Cap'n Herbie Sadler

Cap'n Herbie Sadler. The Legacy of an Eastport Waterman. , Herbert Edgar Sadler was born to a waterman's family in 1902. He began learning the trade at the age of 12, earning a penny for each fish he cleaned for a local seafood vendor. His experience led to a life's work on the water., Cap'n Sadler opened "Herbie's Crab Shack" in 1928 on the site of a former boat yard located on Spa Creek, about six blocks west of here., The business expanded in 1960, becoming known as "Sadler's Seafood." Meanwhile, he also owned the last remaining marine railway in Eastport, providing the vital service of hauling boats out of the water for annual maintenance and repairs., Cap'n Sadler used his knowledge of the Bay and his business savy to become an anchor in the local seafood industry. He earned the respect of fellow watermen and neighbors alike, and left a lasting impact on the Eastport community., "Herbie loved his family and his work," recalled Herbie's widow, the former Gladys Davidson, after his death in 1975. "He was born on the water. There were many children in Eastport, now adults who learned much from Herbie., This park is dedicated to his memory., [Image captions:] , Mending nets and keeping up his boats are a vital part of a waterman's life. "Waterman" is the local term for one who earns a living on the Bay harvesting seafood., Little HES, on display in this shed, was used for crabbing. "HES" are Cap'n Saddler's initials., Cap'n Sadler and his wood-fired crab steamer at Herbie's Crab Shack., Sadler's Seeafood and Marine Railway on the Spa Creek end of Third Street.