Steamed Clams, Pacific NW - Washington

Pangaea Ron wrote:
I'm a bit baffled about how expensive ferry rides ($3.50/person, $1.75/senior for a walk-on to Port Townsend from Coupeville (Keystone). . . cheap for the experience) and crowded Deception Pass (20 miles to the North, which is another great and worthwhile experience) has anything to do with great steamed clams?

Take the ferry to Port Townsend for the afternoon and visit Deception Pass State Park on your way to Coupeville. I've lived in the area for nearly 50 years and haven't been overwhelmed by yuppies yet.

This is a camping forum and I assume they will be taking a camper to see the sights, then add wait time. Not every one walks on, so they walk on and end up in Clinton. They hitchhike or wait for a bus? How much time waiting for the bus Clinton to Coupeville? Coupeville to DP? DP back to Clinton? If you live there you know it takes hours to get across most of the time, especially weekends. Just from your response I suspect your one of the liberals and drive a Prious, your not a Sherman or Engle that's for sure. There are 3 separate ares, military north, central was farming & dairy now taken over by liberals, and south with the alternative living folks. I'm am so glad to be away from the entire states liberals.

BTW my RV's 37ft pulled by an F350 Crew cab super duty long bed, I guess 50ft-60ft so $71.00 each way, I can buy a lot of clams for $142.

Ferry fares:
Vehicle, Motorcycle, and Stowage Fares
Vehicle Under 14' (less than 168”) & Driver $9.70
Vehicle Under 22' (standard veh) & Driver $12.25
Vehicle U14' (less than 168") & Sr/Disability Driver $8.30
Vehicle U22' (standard veh) & Sr/Disability Driver $10.85
Motorcycle & Driver $5.45
Motorcycle & Senior/Disability Driver $4.05
Vehicle Length-Based
Vehicle Under 30' Under 7'2 in. $18.15
Vehicle Under 30' Over 7'2 in. $35.75
Vehicle Under 40' $47.50
Vehicle Under 50' $59.25
Vehicle Under 60' $71.00
Vehicle Under 70' $82.75
Vehicle Under 80' $94.50
Cost per foot over 80' $1.20 a foot

So you go when it's hard to harvest?

Sometimes, especially in the winter, the tides are not low enough for me to wade out to my bi-valves without needing a snorkel, or if the tides are low enough (0.00 feet or lower) they are in the middle of the night, and I lose interest because it is dark and blowing horizontal rain.

The tides on our bay can range up to 14 feet from high to low. I'll try to attach a tide chart in my next post.

The oysters are really good for our bay, as 1 mature oyster can filter 65 gallons of water in 24 hours. My 3 neighbors and I have planted over 150,000 bi-valves in the last 5 years.

Pangaea Ron wrote:
The absolutely best steamed clams are at the Front Street Grill in Coupeville, WA on Penn Cove, Whidbey Island, WA. Their Coconut Green Curry Mussels from Penn Cove are even better. We were there for lunch when Tom Douglas (probably the best restauranteur in the NW) brought a tour group there for lunch.

I raise my own Pacific oysters (6,500), Manilla clams (12,000), Mediterranean mussels (15,000) and geoducks (35) on my beach. I go there when the tides are not favorable.

Go there.

Can you explain the last sentence, pls?

You guys did a great job making me not want the sandwich im currently eating for lunch

I'm a bit baffled about how expensive ferry rides ($3.50/person, $1.75/senior for a walk-on to Port Townsend from Coupeville (Keystone). . . cheap for the experience) and crowded Deception Pass (20 miles to the North, which is another great and worthwhile experience) has anything to do with great steamed clams?

Take the ferry to Port Townsend for the afternoon and visit Deception Pass State Park on your way to Coupeville. I've lived in the area for nearly 50 years and haven't been overwhelmed by yuppies yet.

Pangaea Ron wrote:
The absolutely best steamed clams are at the Front Street Grill in Coupeville, WA on Penn Cove, Whidbey Island, WA. Their Coconut Green Curry Mussels from Penn Cove are even better. We were there for lunch when Tom Douglas (probably the best restauranteur in the NW) brought a tour group there for lunch.

I raise my own Pacific oysters (6,500), Manilla clams (12,000), Mediterranean mussels (15,000) and geoducks (35) on my beach. I go there when the tides are not favorable.

Go there.

Coupeville has gotten too ....... yuppie, I lived there 23 year on acreage near Admirals cove. Ferry rides too expensive and Deception Pass too crowded.

WOW!!! Thank you so VERY much!! Love it!!! You all are so extremely awesome!
Happy Camping AND Eating to One and All!!!

The absolutely best steamed clams are at the Front Street Grill in Coupeville, WA on Penn Cove, Whidbey Island, WA. Their Coconut Green Curry Mussels from Penn Cove are even better. We were there for lunch when Tom Douglas (probably the best restauranteur in the NW) brought a tour group there for lunch.

I raise my own Pacific oysters (6,500), Manilla clams (12,000), Mediterranean mussels (15,000) and geoducks (35) on my beach. I go there when the tides are not favorable.

Go there.