Don't forget that there are other treasures in addition to the standard collection of incredible shells that regularly wash up along the beaches. Once you've gathered a few bucketfulls of clams, you might just want to dig into this recipe for a Carolina-style clam chowdercourtesy of NC Sea Grant. About Us. If you have a beach driving permit and a 4WD accessible vehicle, consider enjoying a morning of "Drive-by Shelling" along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Meet the hard-shelled clam, Mercenaria mercenaria. Answer 1 of 3: On Tripadvisor's Outer Banks travel forum, travellers are asking questions and offering advice on topics like "Is clamming allowed or possible in Nags Head?". A hearty, simple and delicious beef alternative, A bass pro shares theres more to the season than college football, Finding the right lure can make for big fun on small ponds. Crabbing is popular on OBX beaches, from May through July and you can hire a boat with a crabbing captain to take you out into the sea to find the delicious creatures. During the summer season, piles of live coquinas frantically shimmy up to the surface for a minute or so before burrowing back under the sand, presenting a gorgeous display to casual beachgoers. Never store clams covered or sealed in plastic. You Don't Love Me (No, No, No) by . That's right. Prepare a large pot over medium heat. 2. Check the tide chart to know when these times are each day. Typically, Id take a family with a couple of kids, he says. Little Neck: The smallest size of clam, amounting to 7-10 clams per pound. We would just pull up on a shoal, anchor the boat and go at it.. Weve seen rays, skates, crabs, whelks and various species of fish on our trips. The recently formed Irene's Inlet, located along the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge almost exactly in between the Bonner Bridge and the town of Rodanthe, has become a popular spot for beachcombers in recent years due to its proximity to central Outer Banks vacationers, and its daily delivery of fantastic shells on both the oceanside and soundside beaches. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. There is even a beach named after the Coquina Clams in South Nags Head called Coquina Beach! This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. Variations can occur in size, color, and even overall structure, and there are a number of reasons for these discrepancies. by Our State Staff. Shells that were submerged in ocean bottoms with tar will often turn a grayish color, or have sections that are much darker and almost black. - See 1,014 traveler reviews, 256 candid photos, and great deals for Kitty Hawk, NC, at Tripadvisor. A pen shell is also a bivalve, with a delicate long and iridescent fan-shaped body, but a glossy interior that is simply striking. Speaking for just Corolla, I'm almost positive that you are allowed to crab under the "foot" bridge at the Whalehead Club. Heaven on the Beach with You by Robert Lester Folsom. Reply #13 on: June 26, 2008, 10:04:37 AM . In accordance with state legislation, recreational harvest of clams, oysters, and mussels is limited to no more than one bushel (combined total volume) every day. Email Us. Its a bit of a workout, but the payoff is a sweet briny treat. Outer Banks Guides 2000 Sailfish Drive, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway, Manteo (252) 473-3906 (800) 367-4728 Email us Website Facebook Just about every afternoon between 4 and 5 p.m., a dozen or more sport fishing boats return from the Gulf Stream to the Pirate's Cove Marina to unload their catches of tuna, dolphin, wahoo and other deep-sea fish. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. Is there a predetermined limit to the number of items you can own? You'll find many options on VRBO and AirBnb. The 4WD beaches of Carova stand out both for their limited accessibility and the make-up of the shoreline. If you live in North Carolina and do not have a standard commercial fishing license (SCFL), you can harvest and sell shellfish like clams, oysters, mussels, conchs, whelks, and scallops. Steve explains that you can pretty much walk into a sandy shoal on the sound side and have a reasonable chance of collecting some clams. Vacationers who do not want to leave the Outer Banks without an incredible find should definitely plan to head to Portsmouth or Ocracoke Island for some of the best shelling the East Coast has to offer. "It's kind of an oblong hole, not a round hole," says Nault. A shellfish license issued by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services allows you to harvest and sell clams, oysters, mussels, conchs, whelks, and scallops, among other things. What is the difference between Little Neck clams and steamers? For a spectacular show, head to this beach in the summer months, from late May until early September, and keep your eyes on the shoreline. Shell hunters may also want to head to the inlets. Freeport Shellfishing & Clamming. That being said, a beachcomber can also be greatly aided by bringing along a small net to scoop out a section of shells from a submerged pile, and then sift through to see if there are any good finds. Rivers Of Babylon by The Melodians. In essence, there is virtually no shortage of different varieties of shells you can find on the Outer Banks. Location: Outer Banks N.C. OBX CRABS @ HALF-FAST SEAFOOD 252 202 6469. Things such as tide, moon phase, water clarity, wind direction, and wind speed all affect the quality of the flounder gigging on the Outer Banks. On clamming adventures, the captain will take you to shallow areas of the sound. A beach trip to the beach can be completed in a matter of minutes by digging up clams. A little stopping and digging may be involved to uncover them, but all of these species are gorgeous additions to any shell collection. If nothing else, the faint salty aroma of your prized shell will simply serve as a reminder of a great Outer Banks vacation. The three most common types of whelks are the lightning whelk, knobbed whelk and channeled whelk. Located west of the main US 158bypass, this Outer Banks area is a collection of residential and vacation rental homes that border an intricate system of saltwater canals. Outer Banks season 3 release date and plot preview Outer Banks season 3 landed on Netflix on Thursday, February 23, 2023, a whopping 18 months after the previous installment aired. Where is the best place to hunt for shells? Specially designed clam shovels are ideal to get the most out of your beach clamming experience, especially for razor clams. They love a good chicken leg as much as the crabs do! Piled high with red bliss potatoes, corn on the cob, yellow onion, and a choice of seafood, including Alaskan snow crab legs, clams and mussels, they are truly the ultimate beach party fare. We met a nice man Dave on the ferry. Bad Love by Dehd. Arguably one of the most productive ways to beachcomb a large area, drive-by shelling is most effective during the off-season, well after the National Park Service seasonal beach closures have come to an end. [0:09'] John B's father has some debts to pay and they leave together with the boat offered by Carla Limbrey. In fact, a visitor who happens to head to the island right after a storm or in the early Spring season when the ferries first reopen for the year and begin making runs to and from the island, will find miles of whole whelks, Scotch Bonnets, sand dollars, and even helmet conchs and Florida fighting conchs. In these months, you must have a license. Saturday, November 25th 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm. The best time to go clam digging is when there is a low tide. "And there's really two holes: from the incurrent and excurrent syphon in the clam's neck.". "Out on the Weekend" by Neil Young (unknown cover) "Young Lovers Do" by Tilly VW. Shelling is always best right after a low tide, when the shells have just washed up on the beaches, and are easy to scoop up before the next high tide takes them back into the water. Most burrow into the soft substrate to varying depths, while some groups live free on the sea floor. The sand bars and islands that are covered by at least 1 feet of water during low tide provide the best habitat. Gringo Che - The Nude Party. How to Find Clams. Added to this unique geography is the proximity to the two major East Coast currents, the Gulf Stream Current and the Labrador Current, which can also assist in carrying large migrating fish, marine life, and even seashells to the islands' borders. Shelling on the Outer Banks delivers fun for the whole family but can also act as a peaceful way to enjoy some time to yourself. Clams and mussels can be found in almost all types of freshwater habitats, but are very common in large rivers and streams. Though only seasonally open, this beach intersects with the Labrador and Gulf Stream currents, and is located at the southern edge of Hatteras Island's "hook" towards the mainland, and as a result, produces some of the very best finds on all of the OBX. Succulent Jumbo Shrimp, authentic andouille sausage, fresh sweet corn, buttery red bliss potatoes, all layered, seasoned to perfection and ready to steam. They can be seen burrowing into the sand or mud flat at low tide by looking across the sand or mud flat. Let the family dig into an OBX Seafood Boil To GO - seafood piled high on the table in your vacation rental, there's no better way to spend a vacation than with friends and family peeling shrimp and drinking a cold one on the beach or in the comfort of your OBX beach house. For example, a whelk that had been stranded in the ocean for some time, and suffered exfoliation due to both sand and ocean waves, will generally have smooth, almost non-existent knobs along the top of its' spiral. They may have some clams that they are particularly interested in. https://outerbankscoastallife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/obcl22-logo-new-bw.png, https://outerbankscoastallife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/clamming-feature.png, Outer Banks Coastal Life Copyright All Rights Reserved 2022 Website Powered by, Coastal Life, OBX Community, OBX Nature, Pets & Wildlife, Species Spotlight, Coastal Life, OBX Community, OBX Nature, Pets & Wildlife, Real Estate Sales & Vacation Rentals Guide. For most vacationers, however, planning an Outer Banks trip right after a storm has passed isn't feasible, so experienced shell hunters relay on other methods to increase their chances of scoring the best finds. There are many places to harvest clams in North Carolina. While these finds may not make an appearance in your next craft project, they are nevertheless fascinating relics of the Outer Banks marine life, and a treasure all their own. 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