From today’s dig, the last of the season on the North Beach:

Winning guess will receive 1 penny per clammer, PLUS an order of Razor Clam Sushi, the new menu item at the Get Toe Cafe

Nothing like a little Razor Clam Dig to bring the masses to the beaches. Mild weather didn’t hurt, either. Low tide, today: 7:01 p.m. (-1.8 feet).

One of the scenes, last evening:

North Beaches cleared for razor clam digging Friday through Sunday; Long Beach remains closed, says Fish & Wildlife:

OLYMPIA – Twin Harbors beach will open for razor clam digging tomorrow (Jan. 28), followed by openings at three other beaches later this week after a new round of marine toxin tests showed the clams there are safe to eat.
Long Beach, however, will remain closed to digging due to high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) detected in the clams.
“We’re pleased that we can move forward with digs at these four beaches,” said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager.  “The latest tests showed that the clams there remain safe to eat.”
The four beaches will open for digging at noon on the following days:

·         Twin Harbors – Thursday (Jan. 28) through Sunday (Jan. 31)
·         Copalis and Mocrocks – Friday (Jan. 29) through Sunday (Jan. 31)
·         Kalaloch Beach – Saturday (Jan. 30) through Sunday (Jan. 31)

OLYMPIA – Rising marine toxin levels have prompted the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to cancel a razor clam dig scheduled at Long Beach and delay final decisions about digs at Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches until next week.Olympic National Park will also wait until next week to decide on a dig at Kalaloch Beach, pending the results of further biotoxin testing.

Previous plans for a dig starting late next week were put on hold after routine testing found elevated levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in clams collected on coastal beaches, said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager.

PSP is a marine toxin produced by a certain type of algae that can cause paralysis and even death if consumed in sufficient quantities.

The Ocean Shores Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a brand new logo contest for the 2010 Razor Clam Festival.  Entries will be accepted now
through December 31, 2009, and can either be mailed to PO Box 382, Ocean
Shores, or dropped at the Ocean Shores Chamber of Commerce office located at
873 Pt. Brown Ave NW.
The winner will receive a cash prize in the amount of $250 and will see
his/her creation on all of the festival’s collateral and clothing celebrating the 2010 event.  For information, please call the chamber at (360) 289-2451.

Taken around 5 p.m., near the Chance approach. Any diggers out there: how were the clams?

clam crowd web

North Beach is tentatively set for the first dig. “Copalis Beach,” which is the State’s term for Ocean Shores, Oyehut, Ocean City and Ocean City, has digs Oct. 16, 17 and 18.

“Mocrocks Beach” (Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips) has digs Oct. 17 and 18.

The complete season: Razor Clam 2009-10

Dan Ayres of the Dept. of Fish and Wild Life, before heading off to Long Beach for another public meeting tonight, answered my questions about how last night’s public forum in Ocean Shores went, and any tentative opening dates and number of digs:

“We had about 25 people at the Shilo last night and they asked a lot of good questions and provided some good feedback.

“We aren’t ready to announce any tentative dates until we have completed all the meetings…however, the 3rd weekend in October is the best bet for an opener.”

He sent a PDF (coastwide razor clam pop hi) showing historic clam population in Copalis (for some reason, they refuse to call us Ocean Shores).

The number of digs is likely to go up this year, as the 2009-10 clam population is some 6.8 million, well over the 5.1 million average since 2003.

From the Department of Fish and Wildlife:

Clam diggers have received the go-ahead to proceed with the last razor-clam dig of the season, starting Saturday, May 9 at four ocean beaches. 

Beaches open for razor-clam digging Saturday morning include Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks. Two beaches, Long Beach and Twin Harbors, will also be open for digging Sunday, May 10. Digging on all beaches must be completed by noon both days.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) authorized the digs after a series of marine toxin tests conducted by the Washington Department of Health confirmed the clams are safe to eat.