October 22

We decided to up anchor and go for fuel and water and a pumpout at the marina since we were leaving tomorrow and had begun to touch bottom with a shift in the wind. Walt followed with Eagle's Wings after we finished and both boats reanchored in the small harbor off the channel.
In the afternoon, we went to tour the museum. It is well worth a visit, having several buildings loaded with authentic artifacts and beautiful displays. We learned a great deal about the history of the Bay and the lives of the people who have lived, worked, and played here. This picture shows an aspect of the "play" that I had never heard about. These big guns are fowling pieces that were mounted on a low punt or scow. They were loaded with a half pound of shot and another half pound of powder on land and then quietly floated and paddled with very short paddles to about thirty yards away from a group of ducks or geese. A good shot was one that killed thirty ducks or ten geese. The birds were gathered up and the gun taken back to shore to reload. Weapons were also used to protect leases that Virginia gave to certain oystermen for areas of the bottom of the bay. These watermen lived close by and kept watch for interlopers with guns loaded. A small war was fought among competing watermen using different techniques to harvest oysters and an oyster navy was created to enforce the laws and stop the war. Of course, then the navy became the enemy. In the early 1700's, oysters here were huge-ten inches + across. Today a four inch one is good size.