By Hilary Schwandt and Wren McLaughlin

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Surviving off the gifts of the sea was essential to the everyday live the natives and early settlers of the San Juan’s. Ranging from algae to salmon a balanced diet can be achieved from saline. Harvesting sea-life can range from putting mussels off of rocks, to fishing off a boat for salmon. From the shore, one can gather mussels, limpets, oysters, clams, snails, and various types of seaweed. In the water, one can catch crabs, fish, shrimp, and scallops. With a small amount of preparation, excellent dishes can be produced from these seafood’s.

Objective: To broaden the knowledge of everyone on the flavors of the sea. No one will be forced to eat anything, but we will encourage courageousness in the sampling of different sea life.

Harvesting: There are many varieties, but they are all gathered by the same method. You see water squirting out of a little hole in the sand and then you dig frantically to catch it.

Preparation: While still alive, place in a bucket of seawater, in the shade, for a couple of hours, then wash carefully and steam. Best served with your favorite sauce. (or soak in salt water and corn meal to clean out sand.)

Harvesting: Found attached to rocks on beach, below the high tide water line. Pull them off the rocks with a knife or your hands.

Preparation: Same as clams

Harvesting: Found clinging to rocks or other solid objects in the highest tide level.

Preparation: Wash thoroughly, and broil for two minutes shell side down imbedded in pee gravel or rock salt{the gravel is necessary to stabilize the shells.} Baste with butter and sprinkle with flavorings.

Harvesting: Most commonly found in inter-tidal zones residing on rocks or other solid objects.

Preparation: Soak in fresh water for three to four hours. Scrub shells, cover with water and boil gently for twenty minutes. Don't forget to peel off that dang horny trap door before pulling out as much meat as possible for eating.

Seaweed-

Harvesting: This bright green, thin, and translucent algae is found attached to rock shells and other plants in the upper inter-tidal zones.

Preparation: Wash lettuce carefully to rid of all sand and drop into a pan of boiling salted water to cook for about two minutes. Or serve it RAW in a salad, unfortunately this lettuce is a bit on the chewy side.

Harvesting: Found fastened to rocks on the seashore.

Preparation: Wash extremely carefully and serve, or dry for future use.

Harvesting: Found in water or washed up on the beach.

Preparation: Stick to the small ones, best when pickled,

Harvesting: Found in lower inter-tidal to sub-tidal zones.

Preparation: Wash carefully use fresh or dried in entrees.

Harvesting: Collect mates from the sandy bottoms during low tide, or catch with a fish bait and trap off of a boat.

Preparation: Rinse and boil in water for ten minutes, and then break off legs and pull body into two parts. De-shell and feast.

Harvesting: Found in waters ranging from 20 to 500 feet. Caught with fish head bait and a shrimp trap.

Preparation: Drop live into boiling salted water and simmer for twelve minutes. Cool immediately, tear off shell, and serve. Also, it is permitted to eat them raw.

Harvesting: These are free swimming animals which can be caught while scuba diving, or the older ones pry themselves to rocks. These older ones can be found in inter-tidal areas.

Preparation: Pry open the scallop with a knife and eat however one desires.