A concert May 10 at the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum will benefit the continued preservation of the Claud W. Somers, a 114-year old wooden skipjack.
The skipjack was traditionally used for oyster dredging on the Chesapeake Bay. This is the 25th year of the museum’s ownership of the Somers and its volunteers’ efforts to preserve and share its history, said Reedville Fishermens Museum (RFM) executive director Shauna McCranie.
The concert, from 6-8 p.m., will feature the maritime-centric duo of Janie Meneely and Rob Van Sante. They will present a mix of traditional music, contemporary ballads, humor and sing-alongs. Songwriter Meneely’s lyrics and Van Sante’s musical arrangements “recount heroic struggles of the recent past or show sensitive insight into modern issues,” according to a release.
It’s a rain-or-shine event under the pavilion. Food and beverages will be sold. Admission is $20 per person for museum members or $25 for others. Children ages 12 and younger will be admitted free.
There are only about 30 skipjacks around the Bay, said Tom Briggs, one of the Somers’ two captains.
Traditional skipjacks like the Somers are sail-propelled due to oyster-dredging laws from the last century. They carry a small push boat with a small motor, used just for emergencies or maneuvering or as allowed for dredging, Briggs said.
While the Somers is much loved and celebrated now, there is heartbreak in her history. Musician Meneely, a former editor of Chesapeake Bay Magazine, wrote an article entitled “Good Men Down” about the tragedy.
The Somers sank in a terrible storm in March 1977, and all six men on board—five from the same family—were lost. The boat was owned by others through the years, according to Meneely’s article.
The last owner’s children donated the Somers to the museum in 2000. Museum volunteers and Cockrell’s Marine Railway worked for several years to make her seaworthy. The Somers is now Coast Guard-certified and will carry up to 20 passengers and five crew, including a captain, Briggs said.
Under the museum’s care, the Somers earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places. She looks as she did when built in 1911 except for the required stainless steel guardrails, he said.
Two-hour cruises aboard the skipjack Claud W. Somers, for ages 10 and older, will begin in June. The cost is $30 for members and $35 for others. Reservations are required. The cruises include commentary about area history. The Somers also can be chartered for groups.
For Janie Meneely’s article, search for Janie Meneely Good Men Down.
