Went back to Charleston Marina to do some clamming. Had a real great Low tide at 3:53 pm. -0.1. I figured with this low tide I would knock them dead, or at least Helen would. From what I recall last year when we went clamming she out did me. She is always considerate and thinking about my welfare and what I am doing. Not many wife's out there like she is. What other wife would go sloshing around in the mud with you. Anyway another saga from my love story you know (Days of our Lives) .
The weather was clear, cool and not much wind, but enough for a light jacket. Knowing that the clamming was going to be good. We went north of the Port Side Resturant. Looked promising since water from the bay was so far out. I figure hardly anybody had been out there for awhile.
We ran into a gentleman that was tubing for sand shrimp along the shore to use for bait. He said they are great for catching ocean perch. From what I have heard this is supposed to be one of the best baits you can use for ocean perch.
After walking, or should I say sloshing about in the muck with my waders we made it about ¼ mile. Of course there were hundreds of Seagulls looking for freebie meals also.
Typical cockle clam bed
Helen had her trusty rake and I had my jim dandy clamming shovel. We were armed to kill, along with my wind sock plastic bucket that you can read about in an earlier post. After about 45 minutes of clamming with not hardly any lucky, we figured it was time to quit.
We did however, get close to one limit of Cockle clams, which is 20. I figured with the 6 we dug a few days ago there would be enough to make us a meal... The real trick I found about clamming in the mud is not to stand in one place too long. Otherwise your feet get stuck like a toilet plunger and you play hell moving again.
There are several names for these clams.
COCKLE, HEART CLAM, OR PIPPIE ClAM
Now with my bad hip this is a problem since my balance is not the greatest anymore. One time I fell and I looked like maybe I was trying to kiss the mud. I know people in the restaurant at the Port Side were probably watching me. You know how the feeling goes. You kind of wish maybe you could have disappeared and nobody would have seen you. Well I hope they got a good laugh out of me on that one.
Hey, thats what life is all about. Would be boring if things like this never happened right? Well why does it seem to always happen to me?
When we got home I put the clams in a bucket with some cornmeal to let them soak to flush out the sand. Did this over night and then put the little critters to bed in a bowl in the refrigerator with a wet towel laid over them. They say this is the best way to keep them alive for at least 5 to 8 days.
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