INQ-277 | Watermen of the Chesapeake

Crosslisted As: ENVI277

Topic Description:

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. Two hundred miles long but averaging only 21 feet deep, the Bay is a complex web of salt and fresh water ecosystems, gateway to two of the largest seaports on the east coast, and home to the Watermen: residents who draw their living from the increasingly threatened crab and oyster fisheries of the Bay. This course will seek to develop students' understanding of the Bay through traditional study and first-hand experience. The course will begin with an on-campus introduction to the biology & geography of the Bay, as well as practical skills in basic navigation & seamanship. Students will then travel to sites around the Bay, visiting museums and field stations to learn about the Bay's ecology and fisheries. The travel portion of the course will culminate in several days spent sailing and working aboard a traditional skipjack, learning to sail, crabbing and dragging for oysters, and experiencing the life of the Watermen.

Course Types Offered: Field Trip

Topic Approved: October 2006