The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

[Hunky Dory]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

My dad started out digging clams on Long Island in the 50's and ended up on the Cape in the sixty's. He moved to North Carolina and dug clams there till 4 yrs. ago. Now at 83 he is back to the Cape digging clams in Osterville but more of a part time thing now. He had a friend that he used to visit from Long Island named Kerry Coyle that dug clams there till he downed about 20 years ago.

[peterchech]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

How did he drown?

[wookietits]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

My father was a clammer on the great south bay during the 70s and he was a tonger, the stories he had were on the edge of tall tales, but the more I learn about that time the more his stories don't seem even slightly crazy compared to most I hear from others. I saw this thread and saw that people were asking where people clam these days, I live in Bayville on the north shore (of Long Island), and I am a commercial clammer, I am a raker, and a lot of my friends do it also. There are about 30 or 40 of us out of Bayville and Oyster bay, and I would say about the same out of Huntington, everyone up here is a raker due to the depth of the water. The boats on the north shore are vastly different since we need the gunwales to lean against but many of us build up the floor so its below knee height. If anyone is interested ill be sure to get some pics, they are not as historical as the tong boats, though I still find them pretty cool.

[Soundbounder]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

I'm really enjoying this thread

[johngsandusky]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

Thanks Wookie, I used to have a job ashore in Oyter Bay, I know some clammers there. Al Samik comes to mind.

[wookietits]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

I know who Al is, I know a photographer who did a spread for Newsday on Bill Fetzer, I feel like most of the facts were lost on that article though. It was more focused on the loss of his son.
here are the links

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/raking-the-sound-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-clammer-1.2184407

http://www.jessenewmanphoto.com/ Jesse Newman was the girl who took the pics for that spread there is also a video labeled duckman

[Mike Vogdes]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

My father was a clammer on the great south bay during the 70s and he was a tonger, the stories he had were on the edge of tall tales, but the more I learn about that time the more his stories don't seem even slightly crazy compared to most I hear from others. I saw this thread and saw that people were asking where people clam these days, I live in Bayville on the north shore (of Long Island), and I am a commercial clammer, I am a raker, and a lot of my friends do it also. There are about 30 or 40 of us out of Bayville and Oyster bay, and I would say about the same out of Huntington, everyone up here is a raker due to the depth of the water. The boats on the north shore are vastly different since we need the gunwales to lean against but many of us build up the floor so its below knee height. If anyone is interested ill be sure to get some pics, they are not as historical as the tong boats, though I still find them pretty cool.

Yes pictures would be great... I would like to see what you guys are using nowadays.

[holzbt]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

This was built by Scorse in Babylon, circa 1970's.

[Breakaway]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

What does that have for power, Roger?

Kevin

[sailnstink]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

I grew up in Bayport as kid in the seventies, used to drink free sodas from the clam buyers at the end of the road. Never had a license or boat but we used to go out and dig with our feet a few bucks worth whenever we wanted some cash for candy. The local boats were garveys with rakes, friends dad had a tong boat but there where only that one and maybe one other in the local canal.

[StevenBauer]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

Pretty cool to see Jim called a stalwart by Matt Murphy in the new issue's (#226) Editor's Page. And a link to the OP video on WB's Homepage.


Steven

[holzbt]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

These photos were sent by my friend Steve who clammed in the Sayville area in the 1970's.


Typical tong boats in the Sayville area, this is the wide part of the bay and these types were prefered over garvies there.


This was originally a working sail vessel which had undergone a major refit in the 1970's.

If anyone has any pic's of any raking boats feel free to post them.

[KABAR2]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

Built by Jimmy Kirkup. Probably late 60's or early 70's in Bay Shore. In for a new deck late 1990's.

Was that the Brother of Charlie Kirkup? the one who ran the lumber yard? I knew him and his sons Tim, Pete & Charlie Jr.

I know Charlie's Brother died some years ago..... if your wondering I am from BluePoint originally.... that photo of the bay frozen over brought back some memories I remember that a fairly new corvette and a blazer out joy riding fell victim to the holes cut into the Ice and they didn't float.....

[holzbt]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

Jimmy was the boatbuilder, Charlie ran the lumber yard and office, and Bud worked the yard and mill. Tim and Pete were friends of a friend so I knew them a bit. Charlie Jr. I never met.

[Thad Van Gilder]

Re: The Life of a Clam Digger (1972, Long Island)

Where my boat is on The Egg Harbor bay, behind Ocean City, the majority of commercial clamming is done by tredding out the clams. some guys rake, but it seems like most are tredded out. do they still do that much up there?

-Thad