I Got Crabs From Some Homeless Men in San Francisco

I had the pleasure of visiting San Francisco last Autumn. We went to Jeany's cousin's wedding and spent a lot of time hanging out with my sister, Miranda, and cousin, Harmony. Of course, no vacation would be complete without a trip to the animals.

I managed to squeeze in some nature studies during our visit to Fisherman's Wharf, where I befriended a group of homeless gentlemen who were crabbing there. They let me play with what they called a "rock crab" and take some pictures. When I asked what they would do with it, one of them said they would sell it to a Chinese Restaurant, another said they would eat it. As you can see, a third man wanted to keep it to use as a hat!

Seriously though, these guys were really friendly and simply happy to hang out. If it wasn't for their generosity we would not have these fresh crab pics.

Don't Forget the Crabs

CREATURES FROM THE DEEP: CAPE COD is entering its third week. Indeed, it sometimes feels that I am now running a sea food web log. But WE MARCH ON! If anything this only demonstrates the diversity and abundance of life in THE DEEP. Consider this tenacious crab. He was a fighter and certainly deserves his own post.

Sorting the Catch

Back on shore our intrepid crew sorts the catch of lobsters.

Clawed Gold

What taste sensation can match the buttery goodness of fresh lobster claw on the table? NOTHING, thats what. That is why the trade in these savory crustaceans has sustained an economy (and dare I say a lifestyle) off the New England coast for so very long. In the first picture fellow-traveler Louis "Longshanks" Doziere (a visiting French Canadian marine biologist) displays a large Lobster that good Captain Damian caught with HIS HANDS. Notice the similarities between the lobster and various Cray Fish I have featured in past posts. They are similar in shape (if not size) but quite distinct in taste I assure you.

In the second picture the Captain teaches Lou "Lou Dawg" Cardasis (Hip Hop Legend from the interior of our Great Commonwealth) how to check for eggs on the underside of the lobster. If a lobster has eggs they are thrown back. One thing a visitor quickly learns is how much respect and love a Lobsterman has for his shelled quarry. The good health of the fishery is always first in the mind of those who hunt therein. Lobsters that are too small or are "eggers" are returned to the sea.

A final reminiscence if I may. Having grown up in Massachusetts I spent many happy summer weeks on the Cape. One summer I remember distinctly because the man who lived in the cottage next to ours was morbidly obese and was missing a leg. I would watch our neighbor sometimes, sunning himself in his front yard, a cooler of beer within arms reach. One day he caught me staring a little too long.

"You know how I lost the leg?!" he shouted out to me.

Terrified, I shook my head no.

"A lobster snapped it off years ago, the biggest one you ever seen!" he said laughing, his sunglasses reflecting bright spears of sunlight back towards me.

Perhaps my neighbor was having a joke at the expense of a child. But the memory stays with me.

And there is a lobster, my friends, named The Admiral. He has only been seen fleetingly and he may never be caught. But he is such a beast that he very well could separate a man from his leg, even a man of my neighbor's girth. Captain Damien hopes one day to bring him in. I pray, for his sake, that he never has the chance!

Baby Crabling

Funny things come up in a catch of Lobsters and Scallops. This little Crab was helping himself to some of the bait that had been laid out. Notice my thumb at the bottom of the picture, a small crab indeed.

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A MONSTER FROM THE DEEP

This huge-ass Spider Crab gave me quite a scare when Mike G (of Man Vs. Animals fame) shook it in my face. It wasn't the Cape Cod pic I intended to start with. But then I realized that its Halloween and this thing is appropriate in that it reminds me of some type of primordial evil from millions of years before the dawn of man.

Theres something H.P. Lovecraft about this beastie.

After I took this picture the spider crab attached itself to Mike's face and laid parasitic eggs in his throat. We had a great rest of the trip until the eggs hatched and burst out of his stomach. Great job Mike. Way to play "host!"

New England "Cray Fish"

Some of you have been petitioning for the speedy arrival of "Creatures from the Deep: Cape Cod." I understand your enthusiasm and assure you that our voyage on the choppy sea of the P-Town harbor is only days away. But first, if you will allow me, I would like to segue with a couple snapshots of a small New England Cray Fish. I recently posted about my discovery of a Texas "Mud Bug" so it seems appropriate to follow up with this picture. As you can see this one is a baby and its coloration is different. From what I recall, however, they are still good eating. For those of you impatient to join me on the cape; this will not be the last crustacean we see this week!

Mud Bugz

This little fellow was cruising around a creek bed covered in filth. When I offered to help him he tried to fight me, so I toyed with him for a while before throwing him back in the water. They are called "Cray Fish" where I grew up and occasionally "Craw Fish." In other areas people call them "Crawdads." I guess none of those names were appetizing enough. Now some folks call them "mud bugs." Mud Bugs? Anybody hungry for some mud... bugs....?

"Dungeness"

Nothing but a thin sheet of glass protected me from being devoured by these "Dungeonesque" crabs.