Yes, it seems almost criminal to just walk along a beach on a balmy afternoon and pick up a feast of fresh seafood. I mean, clams and oysters are just sitting out there, helplessly exposed, waiting for the tide to come in. With the news that 70 acres of prime shellfishing tidelands were recently opened for the first time since 1987, we packed our bags for the little town of Brinnon on the Hood Canal. If you don’t mind parking-lot camping, the Dosewallips State Park is a nice place to stay. April showers keep the crowds down. We found a quiet spot right by the river.
Hunter’s and Gatherer’s Paradise
How many oysters in this picture? Lots!
Minus tides were in early afternoon, which was perfect. I would hardly call this hunting – the oysters are everywhere. In fact, it’s hard to find a spot where they aren’t! The rule is that you have to shuck the oysters on the beach so the shells can provide a substrate for the next generation. The trick, once you get your oyster knife in, is to sever the foot that attaches the animal to the shell, located on either side, kind of in the middle and slightly toward the outer edge – and the shell will open easily. The thing about shell cuts is that they get infected easily, so gloves would have been nice. So yes, there is a little work involved here. And possibly pain and suffering.
Littleneck vs. horse clams - go for the littlenecks
Clams take a little more hunting. We found several varieties: Manila and native littlenecks, butter clams, horse clams, and others. You don’t need a big shovel, which can cause a lot of damage to the intertidal communities. Just take along a small garden claw to gently rake the sand back a few inches and the littleneck clams are just below the surface. If you hit black, you’re in an anoxic zone without much oxygen. You can find them there, but they prefer the more sand and gravel mix that provides more water and air to breathe.
These snails drill into the oysters. I call them Corkscrew Killers.
The butter and horse clams, which are quite a bit larger than the littlenecks, generally live a little deeper in the sand but can be found mixed in with everything else. I have been told that because of their larger siphons & size, they are more likely to reach and accumulate toxins, but according to the Health Dept., everything was safe this weekend. Some people prefer these larger clams for chowder, but personally, I think they tend to be rather tough, they have a lot more sand in the siphons, and sometimes they have a weird gooey center – so I prefer to stick with the littlenecks.
And here’s a handy trick: bring along a bucket and a mesh bag. Put some seawater in the bucket and suspend your clams in the bag in the water. The clams will be happier, and when they settle down, will purge the sand inside them. When it’s time to eat them, you’ll get less grit.
Saturday’s rain and a short blast of hail sent a few running for cover, but most stayed to get their limits. That evening, wave after wave of hard rain drove through, which is how it can be out there in April, but Sunday, a completely different story: it was so balmy, it almost felt like summer.
Oyster-clam feast
At our campsite, we steamed our clams gently on a grill and dipped them in a little butter and lemon. I had forgotten flour or crackers, but we did have some instant mashed potatoes on hand, and even though I am generally a fresh-food person, I have to say, rolling the oysters in the powdered potatoes seasoned with a little garlic, pan-frying them, and then dipping them in our famous Hood Canal secret sauce (consisting of ketchup, horseradish, & lemon juice) was absolutely incredible! Back at home, we had a few more oysters simmered in fresh raw milk from the Dungeness Valley Creamery – added a little onion & a few of the last of our garden potatoes and a little crumbled bacon – end result: a very simple oyster stew that is incredibly tasty!
Limits are 40 clams 1.5″ and larger; 18 oysters 2.5″ or more – per person. You know, that’s a LOT of clams & oysters. So yes, such easy pickins and having such a good time doing it DOES seem almost criminal, but they’re best fresh, so invite your friends and enjoy them while you can! Seriously, it doesn’t get much better!
Important Links:
Go to the Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife for info on where the beaches are, what you can collect, and more info on species.
Go to the Dept. of Health Hotline for closure announcements and info on biotoxins.
Check this Saltwater Tide site for dates, times, and levels of high and low tides along Hood Canal or anywhere on the Olympic Peninsula. (More low tides at the end of the month!)