Years ago, it was not uncommon to witness, what in modern times, would be a very peculiar scene—horses pulling boats ashore directly onto the beach. These boats, long sturdy wooden crafts known as pound boats—resembled giant rowboats and were the first commercial fishing vessels in the area.
According to local history books, Mr. Christopher Ludham is credited with creating Ocean City’s commercial fishing industry in 1898. In those days, or rather thirty-five years prior to the storm of 1933, Ocean City’s commercial fishing industry operated primarily off the beach—without an actual deep-water harbor. The storm of 1933 caused much of the industry to sink to the bottom of the bay—the nets, the horses, the boats themselves—but replaced the old ways with new opportunity by cutting the inlet, resulting in the commercial fishing harbor in West Ocean City. This harbor certainly modernized the commercial fishing industry, and made possible the sport fishing industry, which has since put Ocean City on the map as the White Marlin Capital of the World—all thanks to an initially unwelcome natural disaster.
Ocean City is often heralded as a family vacation destination, known for her hotels, restaurants, amusements, and miles of glorious beaches. Certainly, Ocean City is all of that, but equally as instrumental in history, livelihood, and even entertainment—is the fishing industry.
Saturday October 1st the 4th annual Harbor Day on the Docks event seeks to bring the commercial fishing industry to the forefront, by bringing awareness to this still very vibrant industry.
As Ocean City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Melanie Pursel elaborates,
“The history is fascinating—how it [commercial fishing industry] has evolved. This event is really a marriage of that history and culture and modern day cuisine.”
Restaurants like The Shark on the Harbor, who literally serves the fish just caught off the coast of Ocean City on their tables nightly, and seafood market Martin Fish Company will be providing authentic, couldn’t be any fresher, food at the event. This type of authenticity is key to Harbor Day—food vendors must serve seafood, and it has to be local. Aside from the vendors, look for lobsterman Sunny Guinn, who will be selling just caught lobsters off of his vessel. Yes, lobsters are caught off the coast of Ocean City–who knew? Just one of the many facts to learn and appreciate at Harbor Day.
Each fishing vessel has a tent—really a storytelling tent, where the fisherman are stationed, sharing their personal tales at sea, or those passed down through generations. It’s an opportunity to get up close and gain personal perspective on an industry shown on TV in sensational real-life documentary-style shows, or books and novels—but really is part of the everyday in our own backyards.
Kayaking and paddle boarding tours to the docked vessels provide additional opportunity to understand and appreciate the lifestyle of the fishermen, and the boats that provide their livelihood. Touch tanks enable children to get to know the marine life that thrive all around the coastal region. A scavenger hunt, which requires that the children speak to the fisherman to get insider knowledge necessary to complete their quest, is an interaction that passes on culture and tradition to a new generation.
Additionally, visitors will learn how to properly shuck an oyster, prepare a variety of seafood in the cooking demo tent, harvest scallops, clean a fish—the list continues. It’s an education in maritime traditions, and a chance to share in the rich heritage.
For the Martin family, who own Martin Fish Company in the commercial harbor and sell fresh fish and seafood direct off the boats, out of their market, this heritage is really a personal legacy. The market is a third generation family business. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Melanie Pursel, credits the family as being the heart of Harbor Day.
“It feels like they are opening up their lives to us, sharing their remarkable work ethic, their appreciation for the culture, and letting us be a part of all of it, for this one very special day.”
Harbor Day on the Docks is a joint venture between the HMRA, the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Ocean City, Worcester County, and the fishing community. In it's fourth year, and though it’s becoming more popular, the goal of the event isn’t to become some grandiose affair. The goal is simple– keep it authentic—share the culture, maintain the intimacy between the fishermen and those who visit.
