Labor Day, much more than January 1, has always felt like New Year’s.
The national rhythm of summer ending and a new school year starting is amplified on the Cape. For generations our Labor Day was the fulcrum moment when the economy flicked the switch – off for tourism, on for the rest of life. Now there’s no hard switch; it’s a gradual rheostat, dimming and brightening over time.
The holiday grew out of the American labor movement’s push to celebrate work and workers, formalized federally in 1894. That could lead us into an interesting discussion about what sorts of moments and themes we choose to celebrate in a national, sanctioned way (Presidents, Veterans, Thanks for Native American “giving,” Christmas, Mothers, Fathers though it took a lot longer, MLK), versus those we don’t (Teachers, Doctors and Nurses, Solstice, Grandparents, Rosh Hashanah).
Meanwhile, plenty of hard labor takes place around here, even if it’s not on assembly lines.
One element of local “labor” that is not organized in the union sense but surely qualifies for celebration is the work Cape Codders have always done on and around the water. So this year on Labor Day I thought I’d share a few photos meant to do that. Some of these go back a few years so capture a recent past that might no longer exist, some were taken only a few weeks ago. Some could have been taken tomorrow.
So happy New Year – I mean Labor Day.
Kathleen Gribbin, lobstering with her husband Beau (who was in the wheelhouse), along the backshore off Provincetown.
Kurt Martin, still working the ancient form of weir fishing, poles planted in Nantucket Sound off Barnstable.
John Mankevetch, aka “Johnny Clam,” aka a font of knowledge about shellfish, serving as assistant constable for propagation in Wellfleet.
Pam Lynam, who with her husband Gordon worked their dayboat dragger for many great years out of Sandwich.
Nancy Civetta, Massachusetts Shellfish Constable of the Year, using a tote aptly named.
Mark Leach, longtime lobsterman who built his own ingenious facility in Harwich to hold live lobsters that ship around the Cape and country.
Mark’s grandson Dan Buddensee — OK, I know Dan’s not working, but this pic is too cool to pass up!
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