Crabbing

A couple of highlights stand out in my mind when I think about crabbing. One was Kristin and Andrea throwing the net in, Andrea let go and Kristin did not. Kristin ended up cold and wet. Luckily she got pulled out before being swept under the dock or eaten by a seal. Another was crabbing off the dock at the Embarkadero and then cooking up our crabs and eating them. I wish I could say I thought it was delicious -I'd like to try them again, fresh from the sea, and see if they have improved over time.

And then there was the time I got tar all over my hands. I was kind of embarressed about it so I headed up to the bathrooms to wash it off. It didn't come off. I had remembered hearing that gasoline would take tar off. So I assumed the best thing to do was wash my hands with gasoline. Easy enough, our van was full of gasoline. So I undid the gas tank and put my finger in to get a little gas out. Little did I know that gas tanks come with a saftey valve thing so that things can go it but they can't come out. I was stuck. Stuck standing in the parking lot with my finger stuck in the gas tank all by myself. I pulled, I yanked, I twisted but nothing. I stood there and cried and prayed until finally someone else came up. We were with the Giffords and some other friends. Everyone got together and tried to pry my finger loose. They were worried it was getting swollen so they pushed ice all around it to try to keep the swelling down. Brother Gifford said I would need to just walk along side the van while they drove to the service station so they could get my finger out. I was sobbing at that point. Someone, probably David, offered to cut my finger off. Finally someone stuck a screw driver in the right spot and the valve realeased and my finger slid right out. That was a day I will never forget- and either did the Giffords apprently because it was mentioned the other night around the campfire.

Well all my crabbing tales got my kids hooked on going crabbing so we found some rings to rent and headed for the crabbing docks. I remembered right where it was - although Rick doubted me so we drove around for a while before he finally ask someone who told him the very spot I had pointed out. The laws on crabbing have changed over the last 18 years - a liscense is now required. Being the cheapskate that I am I didn't want to pay for two of them (kids are free) so Rick got one and I promised not to touch the nets. My job was to take pictures and keep Rachel out of the ocean. I gave Rick step by step instructions and he got the rings baited with frozen chicken and thrown into the ocean. I reminded everyone not to be like Aunt Kristin- and to make sure and let go of the net. Our first net caught a couple of crabs. The kids were ecstatic. I told them next step was to pick them up check to see if they were keepers and if not, throw them back. We actually threw them all back since we didn't really have a way to cook them. I showed them how to measure with a dollar bill and how to see if they were male or female.

Well Rick caustiously crouched down and put his fingers like I showed him but he just couldn't actually make himself touch the crab. It took several tries and a lot of coaxing before he would touch it. A lot more coaxing and taunting before he picked one up. Anna, Rachel and Ryan screamed and ran when the crabs started walking around the dock. Dallin was the brave one, he went over and picked several up. It took him a few tries too but he was the bravest by far. Taylor held a couple too. I really wanted to just pick one up and show them how it was done - and to prove they were a bunch of wimps but I was afraid of getting caught for crabbing without a liscense so at first I resisted. Eventually I did pick a couple up and throw them back. We caught quite a few, it was fun to pull up the nets and see the bounty. We did have a seal come around looking at our bait but he didn't get it. I couldn't help but notice the tar all over the dock - this time I didn't touch it. But all in all the it was a great experience -the kids, especailly dallin, really enjoyed it and asked to go back multiple times during the trip.