May River Oystermen

Story and Photography by Jack Marchese

olphins break the waters surface in pursuit of their quarry, a nesting Bald Eagle soars overhead and friendly folk on the docks and river banks smile and wave as you troll by.…another day in the life of the May River Oystermen. Oysters play a vital role in Bluffton’s economy and May River’s ecology. Having access to such exquisite shellfish resources such as fresh oysters, is one of the many wonderful qualities of living in this region.

Many local families have made their livelihood harvesting oysters from the banks of the May River for several generations. The Kidd family of Bluffton including brothers Lee, Frank, Frank’s son Frank Jr, and cousins Isaiah and Joe Spencer are 3rd and 4th generation descendents of area Oystermen. Isaiah Kidd, the owner for 15 years of Lowcountry Oyster, Clams & Crabs recounts oyster harvesting in his grandfathers day, “Picking oysters back in the 20’s and 30’s was hard and dangerous work. The men would venture out in sail and rowboats to pick oysters by hand without waders or rubber gloves (to prevent hand injury from the sharp oyster shells), it was a hard living”.

In the 1940’s and 50’s Isaiah’s father and uncles would live on an oyster-factory owned barge anchored far up the river, for days at a time. “From Sunday to Thursday they would live and sleep on the barge picking oysters at both tides” states Isaiah. In Beaufort County the oyster Industry once served a greater role in the economy with 25-30 “shucking houses” located in Bluffton and Hilton Head.

These were oyster factories that shucked the oysters by hand, then processed and canned them. In 1986 the state mandated all shellfish handling facilities to be outfitted with stainless steel technology, this forced the closing of many of the area’s shucking houses. Today the Bluffton Oyster Co. is one of only two area businesses that still process oysters for commercial consumption.

Oyster harvesting is still a dangerous, tedious, and physically exhausting occupation, although the advent of boat motors and protective clothing have significantly aided oyster harvesting since the early days. The technique of maintaining oyster beds have been passed down through the generations, “You have to tend an oyster bed much like you do a garden”, says Frank Kidd a 3rd generation Bluffton oystermen, “You have to ‘tear the bed up’ to work the oyster loose so they will grow bigger and not in large clusters”. Each oyster bed is only worked once or twice a year. It requires three years for oysters to mature (an inch a year) to a consumable size. Gathering the oysters is only half the challenge, much of the time is spent washing, cleaning and grading them.

Oyster harvesting has become a lost tradition as acknowledged by Isaiah Kidd, “The younger generation today are not as interested in a life of picking oysters, there are just easier ways to make a living”. Inclement weather, irregular low tides and an 8-month harvesting season doesn’t attract many of the area’s younger generation. The dangers of a livelihood dependant of the River became evident in recent years with the accidental deaths of two area oystermen. Hector Brown and Tyrone Smith were both experienced oystermen whom succumbed to drowning while harvesting oysters on the May River. They are both fondly remembered and missed by the community. Our oyster enjoyment is attributed to the hard work and livilihood of the May River Oystemen.

The SC Dept of Natural Resources would like to remind oyster consumers to please contribute to the Oyster Shell Recycling Program by dropping off your shucked shells to designated recycling sites or the Bluffton Oyster Company. For more information visit: http://saltwaterfishing.sc.gov/. Special Thanks to Isaiah Kidd of Lowcountry Oyster, Clams & Crabs, for sales information call 815-3526. Special Thanks also to the employees of Bluffton Oyster Company for their participation.