Tangier, Virginia, Captain Mark Haynie retires

Ferried tourists and residents from island to Maryland for 15 years

By Miles Layton

Tangier Post Facebook Page

TANGIER, VIRGINIA — Townfolk came out to congratulate Captain Mark Haynie, who is retiring after ferrying thousands of tourists between the Maryland mainland and Tangier Island for the past 15 years.

On a Friday in July 2024, the Tangier Volunteer Fire Department used a hose to spray water high in the air over Haynie’s boat, Sharon Kay III, as it motored toward the town dock where a crowd awaited to thank the good captain for his service.

Mayor James “Ooker” Eskridge gave a short speech to mark the occasion of Haynie’s last run to Tangier.

“Mark would always be willing to add special and emergency medical charters. At any time, day or night, Mark could be counted on, even in the dead of night, hauled out of bed for a medical emergency. Tonight marks his last official regular run. Fair winds are following seas as you enter retirement, Captain. Your rest is well earned and deserved. You will be sorely missed.”

With a skilled hand behind the wheel, Haynie is comfortable piloting the Sharon Kay III, which holds up to 29 passengers, as he ferries tourists back and forth seven days a week across the Tangier Sound between the island where he grew up and Crisfield, Maryland.

“Yeah. I’m going to miss it,” said Haynie, a native of Tangier Island. “I’ll miss talking to people and dealing with people. I’m going to miss it.”

Being a waterman comes naturally to Haynie, 71, who spent a lifetime crabbing and oystering on the Chesapeake Bay before turning his wheel toward the ferry service in 2008. The trip between the island and Crisfield takes about 45 minutes where folks can see Smith Island, Maryland, and other barrier islands. Approaching Tangier, tourists revel at the iconic Swain Memorial Methodist Church or the water tower in the distance as the boat approaches the crab shanties bordering the harbor.

“The trip is pretty easy most of the time,” Haynie said. “Most times, the weather’s pretty good. Winter time, you have some bad trips. But yeah, I’ve enjoyed almost every minute of it.”

Cruising the Chesapeake Bay can be a pleasant experience with smooth waters or a bit more animated crossing because strong winds and bad weather mean steering through rough waves.

“Well, we had one time that we had a funeral,” Haynie said. “It was like we had, like when we got in Crisfield we had 60-65 mph winds, so that was too dangerous to be out in, but that hit us while we’re out there. We made it in with 23 people.”

A skilled waterman, Allen Parks is taking over Haynie’s route to bring tourists to Tangier and make other important runs as needed 12-13 miles away to Crisfield, Haynie said.

So what’s next for Haynie? He’s too skilled as a captain to sit on the dock of the bay wasting time as the Otis Redding song says.

“Well, I’d like to find something to do. I got a smaller boat. I could travel around in her and all. There’s some fishing and crabbing, fishing,” Haynie said.