This oral history interview, conducted on July 1, 2000, by Steve Warwick for Long Island Traditions, features Donald Allen Bevelander, a long-time bayman from Sayville, New York. Born on June 17, 1912, in West Sayville, Bevelander provides a detailed account of his life and experiences working on the Great South Bay. He discusses his early life, including moving to Sayville in 1940 and his service during World War II. Bevelander recalls his involvement in community activities, such as organizing the Sayville Little League and serving in the Sayville Fire Department for several decades. Bevelander’s narrative covers the hardships and routines of a bayman's life, from starting work on the bay at a young age with his father and brothers to the various fishing and clamming techniques employed over the years. He describes the challenges faced during the Great Depression, the importance of self-reliance, and the impact of environmental changes on the bay’s ecosystem. Bevelander reflects on the evolution of the bay, noting the decline in clam and oyster populations due to pollution and commercial pressures. He also shares anecdotes about the camaraderie among baymen and the changes in the community and bay over time. The interview provides a rich, first-hand account of the cultural and environmental history of the Great South Bay, illustrating the life of a traditional bayman and the significant transformations in the bay’s ecology and local industry over the 20th century.