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My wife and I and my buddy Dan crabbed north Camano Island this morning and had to work hard for our 15 keepers. I’ve never seen so many under sized males and females in my life! Thanks to our Tribal and Commercial Crabbing friends who obviously once again cleaned the Sound floor of darn near every legal sized male in at least two very popular crab grounds in Area 8-1.

It was nice for a change to launch at Maple Grove (North Camano Island) and not encounter the parking lot packed with trucks attached to empty boat trailers thanks to a new $15.00 launch fee for non-residents. The three Camano Island county parks with boat launches are traditionally packed from day light till dark during crab season with many coming from as far as Seattle to crab these waters.

While in the process of removing our boat at Maple Grove I met a county employee collecting the launch fee envelopes who told me the concept of charging a higher fee for non-residence was simply designed to reduce the astronomical number of people who drive from as far as Seattle to crab these waters and allow local residents the opportunity to actually use their local parks without having to fight these huge crowds. He said these county parks are small and were originally designed to accommodate local residents, not hundreds of non-residents trying to launch their boats to go crabbing.

So as I’m talking with this super nice county employee a guy starts backing his boat down the launch pad. He gets to the water’s edge and in a rude tone comments to my buddy Dan, “can’t you move your boat over?” He said he didn’t want to go “against the current” after putting his boat in the water. Yea, there was no “current. What an idiot! So as my buddy Dan kindly moves my boat down the beach a little ways for this clown, the guy somehow discovers that he will have to pay $15.00 to launch there and says to his wife in a pissed off voice, “we have to pay to launch here? “That’s it, we’re outta here” as he got back in to his truck and exited the launch ramp.

Before leaving the park the guy decides to stop and ask the county employee whom I am speaking with when the non-resident launch fees started. The county guy politely tells him about two weeks ago. The guy sarcastically spouts off stating that the county obviously doesn’t want him to use the park. I couldn’t resist, I chimed right in not knowing that about two minutes earlier he was a jerk to my buddy Dan and told him that I am sure that the county wants him to use the park, they just don’t want the other 200 non-residents a day to join him. I don't work for the county but I wanted to show local public support for the county guy and the fee.

Because the guy is unhappy about the $15.00 non-resident launch fee, and my guess because it’s just his nature to be the way he was being, he then decides to complain to the county guy that his wife is handicapped and someone has parked “half way” in to the handicapped spot as he points towards the parking lot. Can you take care of that he asks. The county guy who is a parks and recreation employee offered to call a Deputy for him at which time the less than cordial guy gets in his truck and drives away. Classic jerk!

Before leaving I checked the handicap spot and it was not obstructed. Yea, I’m thinkin no Camano Island resident let alone any resident who is at any park with friends and or family wants people like this guy using their parks.

So that’s my story, time to enjoy the fruits of our hard work. I hope everyone who crabs this week catch their limits and has a blast. Including the guy who drove away mad.

The Quadfather

7/9/2010 7:23:00 PM

Some people just can't see beyond their own selves can they? Enjoy the crab Dave, I cant wait to get out.

Dave

7/10/2010 8:42:00 AM

So right Chris. I forgot to mention that we also went on to one of the bluff beaches (entered of course by boat from a very low tide so not to trespass on any private property even though there were no houses in the vicinity), and we harvested just over a limit (40 per person) of butter and manila clams. The clams were literally everywhere spitting water all along the beach line. It's a very abundant resource that is underutilized in my opinion. We dug, by hand, one small hole, and harvested 50 or 60 clams in about 10 minutes. We only took what our two families would eat and left just under two limits behind not wanting to take more than necessary. So it was a bonus. As for the guy at the launch; he is the typical guy we encounter at work who feels the need to complain, then point out something someone else may be doing wrong which I think makes them feel better about their own shortcomings or errors. The whole time he was standing there being an dummy, all I could think about was how typical he was. I thought it was great that he left and didn't use the launch.

Dave

7/10/2010 8:47:00 AM

Update: I just checked the WDFW Beach Maps for shellfish (we did read the regs and called the red tide hotline before we harvested any clams) and I found that the beach we harvested the clams from was actually a public beach. Love it!!!! I am happy to PM anyone who is interested in knowing what beach we clammed at.

Dave

7/10/2010 9:05:00 AM

The only advisory for shellfish in the area we clammed was a "cook all shellfish" advisory. So obviously don't eat any raw shellfish.

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