Crabby Patties

It was the middle of summer, deep into Northern Washington in the year 2010 when Carter Michael Noftle was able to realize a dream he has had for part of his five and half years of earth life--that's right a dream come true, the irresistable dream of...  CRABBING!!  He loves to watch "Deadliest Catch" with Michael and has always envied his friend Kale, because Kale gets to live the dream every year.  So Justin and Heather could see we weren't going to charter any sea faring expeditions so they took pity on Carter and bravely invited the Noftle's on their crabbing trip this year.  Crabbing isn't as glamorous as they make it look on "Deadliest Catch" (!?) it is, for lack of a better word, rather gucky.  But I've got a freezer full of crab and it's the best crab I've ever had, so it's all a pleasant memory to me!  Now Michael on the other hand does not eat good food like crab so you'll have to ask him if he will be a repeat crabber or not!

These two won the cutest crabber award.  I was the only judge.

He is pointing to a beautiful lady with a camera.

Even Sammi's gloved hands look tenative to me.

It's pretty awesome when you can get a look that isn't "cool" teenagery from your cool teenager.

Kale and Carter at Jenks's beach house dock.

Hadley was keeping track of whose pots had the most crab and "somehow" she won!!  Kai looks pained, or asleep, or maybe this is his cool teenager look!

The necessary log.

Although we thought we were making a dream come true for Carter we REALLY made Zoe happy on this trip.  She loved, loved, loved it.

Jenks had never caught a starfish before in all their MANY years of crabbing and shrimping.  But they never had Zoe the sea creature whisperer with them before now!

They say this is called a sunstar, I call it creepy starfish gone horribly wrong.

Sammi pulling a pot.

Seila is getting the jellyfish off the line as she pulls, they are a big part of the guckiness.

You have to measure the crab and make sure it's male before you can call it a keeper.  We caught 49 keepers each of the two days we crabbed.

This is what it feels like after you crab for two days.