Prawns and Crab
Fishing with my Buddy!
We pulled this sun starfish up in one of the crab traps. You know when you really want to do something but also totally grosses you out?! That's what touching this thing was to me..
I’m from central Ontario. Landlocked, pretty flat, Ontario. Being in any kind of boat isn’t a particularly natural feeling to me. Being on the ocean is especially weird BUT when there’s a mission like getting fresh seafood?! I’m IN.
I was exploring Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island when I got a text from my buddy Stumpy. He asked, want to come out on the boat? Come to my place and we’ll get some crab! Um. Yes Please. After picking up some supplies I was at his place on the east coast of the island as fast as possible. He made launching the huge boat look easy, and we were off!
Along the way we dropped some crab and prawn traps and after a short but fun ride we landed at Savary Island. He and his wife kicked us off of the boat and told us ‘go check it out!’ The island is another world. West coast BC meets mediterranean bohemian lifestyle. The beaches were beautifully rugged, homes are made only from things that are brought on barges. Not many cars because they too would have to come by small barge. It reminded me of Costa Rica, but in a very Canadian way.
That night we slept in the ‘cuddy’. The ocean lapped against the boat HARD and made it difficult to sleep.
I really can't say enough about the awesome time I had catching prawn and crab with friends near Campbell River. What a feast we had!!!
In the dark I decided to go up onto the deck for some fresh air. I looked over the edge at the water. The waves hitting the side of the boat were GLOWING. Literal glow-in-the-dark waves. Bioluminescent algae in the water glows when agitated. I looked around and saw that other boats moored nearby were rocking in glowing waves. A purely magical moment.
The next day we pulled up the crab traps. Stumpy showed me how to clean the Dungeness crabs, still the most effective way I’ve learned. I won’t get into the gruesome details but it seems like the most ethical way to dispatch the big bug. By the time we’d gotten back to the marina we had plenty of crab and spot prawn for the night’s supper. We cooked up an awesome feast. My first time having spot prawn but certainly not the last!
