730AM low tide at Mitchelville Beach. Good morning, world.
Shellfish season for South Carolina officially opened on October first and yesterday was my first opportunity to go clam digging this season. Clam digging is done a few hours on either side of low tide, so my friend Joanne and I decided to head out at dead low tide, a bright and early (and fantastically beautiful) 730 in the morning. The sun rising over the mud flats is a sight to behold and worth venturing out for, even without the clams.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) maintains state shellfish beds for the commercial and recreational harvesting of clams, mussels, and oysters. The beds for Hilton Head Island can be found in the South Edisto-Savannah River region (click on the map to zoom in). The Mitchelville Beach area is a recreational area and this is where I go (although I won’t divulge my preferred area, sorry). A saltwater fishing license is required to harvest shellfish (and blue crabs), but visitor’s can purchase a 2-week license easily online for only $11.
Me and my canine companions. The doggies don’t find clams nearly as interesting as the dead horseshoe crabs on the shore.
Although SCDNR regulations allow me to take a half bushel (!!) twice a week, I have no need for that many clams at a time, even when I’m feeding the family. All I take out is my blue beach bucket and a hand rake. At the top of the bucket you will see two black lines an inch apart. That is my guide to make sure all my clams meet the one inch minimum thickness required to legally take them. After digging however many I want (about a gallon by volume usually), I top the bucket off with saltwater.
Look at these beauties.
The clams will survive for a few days in the fridge stored in an open bowl with the water they came home in. Add a handful of cornmeal to the bowl to encourage the clams to expel any grit and you can scrub them up and cook as desired. I plan to go out a few times this month, to enjoy both the bounty to be found and the sheer awesomeness of being outside on Port Royal Sound in the fall. Check back and I’ll share some recipes for these critters. Have a happy. happy day!!
And of course I had to go mucking around when I was done. Gotta love the pluff mud! Just make sure your shoes are strapped on tight.
