Intracoastal Realty Corporation
is licensed in NC
910-620-8181 (M)
910-256-4503 (O)
Realtor® N.C.
License #58623
MikeFarris
mikefarris@intracoastalrealty.com
reduced
WRightsviLLe BeaCh
11 West Henderson Street • $759,000
Boat
35’ slip
WRightsviLLe BeaCh
103 Seaside Lane • $859,000
Spectacular View • Fully Furnished
Boat slip
5 Bedroom • 4.5 Bath
WRightsviLLe BeaCh
316 Causeway Unit B • $1,175,000
Furnished • 4 Bd • Boatslip • Elevator
slowly feels his way up the creek as far as the tide
will allow. Each time the rake’s steel tines make a
ting, Harrell pulls up his load. At this particular
spot, every other rake yields two to three clams,
but soon he stumbles upon a honey hole and
occasionally lands five in one.
Unaccustomed to having company on his outings,
Harrell apologizes for “carrying on” while
he rakes. As someone who relies on clamming, he
is deeply concerned about the price he can get for
his catch and the rise of inland clam farms.
“The fisherman is an endangered species,” he
says. “There is no comparison between the taste
of wild and farm-raised clams. The ones raised
in tanks haven’t been out here in the natural
saltwater and don’t get the flow of the tide like
the wild ones.”
Since clam season is open year-round, he says
the dollar amount of clams is integral to the
health of the commercial fishing industry.
“The reason why clam prices are so important
is because they are the cash cow of commercial
fishing,” Harrell says. “I saw one of my shrimping
friends out here not long ago clamming and
… he said he had to go clamming because he
needed gas money to go shrimping. Clams are
always there.”
Even though clams are readily available
throughout the year, Harrell warns that a full
day of clamming is hard work, let alone finding
them to begin with. At 69, he says his doctors
are baffled that he does not take any prescription
medication. He attributes his good health to his
work environment.
“With clamming you won’t have wealth, but
you will have your health,” he says. “It is the way
I measure my health; I know I’m sick when I
can’t clam.”
In a day’s work he tries to average 100 clams
every hour, usually for three or four hours or as
long as the tide permits. Clams are priced individually.
Harrell says he averages 17 cents per
clam at local markets. The easiest clams to sell,
and Harrell’s favorites, are the littlenecks and
middle necks, the smallest of the local varieties
and prized for their tenderness and flavor. These
varieties grace the ice at Motts Channel Seafood,
Harrell washes the mud from his catch.
Harvested clams are required by law to be at
least one-inch thick and this littleneck clam
just makes the grade. A work in progress,
Harrell piles his salty golden nuggets on
the bow of his johnboat while he rakes. The
bivalve prospector surveys his territory.
36
WBM january 2013