Solomons Island Heritage Tours - Patuxent River Seafood - Bay Glassed
Call or text 301.672.3509 to book your 2023 trip.
Late May- Early September- Call for availability
Looking for more information? Email us at chesapeakefishing@juno.com
An authentic experience aboard a working commercial fishing vessel
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Watermen are at the heart of the Chesapeake Bay.
Their lives are intertwined with the ebb and flow of the Bay's tides.
Our Goal
By observing and engaging in a variety of harvesting methods for blue crabs, finfish, and oysters, on a working fishing vessel, visitors will be given an opportunity to experience estuarine life up close through the eyes of a Chesapeake Bay waterman.
Despite increasing regulations, declining populations, sedimentation, historic overharvesting, and pollution threatening their way of life, watermen continue to work the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. These men and women play an integral part in Maryland’s history and economy. Solomons Island Heritage Tours hopes to promote an understanding of environmental impacts and regulation changes that challenge commercial watermen as they strive to maintain their way of life. Ultimately, our goal is to promote a healthy Chesapeake Bay where everyone can pursue educational, recreational, cultural, and commercial opportunities.
Despite increasing regulations, declining populations, sedimentation, historic overharvesting, and pollution threatening their way of life, watermen continue to work the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. These men and women play an integral part in Maryland’s history and economy. Solomons Island Heritage Tours hopes to promote an understanding of environmental impacts and regulation changes that challenge commercial watermen as they strive to maintain their way of life. Ultimately, our goal is to promote a healthy Chesapeake Bay where everyone can pursue educational, recreational, cultural, and commercial opportunities.
Meet the Crew
Simon and Rachel Dean
Captains Simon and Rachel Dean
As watermen, Captain Dale “Simon” Dean and Captain Rachel Dean, know what it is like to build a business “from the water up.”
In 1993, Simon began working for “Bunky” Connor in the waters of the Patuxent River charter and commercial fishing. While working on the Miss Teri, Kathy C., Red Osprey, Marchelle, and Aldor, Simon earned his United States Coast Guard Captain’s License and a Commercial Tidal Fish License. Captain Rachel Dean earned her Commercial Tidal Fish license and United States Coast Guard Credentials in 2004 after working on various fishing vessels including the Elizabeth S., Bay King II, Sandra Marie, and Chesapeake Charm.
In the fall of 2001, Simon and Rachel were brought together by fate. At a benefit auction for a fellow waterman, who had suffered a workplace accident, Simon was auctioned off, bought by his long time mentor, Bunky, and given (without a return receipt) to Rachel. The two were married in 2008 and began Patuxent River Seafood.
In 2009, Simon and Rachel purchased the Roughwater in hopes of expanding their commercial fishing business. Simon and Rachel spent two years preparing the vessel, and the finished product is a 40’ working Chesapeake Baybuilt. In 2014 Simon and Rachel undertook the task of redesigning a second commercial vessel later named Snatch Block. In 2018 they added a 23' Carolina Skiff to their operations. Most recently, they acquired the Zero Given, a 42' Evans bay built. Today, Patuxent River Seafood harvests and sells oysters, rockfish (striped bass), eels, perch, croaker, spot, soft crabs, and hard crabs to various local restaurants and markets.
Patuxent River Seafood is a family owned and operated business. Rachel's brother, Jason Williams, captains the Zero Given, and Rachel's mother, Elaine Williams, serves as a full time crew member. The Deans live in Lusby, Maryland with their 13-year-old daughter, Jamie, who frequently accompanies the family out on the water.
Rachel and Simon are active members of the Calvert County Watermen's Association where Rachel serves as the Association's Secretary and Simon serves as the President. So often, Rachel and Simon hear people say "I'd like to see that," and that is what inspired Solomons Island Heritage Tours.
Jason Williams
Captain Jason Williams grew up on St. John's Creek in the Solomons Harbor. From catching and selling crabs off the dock as a kid (to pay for candy at the old Dodson Store on Mill Creek) to now working full time fishing, oystering, and crabbing, Jason was always on the water. Jason is a licensed US Coast Guard Captain and began his career working on various charter boats in the Solomons area before harvesting seafood fulltime. Jason holds a Maryland Unlimited Tidal Fish License. His seafood is sold locally to various buyers and restaurants. In his spare time, Jason runs Quivers Charters, bowfishing and gigging snakehead. Snakehead are an invasive species in our area and Jason does his part to help reduce their numbers in our waters. Jason lives in Olivet with his wife and their dog Puck. Jason is an active member of the Calvert County Watermen's Association and serves on the Calvert County Oyster Committee.
In 1993, Simon began working for “Bunky” Connor in the waters of the Patuxent River charter and commercial fishing. While working on the Miss Teri, Kathy C., Red Osprey, Marchelle, and Aldor, Simon earned his United States Coast Guard Captain’s License and a Commercial Tidal Fish License. Captain Rachel Dean earned her Commercial Tidal Fish license and United States Coast Guard Credentials in 2004 after working on various fishing vessels including the Elizabeth S., Bay King II, Sandra Marie, and Chesapeake Charm.
In the fall of 2001, Simon and Rachel were brought together by fate. At a benefit auction for a fellow waterman, who had suffered a workplace accident, Simon was auctioned off, bought by his long time mentor, Bunky, and given (without a return receipt) to Rachel. The two were married in 2008 and began Patuxent River Seafood.
In 2009, Simon and Rachel purchased the Roughwater in hopes of expanding their commercial fishing business. Simon and Rachel spent two years preparing the vessel, and the finished product is a 40’ working Chesapeake Baybuilt. In 2014 Simon and Rachel undertook the task of redesigning a second commercial vessel later named Snatch Block. In 2018 they added a 23' Carolina Skiff to their operations. Most recently, they acquired the Zero Given, a 42' Evans bay built. Today, Patuxent River Seafood harvests and sells oysters, rockfish (striped bass), eels, perch, croaker, spot, soft crabs, and hard crabs to various local restaurants and markets.
Patuxent River Seafood is a family owned and operated business. Rachel's brother, Jason Williams, captains the Zero Given, and Rachel's mother, Elaine Williams, serves as a full time crew member. The Deans live in Lusby, Maryland with their 13-year-old daughter, Jamie, who frequently accompanies the family out on the water.
Rachel and Simon are active members of the Calvert County Watermen's Association where Rachel serves as the Association's Secretary and Simon serves as the President. So often, Rachel and Simon hear people say "I'd like to see that," and that is what inspired Solomons Island Heritage Tours.
Jason Williams
Captain Jason Williams grew up on St. John's Creek in the Solomons Harbor. From catching and selling crabs off the dock as a kid (to pay for candy at the old Dodson Store on Mill Creek) to now working full time fishing, oystering, and crabbing, Jason was always on the water. Jason is a licensed US Coast Guard Captain and began his career working on various charter boats in the Solomons area before harvesting seafood fulltime. Jason holds a Maryland Unlimited Tidal Fish License. His seafood is sold locally to various buyers and restaurants. In his spare time, Jason runs Quivers Charters, bowfishing and gigging snakehead. Snakehead are an invasive species in our area and Jason does his part to help reduce their numbers in our waters. Jason lives in Olivet with his wife and their dog Puck. Jason is an active member of the Calvert County Watermen's Association and serves on the Calvert County Oyster Committee.
Elaine Williams, Captain Jason Williams, Captain Simon Dean, Captain Rachel Dean Photo credit: Edwin Remsberg
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