p3

Recent Crabbing

by Curt Whaddya' mean did I get my limit, does a bear shit in the woods? Haney

On Sunday 23 March Carol, Roy, Ginny and I paddled the Oakland Estuary and had a ball. I would highly recommend it, you can put in Oakland at a city park just south of Jack London Square. There is an easy to access boat ramp, free parking, bathrooms, picnic area, and fresh water if you bring your own hose.

On Monday I decided to go crabbing. I put in at Baker Beach and spent 4 hours paddling out to the point and near China Beach.

I dropped my two traps in several locations during that time. I used squid and cat food for bait and dropped them in 45 to 55 feet of water. In all, I caught 4 Dungeness and six rock crabs. While I was pulling my first trap my boat almost flipped over twice in a row, it felt like I was being lifted out of the water. I looked to my right and here were two dolphins on the surface three feet away looking at me, and one of them talked to me in dolphin language. I think he said, "hey, where are our crabs?" I was just taking the first crab out of the trap at that time.

They disappeared and I continued sorting crab and throwing back the small ones. Then a little later about fifteen of them showed up and started circling my boat. They hung around for about five minutes and then left, guess there were no more free handouts. The wind came up and it started to white cap and get rough so I was pulling my crab pot to leave and I see a boat racing toward me, I thought it might be fish and game. It was the SF-PD boat with two officers on it. They wanted to know if I was OK, I said yes and that I was headed in. I wish they would show up that quick when I report all the crack sales going down in front of my house on Sadowa St.

I got back in without flipping in the surf and when I was pulling the crab out of the kayak one of them got stuck. I had to lay down and reach inside for it, when I did he got hold of my finger and ripped a good chunk out of it. Good thing I had my first aid kit with me, it came in handy for once. I think Pacifica and Half Moon Bay is still easier for getting crab but I would go back on a nice day.