Stone Crab!

 Coming in hot!  

After a 10 day soak we pulled up our traps for the first time and were delighted with a haul of 7!  7 beauties - nice size - it has to be said.  We are well on our way to some very good dinners if things continue this way.

We put them back down in a very similar spot - we like the depth they are out.  With the bait of the big old gross pigs trotters.  And for the first time ever we zip tied the traps closed: this won't prevent them being pirated but at least we will know.... We did suspect last year, on rare occasions, had our traps been raided and crabs taken?

May 1st - Last Day of Stone Crab Season

Today, being the last day of the Stone Crab season, you must have your crab traps up.  We went out on Saturday morning (which was a tiny bit wavey/rough actually) and hauled ours in.  It is a dirty job.  They are heavy coming up and filthy dirty.  We were however pleased to get 4 nice claws in them which brings our total to 99 for the 22/23 season!  Once you get the traps home you need to give them a good hose with the power washer.  We now have them stored away for next season which is October!

Ironically, we had stone crab twice this week. Just ourselves earlier this week (pics below) and then with friends yesterday.  Afterwards we had some nice time in the pool chatting and having drinks with Bill & Feliz.

Harvesting Stone Crab

We had the loveliest time last week spending time with visitors to the island.

I thought this photo was cute.  It's definitely a two person job.  I drive the boat to the trap, Patrick hooks it and pulls it up (heavvvvyy!!).  Then Patrick picks out the crab with the tongs and passes to me.  I hold it carefully so that it can neither cut or crush my fingers with it's claws.  Then remove the one claw and throw it back to the ocean to see another day - and to grow back it's claw!!! How cool is that.

 

Crab claw party!

In no particular order, in fact in completely random order I present some photos of a lovely neighbour's gathering to you!

It's been another slow stone crab season, so it took us a while to stockpile enough crab claws for a party but we eventually got there.  Crab claws with key lime mustard and devilled eggs.  And for dessert; Feliz brought a cobbler and Lisa a key lime pie!

For beverages we drank cava, beer and La Croix.

A fun, fun evening.  Enjoy the photos!

 

A great start to the year!

 It feels like since we came back from Miami we have just been celebrating or having a lovely time - whether with friends (OUTDOORS to stay covid safe) or our own eating out or eating at home.  It is like...things were good before that trip, but they are even better now.

New Years eve:

I worked until 3pm when Patrick collected me which was a nice treat.  Easy to throw the bike in the back of the jeep when the roof is off.  Later that afternoon/early evening we had a few drinks and a bottle of bubbly (prosecco) with our neighbours out the front of our house until about 8pm. We then had takeout of awful dirty sweet fire chipotle chicken wings which were fabulous! Toasted happy new year and were in bed asleep by 10.30pm lol (I was in work next morning at 7am fyi)

Half Shell Raw Bar:

Happy hour.  We were sat at the bar for the first time in forever.  While there was a big (nice) space between us and others at the bar which was good for covid safety, it still just felt nice and almost normal.

Saturday evening in our friend's house:

Yesterday we visited with G&K for drinks and dinner. We bought a bottle of bubbly (cava) and dinner was an amazing home made in the crock pot bbq pulled pork and divine mac and cheese. We ate outdoors.

Sunday on the baby boat:

Mixed it up and went out this afternoon rather than our usual Sunday morning trip.  Caught some throwbacks - an exotic looking (and foul tasting lol!) porkfish, and a big (but not big enough) mutton snapper.  And then caught some keepers of lovely porgy (aka "Sea bream" in Ireland). And three crab legs to add to our stockpile. 

Normally Patrick pulls the one crab claw off the crabs.  (Did you know? You take one, they grow it back. You don't take two as it leaves them defenceless).  Today I took over that task. It is hard! They are TOUGH! You need to be so careful you don't have your fingers near their pincers and then you really need to push/pull with all your strength to get the arm off cleanly.

Back to work tomorrow for this lad!  But I think he will tell you himself that he had a good break, and this was a great ending to his Christmas vacation