Crabbers working Pots

Crabbers spend the morning last week checking pots (cube shaped wire traps) for blue crabs. Monkey Island sits in the background, left; it looks bare but it is a rookery full of egret and heron nests right now.
We have our own crab pots and harvested enough for a fine lunch of steamed crabs today. First of the season! I picked out the crabmeat from the leftover steamed crabs and our fine lunch was matched with a dinner of crab cakes with a side of stir fried Sugar Ann peas fresh from the garden.
It's good eating, whether you buy it or work for it yourself.

Early bird ...

... gets the crabs? An early crabber was out setting pots last weekend in the bit of warm-up that we had. There is a man amongst that pile of pots, you will have to look close. Not sure how his pots have faired with the terrible winds of the past two days.

Watermen working their pots

Early morning crabbers work their pots in the north end of Currituck Sound.

99 Crabpots to throw off the boat

I'm surprised I don't hear the watermen singing as they work down this pile of pots. It is reportedly going to be a good year for crabs. First full moon in May is the traditional start of peeler season but this has been an early spring.