(This story appears on page 56 of the November issue of Proptalk)
by Jim Heim
Ed Darwin, the captain. Before I ever met him, I knew his reputation. He’s the man who knows where to find fish. He understands the intricacies of the Bay. He’s an old-time charter captain who can go out and put his party on fish. If the first spot doesn’t work, he moves to another. He fishes some obvious structures (lighthouses) and some not-so-obvious structure (bars and wrecks). More often than not, when he takes a party out, they catch fish. Most days his parties catch rockfish first until they reach their limit. Then, he and his mate Jim change tactics and their party catches white perch or whatever is running. However, what you never hear about Captain Ed is that he has another hidden talent; one that only those closest to him have discovered.
If you are lucky enough to be invited upstairs at his marina on Mill Creek, you’ll step into another world. It’s a small museum of carved and painted birds and fish. More than just decoys, these are wooden sculptures of largemouth bass, bluefish, rockfish, loons, and all manner of fish and birds, some suspended in the air with wings extended. There is even a scale model of his flagship, the Becky D. One of the most striking is a gannet, a large sea bird, that hangs in front of the window overlooking Mill Creek.
I asked Captain Ed how he started carving. Before he became a charter captain he taught shop, mechanical drawing, and electronics at Southern High School in Baltimore City for 31 years. He started his charter business early on in his teaching career, as teaching during the normal school year was compatible with his fledgling charter business.
Once he retired from teaching and went full-time chartering, he discovered that in the off season and days between parties there was little to do. Carving was “something to do in the winter,” he says. Largely self-taught, he did seek out some experts: Billy Hoxter on Kent Island and Charlie Bryan in Middle River, who was no youngster when he met him. I asked who taught him how to use an air-brush. His answer was that he just figured it out on his own. These days, his favorite woods for carving are tupelo and bass wood.
His basement workshop is a hodgepodge of carving space, tools, paints, marine equipment, and tools. There are also some paintings on his walls. He’s definitely a man of many talents. Captain Ed Darwin’s works grace the desks and bookshelves of many folks around town. By his own admission, he sold some but gave most away. He is truly a man for all seasons.
(This story appears on page 56 of the November issue of Proptalk)
by Jim Heim
Ed Darwin, the captain. Before I ever met him, I knew his reputation. He’s the man who knows where to find fish. He understands the intricacies of the Bay. He’s an old-time charter captain who can go out and put his party on fish. If the first spot doesn’t work, he moves to another. He fishes some obvious structures (lighthouses) and some not-so-obvious structure (bars and wrecks). More often than not, when he takes a party out, they catch fish. Most days his parties catch rockfish first until they reach their limit. Then, he and his mate Jim change tactics and their party catches white perch or whatever is running. However, what you never hear about Captain Ed is that he has another hidden talent; one that only those closest to him have discovered.
If you are lucky enough to be invited upstairs at his marina on Mill Creek, you’ll step into another world. It’s a small museum of carved and painted birds and fish. More than just decoys, these are wooden sculptures of largemouth bass, bluefish, rockfish, loons, and all manner of fish and birds, some suspended in the air with wings extended. There is even a scale model of his flagship, the Becky D. One of the most striking is a gannet, a large sea bird, that hangs in front of the window overlooking Mill Creek.
I asked Captain Ed how he started carving. Before he became a charter captain he taught shop, mechanical drawing, and electronics at Southern High School in Baltimore City for 31 years. He started his charter business early on in his teaching career, as teaching during the normal school year was compatible with his fledgling charter business.
Once he retired from teaching and went full-time chartering, he discovered that in the off season and days between parties there was little to do. Carving was “something to do in the winter,” he says. Largely self-taught, he did seek out some experts: Billy Hoxter on Kent Island and Charlie Bryan in Middle River, who was no youngster when he met him. I asked who taught him how to use an air-brush. His answer was that he just figured it out on his own. These days, his favorite woods for carving are tupelo and bass wood.
His basement workshop is a hodgepodge of carving space, tools, paints, marine equipment, and tools. There are also some paintings on his walls. He’s definitely a man of many talents. Captain Ed Darwin’s works grace the desks and bookshelves of many folks around town. By his own admission, he sold some but gave most away. He is truly a man for all seasons.