Summer Kayak, Owls Head Maine 8/12-15

[rfarren]

This isn't skiing but it's a bit out-doorsy. I'm getting married in September so my grooms-men arranged a bachelor party/weekend up in Owls Head. The weather was perfect, and the beer was cold, and the women.... eh, the women up there were a bit hairy, but I'm sure my fiancee' is fine with that. The cottage we had was on a great secluded beach and came with a couple kayaks. Maine is great because it has a ton of islands and little secrets in which to find and explore. Sadly, I didn't get any photos from the kayak. I was paranoid about losing the camera. The sea life we saw included crabs, fish, a harbor seal, and a minke whale (the whale we saw on a whale watching excursion). I was pretty amazed by the 12 ft tides which completely change what you saw while swimming and boating, including the sea life.

The shots that I didn't take were ones that involved us kayaking (as I said above), and the best lobster I have ever eaten. The lobster shack that gave me that right off route 1 in wicasset. For $21 I got 1lb of steamers, 1 1/2 lb lobster, corn on the cob, a dinner role, a drink, and coleslaw. All excellent and fresh. Not bad if you ask me. I have to say I love Maine and I'm glad I spent my bachelor party/weekend there and not vegas.

 

[EMSC]

I'm glad I spent my bachelor party/weekend there and not vegas.

Yes but what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Whereas the sheep in Maine talk! :lol: :roll: :mrgreen:

Congrats on the upcoming nuptials. Now you just need to get the bride down a few more black diamonds trails this winter.

 

[rfarren]

Congrats on the upcoming nuptials. Now you just need to get the bride down a few more black diamonds trails this winter.

Thanks. We're doing our honeymoon in Austria/Switzerland and looking into the possibility of skiing on the kitzsteinhorn glacier at Zell am See. I've been told it has year round skiing, and it was her suggestion. She and I are planning many blacks this winter.

 

[Admin]

Too bad you're not over there on your honeymoon right now -- Saas-Fee, Zermatt and Cervinia all picked up ~20 in. of snow this week and are open for summer skiing:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/News/2 ... h-America/

 

[rfarren]

Too bad you're not over there on your honeymoon right now -- Saas-Fee, Zermatt and Cervinia all picked up ~20 in. of snow this week and are open for summer skiing:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/News/2 ... h-America/

That's amazing, I just wouldn't want to ski 20 inches in rental boots. Besides, I want to see the mountains on my honeymoon. Nonetheless, maybe we'll get lucky and they'll get hit right before the honeymoon.

 

[Guest]

The pictures look too coooool. I don't know why but I am fond of that basin picture best.
Hey, you are lucky. I think I would also like to pass my bachelor life in such a place.

 

[pointpeninsula]

I've never seen a clam that large. I'll have to plan a Maine vacation one of these years.
Thanks for the great pics.
Tom

 

[rfarren]

I've never seen a clam that large. I'll have to plan a Maine vacation one of these years.
Thanks for the great pics.
Tom

The trick with those clams is to shuck them and cut off the foot. Then cut the foot into small pieces and bread them. Then you fry them up as small fritters. They are very sweet but can be a bit chewy. The rest of the clam other than the foot is not particularly good eating.

 

[Admin]

The trick with those clams is to shuck them and cut off the foot. Then cut the foot into small pieces and bread them. Then you fry them up as small fritters. They are very sweet but can be a bit chewy. The rest of the clam other than the foot is not particularly good eating.

The story of the Quahog.

 

[Marc_C]

The rest of the clam other than the foot is not particularly good eating.

The story of the Quahog.

But an excellent ingredient for a base stock for chowders, stews, etc.

 

[rfarren]

The story of the Quahog.

But an excellent ingredient for a base stock for chowders, stews, etc.

That is certainly true.

Based on this last trip, I think the seafood up there is the best in the country in terms of freshness and price. Do you guys in Utah miss EC seafood, or do you find the stuff shipped in from the Pacific to be of equal quality?

 

[Admin]

Quality's good but it's just not the same stuff that I'm used to. A manila clam will never equal a littleneck to me.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

 

[Marc_C]

Quality's good but it's just not the same stuff that I'm used to. A manila clam will never equal a littleneck to me.

That's like saying "the quality of Utah skiing is good, but it's just not the same stuff you're used to. Alta will never equal a Jay Peak to me."

Talk about a middle-aged guy stuck in a rut! Whaaaa!!! But it's different!!!!!!!

Edit: for clarification of the snark!

 

[rfarren]

Quality's good but it's just not the same stuff that I'm used to. A manila clam will never equal a littleneck to me.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

If it makes you feel better, it's hard to find steamers here in NYC too.

 

[Admin]

Steameds & littlenecks are two different clams.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

 

[Tony Crocker]

Do you guys in Utah miss EC seafood, or do you find the stuff shipped in from the Pacific to be of equal quality?

As a native west coaster, I'll readily concede the clear cut superiority of most east coast shellfish. It helped to have a father who grew up in Maine.

 

[rfarren]

Steameds & littlenecks are two different clams.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

I thought they were the same clam, just picked at different ages. Oh well, I'm not an expert at that, so I'll take your word for it.

 

[Geoff]

Steameds & littlenecks are two different clams.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

I thought they were the same clam, just picked at different ages. Oh well, I'm not an expert at that, so I'll take your word for it.

A "steamer" is a softshell clam (Mya arenaria). A "littleneck" is a particular size of hardshell clam (Mercenaria mercenaria). Locally for me, littlenecks are the smallest legal size. Cherrystones are somewhat bigger. Quahogs or chowder clams are large and can only be eaten minced. Quahog is the Wampanog & Narragansett Indian name for them. If you've ever watched Family Guy, they live in Quahog, Rhode Island.

For me, lobster, steamers, corn on the cob, and portuguese bread is a traditional summer meal. I don't eat raw shellfish so I tend to toss cherrystones on the gas grill until they open and eat them with cocktail sauce. I usually make my clam chowder from the leftover broth when I steam clams and use the leftover clams with the foot pulled off and chopped. I do Rhode Island style which doesn't have roux or cream in it. Just clear broth, clams, potato, onion, and salt pork or bacon. My other favorites are stuffed quahogs.... basically, turkey stuffing made with chopped clams and clam broth; and clam cakes which are donut holes where the liquid is clam broth and there are chopped clams in them.

 

[Admin]

I do Rhode Island style which doesn't have roux or cream in it. Just clear broth, clams, potato, onion, and salt pork or bacon.

Never mind that it comes out looking like dirty dishwater, it's the best damned style of chowder.

 

[Geoff]

Quality's good but it's just not the same stuff that I'm used to. A manila clam will never equal a littleneck to me.

That's like saying "the quality of Utah skiing is good, but it's just not the same stuff you're used to. Alta will never equal a Jay Peak to me."

Talk about a middle-aged guy stuck in a rut! Whaaaa!!! But it's different!!!!!!!

Jeez M1. Admin used-ta live in Swamscott... right in the soft shell clam belt where steamers and fried clams are the staple of every local restaurant. I can't blame the guy for missing the local seafood. I typically make a weekly run to the wholesale fish market in New Bedford. The place is operated by a commercial fisherman who owns 3 fishing boats. They cater restaurants Monday through Wednesday and are open to the public Thursday thru Saturday. Huge volume and everything was swimming the day before.

I originally dropped into this thread to register my usual rant about clueless newbie ocean kayakers. (a.k.a. speed bumps) If you're in a narrow channel and a boat drawing 7 feet is coming through, you do not have the right of way no matter how much you bellow. It's really bad in downeast Maine where you have 20 feet of tide and 10 knots of current. You draw 3". GTF out of the way.