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.
