Coastal Weekend

We are back from a fun razor clamming weekend at the coast. We met my parents in Longbeach, WA on Friday evening at the swanky Super 8 motel.   This razor clam harvest was an evening dig, so we had some time to kill. We drove to The Lost Roo restaurant & had a delicious dinner. We needed to fill up, since later, we would be burning lots of calories. Razor clam digging is serious exercise!

After dinner & back at the motel, Omid outfitted everyone in their clamming gear. He brought extra things for my parents as they didn't have the proper wind/waterproof clothing.

Remy & I ready to go!

I don't have any pix of the night dig, but let me say this: the weather cooperated & it stayed dry. The wind was warm & we got 2 + limits.

Night digs are not my favorite as it's so hard to see the clam 'show' on the sand (even with lanterns & flashlights).

This is what you have to look for. I only look for 'doughnuts' as they are the easiest to spot.
Photo courtesy Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Our haul!

The next morning, we met up for breakfast. Long Beach is seriously lacking in breakfast places. One place we stopped at, looked nice from the outside, but the minute my dad & I stepped inside to check out their menu, we were assaulted by a strong musty smell instead of food. We hoped to smell bacon or something similar to breakfast. Nothing but 'yuck', so we decided not to eat there. We ended up at another place that was just okay.

Long Beach: you need a Pig & Pancake!

Papa with Long Beach's giant razor clam.

G & P with the World's Largest Frying Pan!
Christmas card photo!!!

After everyone was fed & no one was cranky anymore (Papa!), we stopped at the Washington State University (Go Cougs!!) Cranberry Research Center for some education (& because I love cranberries!).

Fun fact: Up until I was about 12, the only things that would make it on my Thanksgiving dinner plate
were cranberry sauce & stuffing.

Remy, Matty & Grammy posing as 'bog farmers.'

We took the 'self guided walking tour' of the facility.

Grammy ran inside the gift shop to see what they had.

She came out with a can of Cougar Gold Cheese for me!

Woo hoo!!!!!

Ocean Spray!

I love their cranberry-tangerine juice!

Matty checking out a research plot.

Found one!

Prepare to learn some fun facts about cranberries!

I LOVE the fact that there is a cranberry variety called 'pilgrims!'

If you were looking for sign #3, so were we. Let's move on to #4 instead.

We didn't see any wildlife. Remy must have scared them off!

We learned that wet harvested means a combine cuts the cranberries from the vine & the bog is then flooded.
The cranberries float to the top of the bog & are raked in. Thus: wet harvested!

Bumblebee garden

It was a fun stop & we learned lots about cranberries!

After spending about an hour at the cranberry farm, we decided to visit the beach again.

It was an absolutely beautiful & warm day!

I wish every visit to the coast could be this beautiful!

Fun fact: it was here that I checked Facebook & found out my friend Sarah was on her way to South Carolina to meet her new beautiful baby boy! Congratulations Sarah & Chris!

Sarah with her baby boy, Moses.