Trav25

Hello,

Planning to visit seattle mid May. I will be going with my 2 1/2 year old son and thinking of going clam digging, something I can't do in So.Cal.

Is it possible to go for clam digging in May? if so, where would you recommend? I know I won't be getting razor clam, but I would love to show him "Live clam from the beach" . Don'd care too much of variety on clams either...anything with tow shells will do LOL. I will be staying in seattle area, hopefully not too far from the city.

Thanks in advance!

Travis

suze

I'll top this post since no one's chimed in yet.

I live in Seattle & the only place I've every gone clamming was out at the coast (Pacific Ocean) Westport, Graylands, Tokeland which is a 3 hour drive each way.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will see this & reply if there's somewhere closer to the city.

Gardyloo

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish.html

Look at the .pdf bar chart - you may also need a map to see where these places are located relative to Seattle.

Gardyloo

Meant to add,

I will be going with my 2 1/2 year old son and thinking of going clam digging, something I can't do in So.Cal.

?? Say what ?? Haven't you been to Pismo Beach? Best clamming on the west coast IMO - the Pismo clams are ginormous and quite wonderful, and way easier to harvest than razors or geoducks.

Bobmrg

Right on, gardyloo. Has everyone forgotten that one of comic actor W. C. Fields' phony names was A. Pismo Clam?? Or am I the only one who knows who WCF was??

Trav25

Pismo beach is nice...but it's 4 hours away from where I am. I am hoping somewhere closer (from seattle) since I will visit seattle anyways. I have this image(possibly not correct ) that washington state beach has colder water, hence cleaner clams.

Thanks for your inputs!

BKP

Are you specifically interested in only clams -- or any little beach/sea creature? The Seattle Aquarium runs a program that trains Beach Naturalists, who then go out to local beaches and explain to anyone that will listen, about all the different plants and animals at that beach.

Here is a list of the beaches and dates for 2010:http://www.seattleaquarium.org/NetCo...nt.Doc?id=1009

My sister is a Beach Naturalist and loves it. Some of them might want to share more information than you (or your two year old) can handle. But, I'm sure most of them will just be more than happy to point out anything interesting.

BKP

Oh darn -- just saw that you'll be in Seattle mid May and most of the Beach Naturalist days aren't happening until the end of May! Well -- at least the link gives you some options for beaches that will have something interesting, even if no one will be there to explain them to you!

enzian

May is a good time; we generally get some very low tides then. Close to Seattle, Vashon Island has some public beaches where you can dig clams, but we tried last Memorial Day weekend and found only moon snails (which eat clams) and dead clams.

We've had very good luck up by Port Townsend in the past, but I don't know if that's too far. It's an hour and 15 minutes once you get off the Bainbridge ferry. It's closer to the ocean and maybe the water is cleaner there.

There might be some clamming beaches on Bainbridge but I don't know. Maybe you could call the hardware store over there (where they sell licenses) and ask.

The bar chart on Gardyloo's link lists beaches which have restricted openings for shellfish harvest; others are open year 'round.

christabir

Trav25-

Cleaner water=cleaner clams. Temp makes no difference. (you are what you eat). No matter where you go, please make sure you dig in certified water. Lots if ick gets into the water especially after a hard rain.