The Marines haven’t landed in Mathews County, but a military landing craft tied off along the Piankatank River at Hallieford makes it appear as though they have.

Brothers Jason and Jordan Podd, who grew up in Mathews, purchased the old Army LARC at scrap prices from a private seller in Annapolis, Maryland, with the idea of using it for an oyster business they plan to start in the county.

On April 24, they sailed the 24’ x 65’ vessel down the Chesapeake Bay toward the city of Chesapeake, where they planned to do some work on it. The boat would only travel 4 mph, said Jordan, and 28 hours after they started, they were near Gwynn’s Island when the engine started giving them trouble. They were able to repair it enough to limp along to the home of George Pongonis, which is adjacent to the public beach on the Piankatank River at the end of Godfrey Bay Road, and they left it there, with his permission.

“It was (either) put it on a random beach on Gwynn’s...