Tag Archives: Abalone

•

The fishing fleet has been busy just north of the border of Sonoma County and Mendocino County. Rick and I can see many boats fishing for Salmon from our home in Anchor Bay. Yesterday Mel Smith purchased one for us from the pier at Point Arena Harbor. Yes, we had fresh salmon, caught in the pristine waters off the Coast, for dinner last night. The cost? $8.00 a pound. The fish Mel got for us was 13.5 pounds. Lots of salmon fillets are now in our freezer.

And today is the last day for Abalone diving. The season is closed for the month of July. The conditions today look ideal, as the Pacific Ocean is very calm. Recently Jack Likins and Ken Bailey went out. The result was this cache of big Abalones and a very nice Lingcod.

They shared these spoils at a birthday party for Ken's wife, Wendy Bailey. I can personally attest to the delicious fish tacos made with the Lingcod and the exquisite Abalone.

Thanks to Jack and Ken for allowing me to share this photo with you here.

• 2 Comments

•

On Sept. 3rd, Rozann Grunig found a shocking sight at Shell Beach on The Sea Ranch. The beach was littered with dead Sea Urchins. She also saw a Chiton, a type of sea mollusk, just barely alive. The Chiton was put back into the Pacific Ocean in the hopes it might survive.

Abalones have been found upside down off the Sonoma Coast - there has been much coverage of this event. A Red Tide plus a quiet ocean caused a loss of oxygen in these critters habitat. It is believed by local ocean watchers that this is a natural occurrence. It has happened before and will happen again. Tests are being done to see if something else is happening here. Divers and fishermen tell me while they have seen some dead abalones, there are thousands upon thousands out there and doing fine. The Mendocino Coast looks like it avoided this phenomenon.

I thank Rozann for allowing me to share her photos here.

To see Craig Tooley's photo of the Red Tide, you can see it on this link here on Mendonoma Sightings: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/08/09/red-tide-seen-off-of-the-sea-ranch/

• 3 Comments

•

Just look at this huge Abalone! Ken, Jack Likins and Randy Jackson (no relation, darn it) were diving ten days ago in an area most divers avoid because it is "dirty," according to Jack. The secret place, off the Mendonoma Coast, doesn't have many Abalones but what is does have are big Abalones. Randy got his limit of 9+ inchers, Jack got his limit of 10+ inchers - yes, three trophy abs, and Ken got the bragging rights with this huge 10+ incher.

All of these men live on the Mendonoma Coast. They are strong and smart. Trophy Abalones are no strangers to these men in their quest for red treasure. Thanks to Jack for allowing me to share his photo. Jack and Ken, along with Richard Lewis, produced a DVD on what it's like to dive for abalone. It's entitled The Hunt for Red Treasure and can be found at my favorite bookstore, The Four-Eyed Frog. http://www.foureyedfrog.com/

• 2 Comments

•

With the early minus tides this past weekend, cars lined Highway One as abalone divers came to the Mendonoma Coast with abalone on their minds. Local diver, Jack Likins, has told me conditions so far this season have not been good due to the wind and strong currents. Jack has had some fabulous days hunting red treasure. He once got three ten inch abalones in one day. Many divers would give their left fin for one ten inch ab. Jack graciously has allowed me to share the photo commemorating his feat.

• 2 Comments

•

Movement in the storm-muddied pond caught my eye yesterday afternoon. This member of the Salamander family put on quite a show for my camera. I believe it's a male and he is definitely in his aquatic form. He is brown on top and a bright orange on the bottom.

The Pacific Ocean is wind-whipped today, not a good weekend for the start of the abalone season. There is nothing "pacific" about the ocean today. Stay home and be safe - calmer days are ahead.