Mini Mariners Program

Stan Jones, Harbor Master of the Charleston Harbor Marina, runs a kids program for his marina residents and visitors. The program, called Mini Mariners , teaches kids about different aspects of their marine environment.  Stan asked if he could have a trap at the marina for the Mini Mariners. Periodically we stop by to get gas, say 'Hey', and check on things. And if we have extra bait .... we donate !

While leaving the marina, Josiah spotted the sun set over the peninsula city. He grabbed the camera and snapped this shot. The folks at Charleston Harbor Marina have it made in the shade.

Despite the mocking origins of Charleston being tagged the Holy City, the splendor of the Lord reigns down over the skyline.

It runs and runs good!

As those who follow this blog have been aware, we have had a constant string of trouble with the 225hp Yamaha OX-66 purchased for this research project.  In that 'engine talk' is not particularly tantalizing journalism, our followers have been spared the infinite, unyielding details.

Yesterday, for the first time in 8 months of operating this engine, I was able to run the kids out to the crab grounds, pull pots, and get back to the landing without any sputtering, skipping, or knocking.  What a huge relief.  And, a pleasure to finally begin to develop some degree of confidence in this engine.

Some months ago I decided to try and track down this rough running problem that has plagued this engine.  After some tinkering and fiddling around, I found that one of the coils had a different ohm reading than the other five coils. Changing that single coil rendered instant success. The engine's idle smoothed out beautifully.  (Question: Is it socially acceptable for a grown man to cry over a smooth running engine?) I made an immediate beeline for the landing and put the boat in the water for a test ride. The idle was perfect. When I reached the end of the creek, I gave it the throttle and the boat leaped forward with power. As the boat planed out and cut through the water that urge to cry with joy was about to burst forth. And then the sputtering started. The power eroded. The hull struggled to stay on plane. And that urge to cry came back really strong. (Question: Is this form of crying socially acceptable? - No.  Potential emotional breakdown? - Yes.)

Every indicator pointed to either a $900 high pressure fuel pump or a $1200 computer because this sputtering only happened at high RPM.  Oh goody!  Clyde Umphlete of Liberty Marine had offered to  help but I knew that he was incredibility busy trying to keep up with summer business. With the cooling weather Clyde was able to pull away long enough for a test ride. Long story made short, Clyde found the problem. A clogged oxygen sensor was the culprit. A 'dog bone' valve in the sensor was making the engine run like a dog. But now, thanks to Clyde, it runs great. So good in fact, that a lesser man may have been tempted to cry!

** A link to Liberty Marine can be found in the sponsors section of this site. Just click on the Statue of Liberty. **

Crabb'in -n- Contrasts

Working on the water constantly presents new challenges and unexpected treasures. Part of the data the SCK's collect is 'by-catch'. Incidental catch such as dogfish, blue crab, whelks, etc. are counted and recorded. A while back when we set out near a golf course we discovered a golf ball in a trap. Today, it was a sock. The mind swirls as we try to figure out how someone's sock gets into a crab trap. Is this even a local sock? Could it be from Bermuda or England or Morocco or ..... ? Well we saved the sock so if you recognize this sock as one that belongs to you or someone you know, feel free to contact the SCK and we will promptly return it to its rightful owner.

Just moments after dislodging a dirty sock from the clutches of a crab,  Josiah turned and was struck by the splendor of the setting sun.  From dirty sock to dancing sun rays, man is trashy, God is certainly good.

Temps Drop yet Crab are Active

The whole SCK's crew is enjoying the luxury of having room to work aboard Dirt Claw'd. The engine is still surging at higher RPM's but runs beautifully at lower RPM's. I suspect we are loosing pressure at the fuel pump. Which is an expensive repair. Par for the course with this engine. However we are able to maneuver around the pots and get the job done. 

The water temperatures have dropped to the mid 70's and the crab are still active. Last time we checked pots, we had mostly big males. Yesterday, we pulled mostly females. Quite odd, but interesting.

At present, our pots are now split between the south end of the Charleston Harbor Marine at Patriot's Point and across the harbor off the Battery at the Coast Guard Station.  

FYI - You know you are dirty when you feel the need to scrub your clothes with the deck brush. Research is a dirty job but somebody has to do it! Well actually ... better these kids than me. I stay where it is clean and dry !

Video of the LowCountry Live Interview

Appearance on LowCountry Live

AnnahBelle and Sarah, as well as Kim Counts of SCDNR,  appeared on the WCIV LowCountrry Live show this morning. They all did a great job. Dave Williams, who went out to pull pots with us Monday evening, conducted the interview. And as Kim answered Dave's questions, I learned details about our research project that I had never heard before. The original research project had been a three year grant. South Carolina had not lost its funding as much as the money, i.e. the grant, just ran out. Either way, the SCK's, are happy to continue the gathering of information.

The interview will be posted as soon as we receive a copy from the station.

As has become a custom, Dave Williams continued teaching the kids about the weather and the inner workings of a television production. The kids helped create the graphics for the news, assisted in the taping of a weather segment, tested their skills (or lack of) at announcing the weather in front of the 'green screen', toured the control room,  and pretended to read copy from the news desk. And in the great tradition of home school moms, Kimberly counted this as a field trip.

After the show there was talk of the SCK's making another appearance during the holidays. This time we will do what everyone in the studio wants most of all .... cooking stone crab claws...which inherently involves the consumption thereof. All hail the dedicated folks at WCIV who are willings to eat stone crab for their ... fans.

TV Crew Rides Along

The SCK's will be making another appearance on the Lowcountry Live program on Charleston's Channel 4 WCIV - ABC.  David  (Host) and Richard (Camera and Production) climbed aboard the F/V Dirt Claw'd to get video for the upcoming show. David is an avid saltwater fisherman and took to the pitching deck with ease. Richard, however, spent a few moments in a state of equilibrium challenge. As the SCK's began the process of pulling pots, harvesting claws, and recording data, it was Richard that got right into the action. Soon enough, he was leaning over the gunwale ... not from seasickness but rather filming with one hand and pulling pots aboard with the other. It may have been Richard who enjoyed the trip more than anyone.

Stan Jones (Harbor Master) of Charleston Harbor Marina graciously allowed us to used their docks to shuffle people on and off the boat, as well as putting us onto some nice stone crab at the south end of their marina. That made it super convenient for filming!

Kimberly (also know as Mom) stayed on the dock to take some pictures of the crew while we worked. Walking along the dock afforded her the unique opportunity to hear conversations from aboard various boats moored in the marina. Boaters explaining to other boaters who the SCK's were and what they were doing. It is always amazing how many people know about the Stone Crab Kids. Some with binoculars eyeing the operation and taking note of the camera crew. Sometimes, when filthy clothes cover the laundry room floor, when we consider re-decorating in a puff mud colored pattern to match the stains, or when the house has the faint scent of day old menhaden, we can forget just how wonderful it is to be blessed with these precious children. Oh yea ... and the dog too!

SCDNR Comes Aboard.

The SCKs pulled pots with two of our friends from SCDNR (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources). Kim Counts and Gered Lennon may have thought they were acting as observers, but the SCKs enjoyed putting them to work pulling pots and recording data. And of course, Kim and Gered were delighted to get involved in the action. Kim is our immediate contact with SCDNR and provides watch care over the SCKs Research Project. Gered has a load of practical knowledge because he had conducted much of the stone crab research prior to SCDNR losing its funding.


The kids loved having them aboard and we caught crab. The girls impressed Gered with their teamwork and skill. However, to Capt. Dad, they seemed sloppy due to the silly, giggly factor being ramped up by having spectators aboard.

Both girls are still a little timid about harvesting the claws. Mostly because they are concerned about harming the crab. Improper harvesting can cause injury to the crab, many times leading to death. Gered, who has harvested 'many-a-claw' helped improve their technique. Both girls harvested claws with perfect results. Kim is always interested in the SCK's data collection and methods so she grabbed a pencil and 'dove right in'.  There was a nasty rumor aboard that Kim didn't want to get muddy. So Sarah gladly brought the nasty mud to Kim along with animated explanations about how they collect data.

All in all it was a fun time on the water. The SCK's learned and they laughed as they were re-energized by and re-connected with our friends from SCDNR.

Spotted Carapace

The SCKs asked SCDNR why this stone crab's back shell (called a carapace) was spotted. We had never seen a spotted or speckled carapace before.

Gered Lennon, who was actually one of the field researchers with SCDNR prior to the formation of the SCKs,  responded with the following:


"It is hard to describe a stone crab.  I have read descriptions.  They are long and use the words “may or may not have….” commonly.   They may or may not have that deep olive color.  They may or may not have speckles.  To make it worse the same crab may develop or over time, lose colors or spots.  They do not use tattoos or body piercings." 


As far as we know this is true ... we have yet to pull a stone crab with a tattoo or a body piercing. But if we do you, I can guarantee you that the SCKs will get lots of pictures.

Someone's always watching!

At this point in our epic tale, you should know that I am the Captain of a  silly crew of children. They are always watching, always hanging around, always seeking new heights with 'unusual attitudes'. And, forever making waves in a No Wake Zone!

The SKC's set back in the South Battery section of the Charleston Harbor, and it has continued to prove productive despite a poor showing on our earlier set. There are a lot more females here than there were in Wadmalaw Sound. But we haven't seen the young crab or babies in the harbor. However we did find one that was regenerating a new claw. That is always encouraging.

One interesting find was a stone crab with a spotted or speckled carapace (back shell).  We will send a picture over to Kim Counts ( SCDNR ) and she will provide us with an explanation that we can share.

The kids can get the new boat just as muddy as they did the small one. But I am now far enough away from the action that I rarely get splattered. Surprisingly this boat is far easier to clean. With the 'raw water' wash down hose, the boat is pretty much clean by the time we get back to the landing. 

The boat's clean. The kids are as filthy as ever !!!

Shorter Days

 Traveling back home at night is far more comfortable for a weary crew ( ... and an equally tired, faithful dog) inside of the cabin. Before Claw'd, the kids would sit in the bow of our old, open, center console boat joyfully spitting the hulls of sunflower seeds into the wind as it rushed by their innocent little heads. Of course, the wind was hurling passed them carrying their slimy seed hulls and slapping me in the face at 30 mph, not to mention the misting of the occasional ... 'dog sneeze'.  Now you know why that in any of the pictures of Capt. Dad, he's always wearing sunglasses.

For those who are following the blog regularly, you know that due to a heavily tangled line, we lost a trap to the deep. Our only hope was that there was enough line extended so that at low tide the buoy may be able to reach the surface. Dead low tide was at 5:10 PM. So the first thing we did is search for any sign of that lost pot. But, the pot was no where to be found. So the SCK's checked and set back all their pots, including an a new pot we had brought along to replace the one that was lost. After setting back I noticed one pot way out of line with the rest. We counted back and realized we had one more pot than we had set. When Josiah snagged the buoy, there was no slack of extra line and the motion of the boat moving forward threaten to pull him over. Every bit of line was stretched out tightly to break the surface. As it came up, there was a huge tangle of line. We recovered our lost pot!!!

Research Note: When we left the South Battery side of the harbor, the stone crab where plentiful. Yesterday was the first time we've  been back in months. The traps had a good number of good-size stone crab, however they were either harvested or had no claws at all. We go back tomorrow evening. Maybe it was an anomaly.

Deck Hand-ettes

Early this Sunday morning, the girls and I went out to move pots to better grounds. And were greeted with a spectacular sunrise. A early fall chill was in the air and the waters were slick as glass.

Without Josiah in the boat, I fill in as the muscle. And the girls pitched in with the lighter tasks. While Sarah (8 yrs old) handled our boat, Claw'd, like a pygmy pro, AnnahBelle (10 yrs old) snagged the buoys.

( Editors Note: We say snag the buoys on our boat. It is common to say hook the buoy. Therefore on our boat the accompanying position would be a "snagger" rather than a ...... well, you get the idea. I can't quite bring myself to reference my precious little girls as ... the other. )

We were setting pots back into the South Battery portion of Charleston Harbor, I tossed a pot over board while Sarah keep pace with the boat. As the pot hit the water, I positioned my hand beneath the trailing line to monitor the feed and ensure that the trailing buoy cleared the deck. When I looked down I saw a rat's nest of tangle heading my way. Everyone's first instinct is to grab the tangle and try to free the mess before it goes over the side. And that would be a big, big mistake. Many a finger has been lost and deck hand pulled overboard attempting such a feat. The tangle disappeared below the surface as did the buoy with the
weight of the pot. Hopefully,  there was enough length of line to allow the buoy to reach the surface at low tide.

Yesterday, my wise and beautiful wife, declared that there would be no more flip-flops while crabbing. This morning, a feisty little blue crab grabbed Sarah's finger hard enough to draw blood. She was supposed to be driving but got excited and stuck her bare hand into the pot. When I pulled the crab off of her, it dropped directly onto my foot, and grabbed my exposed toe ... hard enough to draw blood. Why was my toe exposed ... flip-flops! A wise wife is a precious thing!

A Big Surprise and a Huge Blessing

We posted earlier that the Stone Crab Kids did their first public research presentation in front of an extremely gracious crowd. The West Ashley Outboard Motor Club (WAOMC) located in Charleston SC,  invited the SCK's to their monthly meeting. And what started out to be a 10 minute presentation lasted well over 30 minutes.  The folks at the WAOMC asked lots of questions and the SCK's surprised everybody ( including me ) with their knowledge of stone crabs and their research.

A short time later, a letter addressed to the SCK's showed up in the mail. The kids opened the envelope to find a donation check. They were stunned. What a wonderful surprise.

As good and as timely as that check was the real blessing was that the folks at WAOMC asked the SCK's to come back. But this time the club members wanted to bring their children and grandchildren to hear the SCK's presentation.

How sweet it is ... when people want to share our family with their families.

F/V Dirt Claw'd Underway - Kinda !

On a drizzling afternoon the research gang took the Fishing Vessel (F/V) Dirt Claw'd and casted off with Josiah at the helm. All the kids spend time at the wheel for fun, experience, and safety reasons. Most folks understand fun and experience, but safety may need a little explanation. On many occasions, because of soccer practices, ballet lessons (not Josiah), school work, etc., I will be out with just one of my children. In the event that something should happen to me, each of my children are versed in the handling of the vessel, navigation, VHF radio transmission,  and distress signaling. A good Captain's responsibility, especially a Captain who's the Daddy, is to his crew and passengers.


I had been telling the kids that if they learned to handle a small single engine boat that they could easily handle a larger vessel. Weight and engine power make a tremendous difference. Twin engines even more so. The boat we have been using is 17ft.  Dirt Claw'd is 28 ft long. As Josiah pulled away from the dock his smiling face lent credence to what had been formally just words. "Claw'd" is an delight to maneuver through the water.


Unfortunately, the engine still isn't running correctly. In my very limited knowledge of outboard engine repair, I believe it is a coil. It will run smoothly until that coil heats up and then it begins to skip. Badly. With six coils mounted on the engine, the trick is to determine which one is the culprit.

Dirt Clawed's Adventure - Sarah

Friday our family finally got on the water in our new boat named Dirt Claw'd.  And finally ...CLAW'D WORKS!   One hour later.   IT DOESN'T WORK!  Capt. Dad thought a piece of trash got in the injector .EEEEERRRRR. Wrong! But then I thought that as well, so maybe I should keep my mouth s.h.u.t.   Our boat fixer  (Mr.Whitney - Top Photo) cleaned every thing but it still didn't work.  So then we thought the plugs might be fouling because the rings may not be 'seated in' yet.). So we cleaned the thing-a-ma-gig and the engine still wouldn't work.  Either this boat engine is stubborn or we just don't know what's going on. Then we checked the coils and all fuel pumps and now we will see if Mr. Wittney can do anything. He's going to try for one more day. We're hoping you get it fixed Mr. Whitney!

Thank you.
Sarah

Crab'n is serious business.

As anyone who watches the Discovery Channel's 'Deadliest Catch' knows, crab'n is serious business. Some of the lingo and techniques the SCK's use on the research vessel comes directly from watching "king crab pros" like Edgar Hansen, the Harris brothers, Mike Fortner, and Jake Anderson crabbing on the Bering Sea. And in the spirit professional courtesy the Stone Crab Girls want to share a crabbing ritual for catching more crab. OK 'Deadliest Catch' folks .... watch and learn !!!

We will be watching for a little patty cake action in the upcoming season. As Capt. Sig might say "Just 'shut up' and patty cake !!!"

The babies are here! The babies are here!

We have been amazed at how long we can set-back on the same plot of river real estate and continue to pull crab. The blue crabbers have moved in into the area and moved on while we continue to harvest healthy amounts of stone crab. But a couple of weeks, ago we started seeing fewer big males, more females, and a larger number of small juvenal crab  (those with claws 1 1/2" to 2", legal size is 2 3/4").  However, we do not yet have our larger boat so we can not afford to follow the crab further out into larger water. Aside from that, afternoon thunderstorms have kept us 'on the hill' (on dry land).

This morning the forecast called for more storms, but a break in the weather allowed AnnahBelle and me to venture out and check the traps. The harvest was typical, and minimal as we had suspected. Mostly females too small even if we wanted to harvest.

Then AnnahBelle pulled a pot with absolutely nothing inside but all the bait was gone. Octopus? Blue crab? Dog fish? Nooooo !!! Baby stone crab. The mud in the bottom of the trap was seeded with baby stone crab. Most about a 1/4" across the carapace ( outer shell across the back ). We didn't disturb them, but, later AnnahBelle did spot a larger baby stone crab ( about 3/4" ) that we felt comfortable handling.


What a neat blessing, if we had moved on we would have completely missed the hatchery.

Our pots have been shanghaied and convert into daycare centers!

Dr. Strange Pot

Spend enough time on the water and you will come across all kinds of things floating along. As a family, we always try to bring back a load of trash. Not hard to do with the amount of litter casting along with the currents.

The brush we use to clean the mud from the deck we found bobbing along. Josiah climbed up into the marsh to fetch a colorful kite that caught his sister's eye. Our bait bucket was another gift from the sea.

I have never seen but had heard stories about vast islands of trash swirling around in the ocean where the currents collide. Our friend, Frankie Eubanks, says there is one such trash heap off the coast of Virginia where the Gulf Stream curls off the coast above the Outer Banks of North Carolina. When he commercial fished they would go to the 'trash plie' if they needed coolers, cushions, gaffs, and all manner of items, nautical or not.

In my time at crab fishing I have pulled my share of peculiar bits from below. Once while crabbing behind an old plantation, I pulled a pot with confederate money caught in the mesh. Along that money theme, in the middle of a string of 'good pots' (traps full of crab), I pulled a blank (trap with nothing in it). I had been robbed. When I noticed an envelope in the bait well. Along with a roll of cash was a note that read, "We anchored here for the night and got hungry. Hope this covers the cost of dinner."

Today Sarah pulled a trap that topped the puzzling chart for me. Let me remind you that a stone crap trap has only one 'gate'  (entrance) located directly on top. She open the lid and pulled out a ... golf ball!

Did I hear anyone say ... hole in one!

Stone Crab Helpful Hints

The SCK's received a 'kind' email from a fellow crab lover in Wilmington, NC.  In part, his email expressed the lack of information available on the web about stone crab, which has prompted me to compile a list of  helpful hints we have discovered, stumbled over, repented from, or had gracious folks share with us after we really messed up badly.  Note: The former sentence should provide some insight into the SCK's standard research method. Pretty sad isn't it?

1. Stone crabs bury themselves in the mud for the winter. Early in the spring, we discovered that the first stone crab came out of the mud in very shallow water. Local crabbers told us that it was because the shallow water allowed the mud to warm up faster. Hence, the crab climbed out earlier.

2. Firm mud is around oyster banks have been the best inshore harvesting grounds.

3. The type of bait ( pig feet, chicken, menhaden, venison, etc. ) did not make as much difference as much as the 'double thaw'. A researcher from Duke University taught us that freezing, thawing, re-freezing, prior to baiting produces the best scent trail. The flesh cell structure is significantly damaged during the second freeze and quickly breaks down in the water during the second thaw. Flesh is water soluble. Oil is not.

4. Harvesting claws is a learned skill that just takes practice. Take a look at Josiah's harvesting video in the how-to section of the blog. If meat is hanging off of the claw when harvested it is likely that the crab will die. However, even the best harvester is going to grab a crab that has just molted and .... break off the whole joint. The fact is when harvesting, some crabs are going to die. That's why the SCK's harvest only from male stone crabs.

5. Boil and blanch the claws as soon after harvesting as possible. But in the meantime soak them in a bucket of water fresh from the river, not ice made from fresh water. The salt within the claw will absorb the fresh water diluting the flavor. It will also raise the claw weight which is an old crabber's trick for getting more pounds of catch. Same works for shrimp. Another reason not to use ice is that we have found that the meat sticks if we use ice prior to blanching.

6. Use a little vinegar in the boiling water, not enough to taste but a little vinegar will help keep the meat from sticking within the claw.

7. A stone crab can pinch with nearly four times more pressure than an alligator can bite. So ... keep your fingers away from those claws. However, should you find yourself in the grip of a stone crab claw, don't panic, and place the crab on its back. Stone crabs are similar to alligators in that when they are placed on their back, they tend to relax. He will either relax enough to get finger free or you can roll the claw across his belly and snap the claw.

I'll post more tips later. However if any of our visitors have any tips you want to share ... please send them on. The Lord knows we can use all the help we can get !!!

SCK's first research presentation !!!!!

Last night the SCK's did their first research presentation to the West Ashley boat club. The kids did great and the club members were quite gracious.

Sarah explained about the data collection and how to determine males from females. 

Josiah discussed the difference between blue crabs and stone crabs, as well as demonstrating the difference between the types of traps. 

AnnahBelle explained about how strong the stone crabs are:  a human can grasp at a max of 300 psi, an alligator bites at about 5,000 psi, and a stone crab can pinch at 19,000 psi. Try to imagine something clamping down on your finger three plus times harder than an alligator.

AnnahBelle also did a crab claw cracking demonstration which went over huge. Folks gathered around and did some serious crackin' and eat'in!  

Sarah found some good eat'in of her own!!!  Ice Cream!!!

Dark Skies and Lightening Strikes.

Tomorrow the 'Stone Crab Kids' give their first presentation in front of about 40-50 fellow mariners. AnnahBelle is going to demonstrate how to crack open claws and we thought it would be a neat idea to have some cooked claws there for folks to try to crack and eat.

This afternoon we checked the weather forecast ( lights breeze and 10% chance of T-storms ) and went out to pull traps to gather claws for the presentation.  As we prepared to pull the last couple of traps the skies rumbled and clouds rolled. Soon columns of rain appeared in the distance and lightening strikes darted to the ground. We were about to get every bit of 9.999% of the projected 10% chance of T-storms.

The light breeze had had a gentle ripple to the river. The on-coming weather churned the dark water into a confused chop. It was going to get rough and it was going to get rough fast. I powered up, headed away from the storm, and tied fenders ( flexible bumpers that keep the boat from banging against the dock ) to the rail. Nearby was a private dock with a covered shelter area.  As I turned the boat into the current to dock, the wind abruptly shoved the boat up against the dock. Amen for fenders.

We all survived unscathed and we didn't get nearly as wet as we could have.

Sometimes late at night I get anxious about putting my family through the upheaval to get this new boat ready to fish. But after a day like this ... I want that covered helm and a cabin to keep my children and the other little researchers that desire to tag along, out of harm's way.

Buying this boat may have a been a stretch but the alternative .... really stinks!

* Photos by - Josiah

Mudded In

 A Spring Tide is a tide just after and just before a new or full moon where the difference between high and low tide is the greatest.

During spring tides, the creek where our landing is located gets very low. Yesterday, we tried to pull some traps early before going to church ... but we couldn't get back to the landing. Although the kids could walk on water ... we missed church anyway!

Another thing that happens when the tides pull hard is that the water fills our traps with mud, trash, and silt.  This 'mudding in' of the traps reduces the catch as well as seating the traps to the muddy bottom. Some traps can get so deeply set in the mud that we have to tie the buoy line to a cleat and use the boat to pull the trap free.

Soak Time, the length of time that a trap stays in the water between pulls, can make a difference as well. In Florida they soak pots 7 to 14 days. Here in South Carolina, if we let the pots set that long they will get seated to the bottom.  So, we try to work on less than 7 day soak times, two and three day soaks if we can. However, work and school schedules play a role in how often we can check pots.





Editor's Video Comment: I believe the correct nautical term for my children's behavior is .... mutiny !!!

Fixing Up 'Dirt Clawd' and Getting Ready

While we are waiting for the engine's power head to be rebuilt, the girls and I took some time to work on Dirt Clawd's appearance. The previous owner had mounted stereo speakers in the gunwales. (Gunwales are the upper edges of the wall of a ship. Originally, gun walls were, of course, where the guns were mounted.) The girls helped me design, build, paint, and stain inserts for the open cavities for additional storage. And, we did all the work in our garage.

With the truck loaded with cabinets and tools we drove over to DeBose Marine where Whitney DeBose is rebuilding the engine. He graciously allowed us to invade his parking area and install the cabinets. 

And, we also re-mounted a bench that Capt. Dad had removed prior to realizing that the girls would be irrevocably emotionally scarred if the bench was not available for them to perch upon like .... some sort of maritime medieval  'girl-goyles'. 

Whitney DeBose says that the engine will be back together Friday and he will begin the 'break-in' process by idling the engine for a couple of hours on double oil. Saturday morning I will ride along for the final several hours of break-in on the water. If all goes as planned ... the Stone Crab Kids should be pulling pots Saturday afternoon on their beloved 'Dirt Clawd'.

Snagging the Buoy.

Time is money ... especially in the fishing industry. The largest expenditure of time is pulling pots. And, the greatest expenditure of fuel is consumed traveling between pots. A seasoned fisherman knows how far apart to place his pots to minimize the distance between while maximizing the amount of crabs caught. Not too far ...  not too close.

Crab fishing is a fuel economy nightmare. Up on plane to the next pot. Then drop into the hole and idle. Then back on top to the next pot. Up and Down. Full throttle, then idle. Back and forth. All day. A good crabber can pull as many as 400 pots a day.

Establishing a rhythm aids the process:  1) Drop in the hole aside the buoy.  2) Hook the buoy.  3) Retrieve the line.  4) Pull the pots on board.  5) Harvest and cull crab.  6) Re-bait.  7) Set the pot back.

Now, an important trick is hooking or snagging the buoy. As we have mentioned before, we approach the buoy from the downstream side so that the line is stretched out up stream of the buoy. That keeps us from running over the line which could tangle the line in the propeller or cutting it. Right when the boat reaches the buoy, we pull back on the throttle, put the engine in neutral, and glide forward up the line. That way there is the maximum amount of slack line to readily bring aboard.

So, what happens if a buoy is missed? Missing that buoy as it come by wastes time, energy, fuel, .... money! So on our crab boat, if you miss a buoy and the boat has to be turned around ... you owe the captain ... a root beer!

So Capt. Dad is employing a Missed Buoy, Root Beer Count. If a SCK misses a buoy, that kid owes Capt. Dad a root beer. If Capt. Dad makes a bad approach and causes the miss, then he owes the whole crew a root beer.

This could get .... sud-sy !!!

'Dirt Claw'd' is home !!!

Josiah and I got up at 4:00AM Saturday morning and drove to New Bern, NC to pick up the BIG boat ... christened ... Dirt Claw'd !

We spent Saturday and Sunday learning about fiberglass and gelcoat work. Frankie spent extra time with Josiah making sure he was up to speed. And, he sent me to the store for materials. I am starting to suspect Frankie thinks I'm ... worthless. Naaaay! I'm just a safe driver.

There is still a lot of aesthetic work to do. But, we have to remember .... this is a crab boat.  And, they are going to be scraping pots up the sides.


The new floor was put in the cuddy cabin and the first coat of gelcoat applied. The seals in the hydraulic steering were changed. Chips and nicks patched and painted. New bow rail to be mounted. Lots of sanding and buffing. Hubs greased, gas'd up, and we're ready to head back.

And after a weary six hour drive back to Charleston SC,  Dirt Claw'd  was home and getting a much needed bath.

Now let's get this engine rebuilt and get on the crab !!!

Cracking Crab Claws - AnnahBelle

A plate full of cooked stone crab claws is a 'beautiful thing to behold'. But once they're cooked ... how do you get to the sweet, white meat?

AnnahBelle ( 10 years old ) is going to show you a technique we use in our house for cracking crabs.  Works get. Especially with kids

Editor's Note: She's going to show you how to "eat" them as well !!! 

Determining Male or Female - by Sarah

Part of the data that the SKC's need to collect is a count of how many crabs are males and how many are females.

Females with the blazing orange egg sponges are easy to recognized.

 But how do you determine the difference if there is no sponge. Sarah ( age 8 ) explains.