Watermen have crabbed and fished the immense Chesapeake Bay waters for hundreds of years. Watermen, an old English name, are as much as an endangered species as the shellfish they seek in the Chesapeake Bay. While industry rules have changed, most of the watermen's old trapping and fishing methods are still used today. Because of the new laws on the books, watermen have resorted to sail power to dredge for oysters.
   Chesapeake, a Native American name meaning the Great Shellfish Bay, is America's largest estuary, stretching out for 200 miles. Offering an idea of how large a body of water it is, the bay separates Maryland's mainland from the Delmarva Peninsula by 22 miles and has 11,684 miles of shoreline. The main channel is deep enough to allow ocean-going vessels to navigate the bay. One of the seven engineering wonders of the modern world, a combination of bridges and tunnels are used to connect the mainland with the peninsula.
   This view shows off a waterman's catch back at Bubba's dock, while the watermen wait for weigh-in. It's midday and a day's work on the bay is already done.

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