Oyster Blog
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Olympia oysters are the only oyster species native to the west coast of North America. They're small and intense, with a surprisingly coppery flavor. Olympias were an important food source for Native Americans, and a big hit with everybody who...
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The tideflats are full of life... much of it too small to notice. This little guy had lots of personality but didn't photograph well. Even in person it was hard to tell what was going on. How many legs does...
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The cosmopolitan moon jelly is found all over the world, frequently seen from the decks of Puget Sound ferries, and occasionally found dead on the beach at Hama Hama farm. Not sure if that qualifies them as a tideflat critter......
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Adam and Miguel head out on the Gladys to pick up oysters and clams at high tide. They use the crane to pick up the oyster tubs. And then take the shellfish to the plant for processing.
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The fringe, or bill, is the most colorful part of the oyster shell. Sometimes the bill is dark, sometimes it's very light: Or even multi-colored: This analysis of oyster cultivation in Korea claims that an oyster's shell color, along...
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The tideflats are covered with miniature crab. They skitter around the beach, hide under oyster clusters at low tide, and go into attack mode when they sense someone overhead. But they can also be kinda cuddly: Some of...
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Strange happenings in the world of oyster aquaculture: 1. Today's LA Times ran an article about the West Coast's V. tubiashii outbreak that is worth reading. Among other interesting things we learned from the article: the fact that the bacteria...
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In light of the previous post exhorting everyone to cook all shellfish, we thought it appropriate to offer a guide to barbecuing oysters. You need: Barbecue. Or fire. Oyster knife (or equivalent), plus gloves, hot pads, and/or tongs for handling...
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Our friends Rita and Jamie from Wyoming Aero Photography stopped by a month or so ago and took these amazing shots of Hood Canal and the Hama Hama tideflats. All photos by Rita Donham. Hood Canal, looking north. Hama Hama...
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Sea urchins are echinoderms, and are related to sea cucumbers and sea stars. They're covered in protective spines, use tube feet for locomotion, and normally feed on algae. Sea urchin gonads, known more appetizingly as uni, are a popular food...