International report, W. Coast Scotland

[Scotsman]

Hi TF rs

Ive read a couple of good reports on the spearing/diving board sos though it was about time to post one up.

A work (marine biologist) trip back home to Scotland allowed for a little play time at the end. Went diving with a group of old diving pals from home the following weekend. Weather was perfect and we had a blast.

Dived the wreck of the Hispania in the sound of Mull, she lies intact on the seabed at 60-110 ft. Great dive but serious current in these parts makes a dive only possible at slack tide, and we were just off by 10 min so it was a tiring dive and a struggle to fin back to the shot line. Didn’t have a spear gun on board the RIB (bad combination!) but plenty of big Pollock weaving in and out of superstructure that could have had a hot oil bath.

Second dive was a shallow 50 ft drift dive for scallops and whatever else that was edible and catchable, ended up with a bag of scallops and several edible crabs. Scallops shelled that night, mixed with some chilli paste and ginger and on the BBQ, seriously good eating. Amazing that in the UK there is no limit on the number of scallops a rec diver can take.

Cheers

Hamish

[Distraction]

[tongue]

This is me...green with envy!

Sounds like a great time. Thanks for the report!

[Mako993]

Mmm..Do you think those scallops will taste a bit better than those whelks you got, Matt? By the way, did you ever cook them up?

[Distraction]

Ah. The Whelks. Yes, let me see...where to start.

Took them home and put them in the freezer, because I had read that that's a good way to get them out of the shell without destroying the shell.

Then popped them in some boiling water and used a fork to pull them right out. It was fairly easy.

Then I tried reading directions on how to clean them. Or at least compared to a conch. It wasn't easy discerning the 'edible meat' from other visceral parts that maybe you wouldn't want to eat. (Although, based on escargot, it's probably all edible.)

Well, I finally managed to 'clean' them down to what I thought was the edible part and 3 whelks gave me about 6.5 oz of meat. I was going to make a chowder out of them in the crock pot so that they wouldn't be tough after stewing all day. But the clam chowder recipe I had was so difficult I said, 'screw it'. I figure if it was really worth it more peole would be eating them. I put the viscera and the 'cleaned' parts in a ziploc baggie, put them back in the freezer, and used them for crab pot bait the next week. :)

Now CRABS I know how to eat! Caught half a bushel last Saturday and steamed 'em up Sat. nite. Yummy!

That's my whelk story. Although, I think I would still keep a few because I bet they'd make awesome spadefish bait, or drum bait, or sheepies or even taug. And I doubt they'd come off the hook as easily as clam.

[Mako993]

Well, at least it didn't go to waste, and the crabs enjoyed what you so laboriously prepared - I'll bet they never had such a gourmet meal laid out for them!

Got any plans to hit the CBBT again soon?

[Distraction]

Nope. Next two weekends are booked, then I'm outta town for three weeks.

[Mako993]

Cool. Next weekend I'll be back up in Cape May, will do some spearing with the Jersey home boys, hopefully. I'm in vacation the first week of September. Let's shoot for middle of next month, if you want.