Archives for category: Clams

Image above: 8/17/2023

Source/Daily Status Reports: Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Safety Map

Click image once or twice to show detail.

Love to see newspeople interview WDFW and ask why beaches adjacent to award winning sewage treatment plants are unsafe for recreational shellfish harvest due to sewage treatment plant outfall.

In the news:

August 11, 2023 Whidbey News-Times

Whidbey sewer plants win state awards

“The Oak Harbor Clean Water Facility was recognized as outstanding by the Department of Ecology.”

The Coupeville treatment plant received the outstanding performance award for the 13th consecutive year, and the Holmes Harbor plant was awarded for the 17th year in a row. The Penn Cove wastewater treatment plant was also a recipient this year.”

Love to see newspeople ask:

When is the last time all of Penn Cove was safe for recreational shellfish harvest?

Background

Several Whidbey beaches remain closed all year long for recreational shellfish harvest because of sewage treatment outfall.

Sewage treatment outfall. Not stormwater. Not climate change.

Reporting on this topic appears to be completely off limits to the press.

View the Washington State Department of Health beach list here.

 

A photo tour of Penn Cove here:

Wastewater Treatment Plant – Department of Ecology Award For Outstanding Performance

 

Oak Harbor

Oak Harbor City Park

“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”

“Washington Department of Health (DOH) cautions that clams, oysters, and mussels from this beach are not fit for human consumption at any time.”

“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”

Source: WDFW

 

Coupeville

“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”

“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”

Source: WDFW

 

North side of Penn Cove at Monroe Landing

“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”

“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”

Source: WDFW

 

Americans do not live in a free and honest society.

In a free and honest society, newspeople would be asking questions related to public policy all of the time.

Voting is highly emphasized in American culture. Asking questions related to public policy takes a lower priority.

Has anyone ever seen the Puget Sound area press ask questions about Whidbey water quality impacted by sewage treatment plant outfalls?

Has anyone ever seen any government agency, elected official or volunteer organization seeking answers related to one or more sewage treatment plants sending unsafe product into the waters near Whidbey Island?

Distance learning idea:

Podcast 4 Another Month With An R – Whidbey Sewage Treatment Plant Outfalls

Whidbey Waters – Mixed Signals of Concern

 

March 13, 2020 Whidbey News-Times

4th grade students publish book on Salish Sea

“Invisible Pollution in the Salish Sea”

School teachers,

Are you teaching your students to look for green colors on the Recreational Shellfish Safety Map?

 

Related:

WDFW Monitors Water Quality at Penn Cove

 

 


Washington Coast – The North Beach

 

Razor Clam seasons

 

Calm and cloudy on The North Beach. Able to get limits before 1600.

Washington Coast

Razor Clam seasons

 

Nice, calm afternoon on The North Beach. Able to get limits by 1430.

 

Washington Coast

Razor Clam seasons

 

 

 

A beautiful afternoon at the beach. People getting their limits and heading home before sunset. Low tide: 1738


Sound Fishing made a nice video on cleaning clams:

Good Stuff

WDFW Razor Clam info:

Razor clam seasons and beaches

 

Washington Coast – Westport

Here is a really nice waterfront live cam that is great for storm watching and nice weather days too.

View the live cam here.

 

Related:

Oak Bay Clams

Clam Dip

The Seal Rock Oyster

 

There were several good clamming beaches near Port Hadlock, when I lived there a few years back. Loved to go out and get some clams.

 

Old photos here from the Port Hadlock days. Several good clamming beaches were close by.

I did not save, or have lost the recipe. There must be several excellent versions available to try.

These guys put together a good video on how to cook and clean the clams:

16:43

 

Marvin took us out to the Grayland/Twin Harbors area for razor clams. This was the first time in my life that I had ever been out to dig razor clams.

When done right, razor clams are the best seafood I have ever had.

 

Washington Coast

Razor Clam seasons

 

Washington Coast

We got to the beach about two hours early. We had a really good outing. Left the beach before dark. Weather was great.

 

Thursday – Washington Coast

 

Limited visibility out there.

Washington Coast

 

The wind and rain has eased up for a bit. Out to the beach before daylight, and it was a really good morning for clams. First outing for clams since living in Port Hadlock years ago.

 

Washington Coast