Our Cape Cod Shell-fishing Adventure . . . and that's not all!

We are way behind in getting travel posts published this summer because we're having too much fun traveling! So we won't be confused about when each "wandering" happened, we'll start each blog with its actual date.

August 3, 2022

We were up early this morning because our Cape Cod host, Doug, is taking us on a special adventure. When we arrived at his house, he already had the rakes and buckets ready, and we drove to the Barnstable marina to get in his boat.

People wait for years to get a boat slip at this marina, but Doug's father has had one here even before Cape Cod was cool. We zipped out of the marina and into the waters of the Cape with our very experienced pilot in control.

Denisa loves a good boat ride, and this one didn't involve any rowing. This was a fun boat ride . . . and that's not all!

We zipped by the white sand dunes that Cape Cod is famous for, because we are on a mission to go fishing this morning. This isn't just any fishing--this is shell fishing!

We anchored the boat in the shallows, and Doug led us through the water. He was raised here in Cape Cod, so he knows exactly where he is going.

We would have no idea what to do or where to go, so we followed our fearless leader through the sea grass . . .

until it broke open into a hidden shallow salt water pond. That's where the magic began!

That's when Doug taught us how to go shell-fishing. The special rakes that he brought are used to scratch about an inch down into the mud. When you feel the resistance and hear the special scratching sound, you know that you have found a shell.

That's your cue to bend down and uncover the clam that the rake just discovered. It's like Easter egg hunting for sea food!

This is what we are hunting. This is a quahog--which is pronounced like koh-hog. It's a clam that thrives here in Cape Cod, and Doug has led us to a particularly good spot to find them.

We have a bucket for the quahog, but we must first measure each clam to be sure it's big enough to harvest. If it fits through the slot in that metal clam guide, it's too small. This quahog is obviously big enough to keep, so he goes in the bucket. Those that are too small must be re-buried in the mud where we found them.

At a restaurant, quahogs are sorted by size. The smallest allowable size are called cherrystone clams, the mid-size are long necks, and the biggest are chowders. 

It didn't take long before the three of us got that bucket full. Each citizen of Barnstable is allowed to harvest one peck of quahogs each week. 

Doug confessed that this was the first time he had been shell-fishing all summer. It's one of those things that he enjoys, but doesn't take time to do unless he has guests that need fishing lessons.

Before we left our fishing spot, we took our Cape Cod version of the traditional American Gothic painting. Instead of a pitchfork, we have clamming rakes. Instead of frowns, we are all smiles because this was really fun.

We took our shell fish loot and headed back to the boat. 

Clamming can only be done at low tide, and our little boat had to be pushed off the sand bar because the tide had receded more while we were fishing.

That was a fun adventure . . . but that's not all! Then Doug took us for a boat ride to see some iconic Cape Cod views. He claims that you haven't seen the Cape, until you've seen it from the water.

This is one of his favorite lighthouses--the Sandy Neck Light. It was built in 1857, and looks great. Its location at the entrance of Barnstable Harbor means that it can only be seen if you have a boat.

That was a fun sighting . . . but that's not all. We left the lighthouse, and Doug took us to another special location. We soon saw an expanse of white sand beach that is only known to locals, and only accessible by boat.

The other limitation to this special place is that it is only available during the lowest tide. Normally this flat white sand bar is under water. We have wandered into another of God's wonders!

We walked this exclusive beach with just a few other locals while Doug taught us more about Cape Cod. He is certainly patient with all the questions we have!

It was here that Denisa spotted the best sea shell of the summer. This is a beautiful moon shell, that would normally be in the ocean if the tide wasn't so low now.

As we walked the beach, the tide started coming back in. Instead of walking on pristine white sand, we were now walking in an inch of water. The beach that is only here at low tide, was once again being swallowed up by the ocean.

Denisa put her sea shell back in the water. The reflections of the clear ocean water and the white sand and shell made an interesting picture. 

We so appreciate Doug taking off work this morning to make this shell-fishing and beach-walking time possible for us!

He whisked us back to the marina, so we could refrigerate the quahogs, and then he had to go to work. He is a realtor here in Cape Cod, and he had appointments this afternoon.

That was a great morning full of new adventures . . . but that's not all! That evening he invited us back to his house to eat those clams. We had no idea of how to cook a quahog, but Doug certainly does. He cooked them up with onions, peppers, potatoes, sausage, wine, and spices. When the clams are steamed just right, they open to make getting the meat out easier. We also made a salad and a nice appetizer tray, and had a feast for dinner that evening.

Doug provided a place for us to camp in his field . . . and that's not all! What a great day we've had experiencing Cape Cod from on the water, in the water, by the water, and eating the food provided by the water. We've been blessed again!