On Wednesday, September 20, we drove to Charleston from Winchester Bay. We are staying at the Charleston Marina RV Park in site 18. This is the location of the Boomer Crab-a-rang. We are signed up for 11 nights at about $25 per night. I went to Bimart and bought 2 crab traps for a little over $11 each. I had already bought a crab trap at Winchester Bay for $40. They were almost the exact same trap. What a rip! But at least I have two traps.
So bright and early Thursday morning I started crabbing. My mentor, Diana Ruelens, told me to be at the dock around 7:30 AM. It was cold that day and I did not make it until 8:30. I only put two traps in because I did not know what I was doing. Dean opted not to go crabbing but to help me any way he could. The license cost $26 (annual).  |
| Sunrise over Charleston |
The first day I only caught 6 crabs but I learned a lot from Diana so I was hooked. This is a picture of my first crab.
Here is a trap coming on to the dock:
Day two of crabbing - I was out on the dock before anyone. Dean set up my other trap so now I had three in the water, which is the limit.
The second day I limited out - due mainly to some kind hearted crabbers on a boat that had too many and asked if I wanted them. Of course, I took them. So I limited fairly early.
Day three, Sept. 23, I returned to the dock bright and early and again I got my limit due to generous people sharing their catch. This is a sunrise shot through one of the docked boats.
Here is my helper, Dean. I could not have done this with out him. He helped me carry everything to the dock, load everything in the car, then cooked the crabs and helped me pick them. Lots of work.
I maxed out (without donations) on the fourth day on the dock. So now I am up to 42 crabs. Our good friends, the Moore's, helped me carry everything back to the RV. They got 6 crabs as a thank you. This is Jan with one of the big ones!
So, everyday we came home, Dean fired up the Coleman while I cleaned the crabs, then we would cook them and pick them.
You get a little goofy after a lot of crabbing!
Here are some pictures on the dock of me pulling in and checking the traps.
Dean, below, picking in the shade of the RV's.
We were very fortunate to have Jim and Debbie Scharmato providing boat rides to crab out in the bay. Each day there was at least 2 to 3 trips out with 4 to 5 Boomers and they got their limit every day and every trip! The record was 17 keepers in one trap.
I went twice on the boat and we caught so many we had to toss quite a few over before we came in.
Finally, after 7 straight days of crabbing and 74 crabs, Dean and I did some of the local sites. We went to Shore Acres Gardens which is a historic homesite of the Simpsons. It is now owned by the state and the gardens are a real showpiece.
We walked along the cliffs and scenic lookouts in the area. The Oregon coast is so beautiful.
We took a hike at the South Slough Reserve. The vegetation was so thick and very beautiful. And there were walkways over the Slough.
We had around 40 rigs at the Crab-a-rang so each day we had a Happy Hour and a few nights we got together for potlucks and a lovely meal of Chippino, fish stew.
A couple of pictures in the boat. I look very excited.
More pictures of Boomer get togethers.
Here is the group shot. A lot of happy Boomers!
Diana Ruelens birthday was during the event so we celebrated in grand style. But only the girls would dance!
Our last evening we had a small group dinner with the Moore's, Judy and Mark, Patsi and Mark. Get friends and good times.
Campfires were held each night by the leaders (Ruelens) RV. I was too tired to attend any except for one.
Many thanks to all that helped make this a special Boomer event, especially Diana and George and Jim and Debbie. See everyone in Boomerville in January.
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