Oyster diving?

[Eric Sedletzky]

I have never been to California, it's my understanding that everything is more expensive then here?

Pretty awesome that they cleaned up your bay. Ours is so large, I'm not sure if they can ever bring it back to what I have been told it once was. There's a book by a man that has been taking pictures of the bay for the last ~ 60 years. He said you used to be able to go down and see ~ 15' in all directions. With all the farming and run off I just can't see it ever getting back to that, but I never thought it would get as good as it is right now, so who knows. They are making a difference, so we'll see.

I do not know if there's any rules on harvesting after the rain, as far as I know it's just Sat 8-12 (for recreational, commercial is obviously different), since I work I'm not sure if there are other recreational days or not.

From visiting the museums in the city (years ago before it got scary like now) they talked about the oysters being so plentiful that you could see piles of them sticking out of the water at low tide. Oysters were a staple for the Chesapeake bay (here's a good link with a few pictures; Oyster History - Oyster Recovery Partnership)

We'll actually take sacks out given to us by the state of MD that have "spat" (baby oysters) all over the shells and we'll dump those out onto the beds. We also save all the shells so on the next trip we can dump those back onto the beds. I am told it takes about 5 years for spat to get to the point it can be harvested.

Yes, things are more expensive here than anywhere. Gas is still $5 a gallon, an average house in my town is 700k to 800k, in some cities over a million average for a house is common.
I’m sure the workers at the oyster farm are making over $15 hr. they have to be because minimum wage is at least that. The oyster farm is also in Marin County which is one of the most expensive zip codes in the country.
If you ever did come out this way I would avoid San Francisco at all costs. It’s not what it used to be and is nothing more than one big crime pit with homeless, drugs, car break ins, a majority of the stores downtown are shuttering, etc. and everything is caving in.
Up North where I am in wine country it is still very nice. The coast is very beautiful and scenic.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Fascinated by oysters. I have never heard of them being taken by diving here in the Southeast. Anyway, nowadays virtually all commercially available oysters around here are farmed. The demand for water by cities such as Atlanta decimated the coastal oyster fisheries. Even just 20 years ago you could buy a box of Apalachicola (FL) wild-harvested oysters, but no longer. And call me a traitor but I prefer the plumper west coast oysters (from a jar--gasp!) for my oyster po'boys.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Yes, things are more expensive here than anywhere. Gas is still $5 a gallon, an average house in my town is 700k to 800k, in some cities over a million average for a house is common.
I’m sure the workers at the oyster farm are making over $15 hr. they have to be because minimum wage is at least that. The oyster farm is also in Marin County which is one of the most expensive zip codes in the country.
If you ever did come out this way I would avoid San Francisco at all costs. It’s not what it used to be and is nothing more than one big crime pit with homeless, drugs, car break ins, a majority of the stores downtown are shuttering, etc. and everything is caving in.
Up North where I am in wine country it is still very nice. The coast is very beautiful and scenic.

If I ever get to California I will surely hit you up before coming to know where the best food / diving is! I couldn't imagine visiting somewhere without getting at least a little insight before I go.

I'm not really a city guy anyway, so no interest in San Fran. Driving up the coast and watching sunsets without another soul in site is more my style.

Fascinated by oysters. I have never heard of them being taken by diving here in the Southeast. Anyway, nowadays virtually all commercially available oysters around here are farmed. The demand for water by cities such as Atlanta decimated the coastal oyster fisheries. Even just 20 years ago you could buy a box of Apalachicola (FL) wild-harvested oysters, but no longer. And call me a traitor but I prefer the plumper west coast oysters (from a jar--gasp!) for my oyster po'boys.

I am equally fascinated, and I think it really depends. Each oyster has it's own size, shell density (which matters when shucking) and flavor profile. The guy that owns the local market does a really good job having them displayed, will let you try any or all of them for free, and gives insight on what each has to offer. He'll talk about the texture and the flavor, whether it's more buttery or has more of a salty or briny taste to it. As far as I know all his are harvested within 500 miles up and down the East Coast.

Personally my favorite oysters (so far) are from Chincoteague VA. They're a nice size, inexpensive, and pretty salty. They're so good I honestly can't stop eating them, I'll eat 40 or 50 in one evening no problem!

I have a guy (@runsongas he's in in Essex, go figure!) that will get bags for his bar and sometimes I'll get him to order me a few extra because it's wholesale. The only reason he deals with me is because I helped his nephew get on his feet, otherwise forget it..... I am almost 100% sure he's in some type of mafia. It's like meeting someone from Goodfella's every time I go. Lots of "yes Sirs and no Sirs" from me and that's about it, lol.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If I ever get to California I will surely hit you up before coming to know where the best food / diving is! I couldn't imagine visiting somewhere without getting at least a little insight before I go.

I'm not really a city guy anyway, so no interest in San Fran. Driving up the coast and watching sunsets without another soul in site is more my style.



I am equally fascinated, and I think it really depends. Each oyster has it's own size, shell density (which matters when shucking) and flavor profile. The guy that owns the local market does a really good job having them displayed, will let you try any or all of them for free, and gives insight on what each has to offer. He'll talk about the texture and the flavor, whether it's more buttery or has more of a salty or briny taste to it. As far as I know all his are harvested within 500 miles up and down the East Coast.

Personally my favorite oysters (so far) are from Chincoteague VA. They're a nice size, inexpensive, and pretty salty. They're so good I honestly can't stop eating them, I'll eat 40 or 50 in one evening no problem!

I have a guy (@runsongas he's in in Essex, go figure!) that will get bags for his bar and sometimes I'll get him to order me a few extra because it's wholesale. The only reason he deals with me is because I helped his nephew get on his feet, otherwise forget it..... I am almost 100% sure he's in some type of mafia. It's like meeting someone from Goodfella's every time I go. Lots of "yes Sirs and no Sirs" from me and that's about it, lol.

The water is about 50-53 degrees on average so you need a 7mm wetsuit or drysuit. Most people around here just use 7mm wetsuits.
If you ever do decide to visit, absolutely do contact me and I will give you the whole run down on the best places to go and the best things to see. There’s a lot of wine, breweries, great food, fun towns, etc. and miles of picturesque rugged coastline.
If you want to get in a dive we can certainly do that too!

 

[EberWolf]

The water is about 50-53 degrees on average so you need a 7mm wetsuit or drysuit. Most people around here just use 7mm wetsuits.
If you ever do decide to visit, absolutely do contact me and I will give you the whole run down on the best places to go and the best things to see. There’s a lot of wine, breweries, great food, fun towns, etc. and miles of picturesque rugged coastline.
If you want to get in a dive we can certainly do that too!

We have pearl dives here in Bahrain. These are not oysters you want to eat. There's snorkel depth trips and 10 to 20 meter scuba depth trips. We buy a 13 USD license and it lets us "take home" 100 oysters. That doesn't include what gets shucked on the boat. Some locals here have an unlimited license and will need a lift bag and a couple people to bring in their haul.

The summer surface water temp can reach 100F and drop into the frigid mid to low 90's at 20 meters. The winter temps get into the 60's and a 5mm is enough for me.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Well guys, sorry to say oyster diving here is can be pretty brutal. The only saving grace is that you're working and that keeps me warm. The worst I've ever had it has been 17°f air temp and 38°f water temp. It was so cold the water was freezing all over the deck and instantly on my suit and gear as soon as I got out. We actually had to shovel some snow off of things to get going in the morning.

I have only ever done it diving dry, but most do it wet on the boat (I can't figure out why). Because I'm working (keeping warm and dry) I just stay in the water for the whole time, which is usually 1-2 hours. Anyone in a wetsuit will do 20-30 min and then take a break, get warm and repeat.

Another saving grace is the captain is an older waterman that can't take the cold. He has most of his boat closed in and heaters all over the place. Getting warm if you are cold is never an issue.

Some people will only dive Oct and Nov when it's warmer, but there's a core group of us that'll go out all season long.

When we get back if weather cooperates captain will fire up the grill and then it's all you can oysters made in a multitude of different ways, and of course alcoholic beverages all around! Sometimes MD crab soup and always hot wings and coffee on the boat.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Well guys, sorry to say oyster diving here is can be pretty brutal. The only saving grace is that you're working and that keeps me warm. The worst I've ever had it has been 17°f air temp and 38°f water temp. It was so cold the water was freezing all over the deck and instantly on my suit and gear as soon as I got out. We actually had to shovel some snow off of things to get going in the morning.

I have only ever done it diving dry, but most do it wet on the boat (I can't figure out why). Because I'm working (keeping warm and dry) I just stay in the water for the whole time, which is usually 1-2 hours. Anyone in a wetsuit will do 20-30 min and then take a break, get warm and repeat.

Another saving grace is the captain is an older waterman that can't take the cold. He has most of his boat closed in and heaters all over the place. Getting warm if you are cold is never an issue.

Some people will only dive Oct and Nov when it's warmer, but there's a core group of us that'll go out all season long.

When we get back if weather cooperates captain will fire up the grill and then it's all you can oysters made in a multitude of different ways, and of course alcoholic beverages all around! Sometimes MD crab soup and always hot wings and coffee on the boat.

I’d do it.
I’m pretty hard core when it comes to hunting and gathering in crappy conditions and off the beaten path. The coldest water I ever dived was 42 degrees in a wetsuit and it was a crappy wetsuit at that. I’m not going to say I was fine but I did survive it.
Then I ordered a custom 1/2” thick john jacket beaver tail rubatex suit for urchin diving (which never materialized commercially anyway) and I used that for several years and cold was no longer a factor, just that movement was so restricted in a suit that thick. I never dived it enough to really break it in.
Most people here only talk about diving Cozumel or some other warm place and LOB’s. It’s great to see and hear about the exploits of a fellow cold water local diver hunter/gatherer here on SB.
This is the kind of stuff I would go and do.

 

[Ghost95]

We used to do that in Pensacola bay. It was cold, dark, and nasty but the oysters were good.

ALWAYS carried a couple really sharp knives and moved slow. There were sometimes old shrimp beers fouled on the oyster beds. Never had any real issues though.

 

[Lorenzoid]

We used to do that in Pensacola bay. It was cold, dark, and nasty but the oysters were good.

ALWAYS carried a couple really sharp knives and moved slow. There were sometimes old shrimp beers fouled on the oyster beds. Never had any real issues though.

I wonder if the oyster beds are still there?

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I’d do it.
I’m pretty hard core when it comes to hunting and gathering in crappy conditions and off the beaten path. The coldest water I ever dived was 42 degrees in a wetsuit and it was a crappy wetsuit at that. I’m not going to say I was fine but I did survive it.
Then I ordered a custom 1/2” thick john jacket beaver tail rubatex suit for urchin diving (which never materialized commercially anyway) and I used that for several years and cold was no longer a factor, just that movement was so restricted in a suit that thick. I never dived it enough to really break it in.
Most people here only talk about diving Cozumel or some other warm place and LOB’s. It’s great to see and hear about the exploits of a fellow cold water local diver hunter/gatherer here on SB.
This is the kind of stuff I would go and do.

Such a shame we're 3000 miles apart. There's a ton of diving we would do. I love going after mussels, lobster, oysters, fish... you name it. I haven't eaten an urchin but I would in a heartbeat if it was in front of me. I joke with my wife all the time I should have really grown up along the coast and been able to go kill / hunt / gather dinner every night. (We're about an hour outside of Annapolis, so a little ways into farmland). I could live on seafood every day for the rest of my life.

As far as oyster diving, I love it, I really can't put into words how much fun it is. On paper it sounds so stupid (to most people). Setting up all the gear the night before, leaving the house at 4:45 to go climb on a boat in sub par temperatures. Suiting up in the cold, the 1st plunge smacking you so hard in the face it takes your breath away. Fighting the current to get back to the boat. I think it is about as raw as it can get as far as a "mini" adventure goes. I'm back in the real world and home by 1pm and on with my day like it never happened. It works well with my hectic schedule. Plus I can share with the family as some just like to go for the boat ride and after party back at the dock.

If I'm being really honest I think I prefer cold water to warm water. There is just something (to me) about going somewhere and seeing some stuff that the human body really wasn't built to go see and that most people don't dare go do.

(Pics at my local water hole from the last time it snowed)