by Mary Wakefield Buxton –
URBANNA — On a stormy wintry day, March 4, 1977, just off the Honga River near Deal Island in the Chesapeake Bay, the Claud W. Somers sank in 12 feet of water with all six crew members on board. It was a tragic ending for one man’s dream.
Captain Thompson Wallace at the helm had dreamed of having his own oyster boat for many years before he was able to scrape up enough money to buy a rundown skipjack needing a lot of repairs. He was able to fix up his dream ship and went directly into the oyster business.
