Crabbing is one of Puget Sound’s most popular recreational fisheries. Each year, sport fishers catch around two million pounds of Dungeness crab, using pots, ring nets and – in the case of wade and dive fishers – their bare hands.
Cancer magister, simply means "master crab" in Latin. It inhabits eelgrass beds and water bottoms from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to Santa Cruz, California. "Dungies" are in the Rock Crab family. Their shell is a light greenish-brown on back and turns red when cooked. The underside is a whitish to light orange. Only males are harvested. They must measure 6 1/4 inches across the back. They usually weigh between 1 1/2 - 3 lbs and reach maturity at about 2 years.
Check the Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife Shellfish regulations Here
Dungies taste the very best if you can get it alive and boil it yourself, but is also often sold pre-cooked and cleaned. Cooking: Turn up the radio loud first thing so you can't hear them scream. (Just kidding, theres no sounds) Place the live crabs in boiling, salted water. When the water begins to boil, cook for 18 to 20 minutes. The crab will turn bright orange. Immerse the crab in cold water before cleaning. Pull the shell off, remove the insides, gills, and rinse clean. Of course theres many recipies for crab, but I personally prefer it simply dipped in melted garlic butter.
This cache was placed while I was down visiting the beach on a cold windy day. The lighthouse is straight out in view from the parking. And turn around to see the always impressive Olympic mountains looming in their majesty. I've come here many many times over the years to just sit and think, birdwatch or to walk the beach.
**While it's seems a little secluded, it's often a bit busy on weekends with muggles. Please use stealth as needed, lets keep those TB's safe!
Nearby you'll notice the flattened ground where 3 Crabs Restaurant use to be. Once upon a time it was considered a premier NW seafood restaurant. I was lucky enough to have enjoyed it as far back as the All You Can Eat days. Over time just as the paint faded, so did it's infamy and glory. Now just a memory like the pilings in the bay of days gone by. Some may see this listing and remember my previous cache here "Got Crabs". It's same but now bigger and better. :)
