THE CHESAPEAKE BAY'S BEST HANDS-ON TOUR

Experience the Chesapeake Bay with an authentic working waterman as your personal guide.

Build Your Tour

For centuries, watermen have worked the creeks and rivers of tidewater Virginia, bringing the best the Chesapeake Bay region has to offer to markets nationwide. Now, through the watermen’s heritage tour program, visitors to Virginia can experience the time-honored history and traditions of our working watermen up-close and personal.

Explore these pages and find the perfect tour for you and your family or group. Once you decide on a destination, contact our participating captains directly to create your own personal Chesapeake Bay experience. Come and see the Bay through the eyes of an authentic working waterman, experience their culture and history and hear their individual stories (and take home a few of your own to cherish for years to come)!

Welcome home to tidewater Virginia – we look forward to seeing you out on the water.

The Tours

Visitors can choose from a wide range of on-the-water, customizable activities, including:

Oystering

Hands-on tonging, patent tonging, dredging and aquaculture operations for oysters.

Crabbing

Pulling crab pots, pulling bank traps or shedding operations.

Fishing

Charter fishing, head boat fishing, gill or pound netting.

Local Historical Sites & Landmarks

Lighthouse tours, historic homes and/or places of interest .

Water-to-table Seafood Tastings

Shucking and eating oysters and clams, picking steamed crabs and enjoying other bounty of the sea!

Scenic Cruises

Sunset cruises, transportation to local restaurants, “cruises to nowhere” or specific destinations as requested.

Wildlife / Birdwatching

Watching dolphins, pelicans, turtles, osprey, eagles or other wildlife seasonally.

"Floating Classroom" for Students & Teachers

Designed with teachers to dovetail with class curricula.

Customized Trips Tailored to Specific Needs

Wide ranging variety depending on the individual customer.
Build Your Tour

Meet the Captains

William Saunders

Come explore the Rappahannock and Corrotoman Rivers, nearby Carter Creek and surrounding Lancaster County, VA with Captain William Saunders.

Location: Irvington, VA

Forrest Dameron

Captain Dameron is a 4th generation waterman that has worked the rivers and creeks of the lower Northern Neck of Virginia his entire life.

Location: Heathsville, VA

John Satterly

Come enjoy Tidewater Virginia from the perspective of the watermen, the deck of a boat. Cruise the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay aboard...

Location: Deltaville, VA
All Captains

Partners

© 2023 Virginia Watermen's Heritage Tours
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