Volunteer Profile: The Winnie Estelle Crew

By Eric Detweiler

Over nine seasons cruising the Miles River on Winnie Estelle, members of the venerable 1920 buyboat’s volunteer crew have no shortage of wonderful memories.

Ask for their favorites, and you’ll hear tales of shy children finding their confidence with the captain behind Winnie’s steering wheel, brides and grooms savoring a bit of their special day on the open water, dolphins gleefully leaping through the bow wave to the equal delight of the passengers on board, and many more unforgettable snapshots in time.

Ultimately, no two trips are exactly the same, and that’s part of the fun.

“Whenever people come off the boat happy, that’s a good day,” volunteer Mary Sue Traynelis said.

Since joining CBMM’s floating fleet in 2014, Winnie Estelle has hosted more than 19,000 guests, offering both a wide-ranging exploration of the area on the water and a window into its own unique history.

A dedicated volunteer crew of 25—30 handles the dual role of entertaining guests with their knowledge of both the boat and the Chesapeake region while keeping things running smoothly on the 103-year-old buyboat.

While the team changes from year to year, they are bound by the same passion for the work and the impact they can make providing a memorable experience for guests from around the world.

“It’s a really special group,” said Bob Stelmaszek, who has been a volunteer captain throughout Winnie’s time at CBMM. “The camaraderie’s great.

When you’re bringing people with different backgrounds and different capabilities and creating a team that functions as a single unit, it can be a challenge, but with the Winnie team that we’ve had, it’s never been too difficult.”

For volunteers, there’s dedicated training involved, both on supporting the boat’s operations and interpreting the experience for guests. That means knowing the ins and outs of a 21-page operations manual and much more.

The crew regularly leads ecology cruises, often for school-age groups, that explore the Miles and encompass the fish, crabs, and oysters below the surface, birds on the hunt above it, and even the water itself.

Each trip is a living history lesson, and the volunteers detail Winnie’s colorful past with the help of a photo board that traces the boat’s winding path over more than a century.

“It’s a constant learning experience,” Traynelis said. “People ask us questions and we tell them what we know, but if I get a question I can’t answer, I’m forced to either go find somebody who has the answer or I’ve got to go read another book or look it up so that next time I’m asked that question, I know more about it. Then, we share what we’ve learned with each other.”

Sometimes, the passengers themselves help further the story. Most notable on that front was a visit from Roberto Smith, who salvaged and restored the boat in Belize and ran it as a tour boat before it was returned to its native Chesapeake waters.

Another time, Ed Marshall climbed aboard for the first time in four decades and shared memories of his father, Watson (Shug) Marshall Jr., a Crisfield waterman who owned and operated the vessel during the 1960s and ’70s.

“The people you meet are a lot of fun,” said volunteer captain Lloyd Devigne. “We have met people that have worked on the boat and helped restore it, people who have seen it in Belize, people whose ancestors were buyboat captains. It’s just really interesting to hear their stories.”

It takes the full crew to handle Winnie Estelle’s busy schedule, which has traditionally stretched from May—October.

Of course, things come up for crew members throughout the season, and when they do, the volunteers work together to find replacements to fill the roles and make sure the show goes on, whether it’s providing a prime vantage point for log canoe races, a lesson for a scout troop, or a fun backdrop for a private event.

Many longtime volunteers got their start as part of the crew on CBMM’s previous buyboat, Mister Jim. Ultimately, they keep coming back year after year because they believe in CBMM’s mission and appreciate the chance to share their passion out on the water.

“Children of all ages just have such a good time on Winnie,” Traynelis said. “It doesn’t matter whether they’re 8 or 80. Out on the water, it doesn’t take much to get people excited, and we get excited, too.”

“It’s just a lot of fun,” Stelmaszek added. “I couldn’t ask for a better experience than my eight or so years running Winnie Estelle.”

For now, the group will eagerly await Winnie Estelle’s return to the water as its refit, including the replacement of its keel, is completed this year.

In the meantime, Devigne and others still have the opportunity to tell the boat’s story as Shipyard interpreters, and many members of the Winnie crew are looking forward to helping lead tours on other vessels in the floating fleet as the 2023 boating season begins.

“I’m proud to be part of the team,” Devigne said. “It’s a good-natured group of people who are dedicated to providing a safe, really interesting guest experience, and I’m anxious to get back on the water with them.” ★