At the Bay
Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States.  It lies off the Atlantic
Ocean, next to Maryland and Virginia.  The bay area has long been known for its
beauty and for its seafood production, especially blue crabs, oysters and clams.
The  Story of the Starfish
However, it's less productive than it used to be due to pollution - run-off from urban
areas on the western shore and from farms on the eastern shore - and from over-
harvesting.  Twenty years ago, the bay supported over 6,000 full-time oystermen.
Today, there are fewer than 500.  The process to restore the bay has been difficult.
Photos on this page were taken in Maryland - most in the Chesapeake Bay area.
saw someone moving, bending and then wading into the waves, arms
extended.  He thought someone was dancing to the beauty of the day.
Once upon a time, there was a man who used to go to the ocean for
inspiration to do his writing.  In the morning, he usually walked on the beach
before he began his work.  One day, as he was walking along the shore, he
But as he got closer, he saw that it was a young girl and she wasn't dancing,
she was reaching down, picking up something and throwing it gently into
the ocean.  He called out, "Good morning!  What are you doing?"
The girl replied, "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
The man looked at her incredulously.  "Why?"
"Because the sun is up and the tide is going out.  If I don't throw
them in, they'll be stranded on the beach and die."
"But, don't you realize that there are thousands of miles of beach and
starfish all along the way.  You can't possibly make a difference."
The girl paused and considered.  Then, she bent down, picked up another
starfish and threw it into the sea.  She watched the wave lift it high and
then it sank into the life-giving water.
"It made a difference for that one," she said.
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