The Seeds of a Comeback?
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- Written by Kris Legates
Oyster hatchery may be the first step in revitalizing a lost industry
By Maddie Lauria
Photograph by Scott Nathan
From the August 2023 issue
In a nondescript building along the banks of the Broadkill River in Lewes, roughly 1 million babies were born on a warm May day. Not human babies, of course, but baby oysters that could one day thrive in Delaware’s coastal waters.
These budding shellfish are the offspring of a years-long effort to bring a basic component to a fledgling oyster aquaculture industry. They are the first batch spawned in a new hatchery that experts hope will serve Delaware’s growing shellfish aquaculture industry as well as support oyster restoration efforts in Rehoboth and Indian River bays as well as Delaware Bay.
I Ink, Therefore I Am
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- Written by Kris Legates
Tattooists leave an indelible mark on many a beachgoer. That’s by design.
By Bill Newcott
Photograph by Carolyn Watson
From the August 2023 issue
My friend Bill Brown knows for sure why he wants a phoenix, the mythical bird that rose from its own ashes, tattooed on his upper left arm.
“I’ve come through a lot,” he explains, without really explaining too much.
On his phone, Bill’s even got a photo of a phoenix tat that he found online: a wispy black avian with triumphantly outstretched wings.
Matt Brownlee, a veteran artist at Tough Luck Tattoo near Lewes, takes Bill’s phone in his hands for a better look.
“Is this exactly what you want?” he asks, his face expressionless.
Rock On!
- Details
- Written by Kris Legates
Demand for live entertainment is high in coastal Delaware. These musicians are answering the call.
By Pam George
Photograph by Scott Nathan
From the July 2023 issue
When Jake Banaszak and B.J. Muntz moved from New Castle County to coastal Delaware in 2004, they planned to stay only for the summer. The musicians were looking for gigs, and they’d spotted an increased demand for bands at the beach. The relocation was well worth it. “We never left,” Banaszak says.
Their band, Lower Case Blues, is playing six nights a week this summer — one less than in 2022 because everyone needs a break, Banaszak says. “There’s no shortage of work, that’s for sure.”
Lower Case Blues isn’t the only group with a packed schedule. The Hot Sauce Band, known for its very lively, mostly instrumental music with a Latin flair and unexpected song choices, performs up to 11 times a week, according to percussionist Michael Shockley. His brother, Ed, is equally busy playing with The Funsters and Vinyl Shockley, among several others.