Saturday, May 31, 2008

A Day of Clamming

Yesterday was the first day I've been clamming this season. We left the dock right after noon and were out in the Sound in short order. Four of us got our limit (200 clams per boat) in about an hour. There is nothing quite like wading out in Pamlico Sound on a bright spring day, pushing a clam rake along the sandy bottom. It is just plain relaxing and thoroughly satisfying. You simply walk along, taking in the beauty of the sky, water, and surrounding islands, watching pelicans diving and crabs scurrying nearby, happy to be alive. The dull clunk of the metal tines against a clam shell brings you back to practical concerns, and before you know it your wire basket is so full it is sinking below the surface.

Back home you open your clams, top them with bacon & Parmesan cheese, and arrange them on a cookie sheet. Invite some friends over and slide the clams under the broiler. Fifteen or twenty minutes later scoop them out of their shells and lay them on saltines. Your "clams casino" couldn't be any fresher, or tastier. Savor them with your favorite drink while sitting on the pizer, chatting about the day as the sun sinks lower in the western sky.

It's hard to find a more rewarding way to spend a spring day.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the brave and courageous members of the US Life Saving Service. You can read it here.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:06 PM

    Sounds like paradise to me!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:22 AM

    Phillip - try topping them in this order with a touch of pesto then diced green peppers and onions, then monterey jack cheese, then the bacon and broil.

    ReplyDelete
  3. As hot as it was yesterday, being out in the cool waters of Pamlico Sound must have been truly refreshing, making clamming that much better than usual!

    ReplyDelete