This time, I was heading to Tuckerton Seaport for their 16th Annual Baymen’s Seafood and Music Festival on June 21st on what promised to be a beautiful day on Main Street in Tuckerton, New Jersey. The parking lot at the Seaport Visitor’s Center was full and the smells of cooking seafood lured my companion and I into the celebration. The Baymen’s Festival was designed sixteen years ago to celebrate local fisherman and their lives and demonstrate the harvesting activities that lead to their ‘catch of the day’ and beyond. New Jersey Countryside Magazine has ranked this event one of the top ten outdoor festivals. The festival called for delicious seafood ‘right off the boat’ such as clams, oysters, crabs, and shrimp. I opted for the crab cake sandwich, which turned out to be the best this side of Maryland. (The shrimp and scallop kabobs looked great too!) Washing down the seafood with an offer of beer from local breweries, we were drawn to the sound of music and a sea of white crafter’s tents lining the walkways. Of the 50 vendors, one particular display caught my attention. Jewelry was being sold that was hand-crafted by Steve Hewitt, a Tuckerton resident, who at the age of 38 has been battling kidney cancer for six years and who is currently in Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia awaiting a kidney transplant. The proceeds from the sale of the jewelry were being pledged to the National Transplant Assistance Fund. To help with Steve’s cause and learn more about the organization, go to www.TransplantFund.org.
Handmade items that were painstakingly crafted and displayed by husband-wife, mother-daughter teams and were, in a few cases a family affair, provided stories of creativity that blended with the day’s festivities. From pen and ink sketches, greeting cards, art on canvas, handbags and gourmet creations—the list goes on—to furniture made from trees that were destroyed in Katrina, the displays encouraged the festival patrons to browse and shop. A lineup of activities included a clam shucking demonstration, an opportunity to listen to local clammers, pound net fishermen and tyke net fishermen where they spoke of their craft and how they work their nets and the bay. Demonstrations were also held throughout the day on basket weaving, quilting, decoy carving and boat building.
Upon leaving Gus and the Boat Works building, it was time to explore the rest of the village. With over 16 buildings on site, we had a lot of ground to cover. The Seaport abounds with history, entertainment, and education, providing a multifaceted maritime experience for all ages. From the Tucker’s Island Lighthouse with a climb to the top, on to a boat ride down the Tuckerton Creek on the Melody II, and ending with a stroll along the boardwalk, all gave us more insight into life on the Tuckerton “Crik.” Demonstrations are conducted daily that share the traditions of people who have worked and played along the Barnegat Bay in the past and on into the present. Award winning decoy carvers, boat builders (such as Gus Heinrich), basket makers and local baymen share their experiences and demonstrate how they’ve honed their craft. Tuckerton Seaport is holding its Antique and Classic Boat Show on September 6 & 7, 2008 with an opportunity to celebrate the bay at an old-fashioned clambake while enjoying the show. On September 27 & 28 the Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show will provide demonstrations on how to prepare wild duck and deer during this event-filled weekend. Be sure to take the opportunity to become a member of Tuckerton Seaport to receive advance notification and pre-registration for selected special events throughout the year. For an application for membership and/or information about activities and tours, go to www.TuckertonSeaport.org. You, too, can discover the Jersey Shore’s maritime traditions and experience the culture and nature of Barnegat Bay by visiting this unique working village located along the Tuckerton Creek. Tell Gus I sent you!
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