THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 29, 1994 TAG: 9407280212
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 144 lines
ALONG THE QUIET shoreline of Seashore State Park beach on a recent evening, a small group of young men, worn from a day of sun and ocean, conferred.
``I've got to stop catching women,'' said Alan Jensen, 9, a rising fourth-grader at Alanton Elementary.
The barefoot and wet crew sympathized with Alan, as he irritably shook his net at the water's edge, pausing every now and then for a breath.
His catch, a fertilized blue crab, had clamped her red-tipped claws to the thin netting, entangling herself in a sea of green mesh.
With one hand on the young boy's shoulder, park interpreter Gary Williamson bent down and whispered, ``I shouldn't say this, but sometimes women can be difficult.''
Difficult females were indeed the catch, when a group of nearly 50 children and parents gathered on a mile of private beach for the Seashore State Park Crabbing Program. (The problem for the eager crabbers was that fertilized females must be thrown back.)
Free and open to the public, this weekly 90-minute activity teaches amateurs about the Chesapeake Bay blue crab, while giving them the basics behind crabbing.
If all goes well, they'll get to catch - and sometimes take home to eat - the succulent blue crabs.
The night kicked off at the campground amphitheater, where curious campers and interested locals congregated for a five-minute lesson on crabs. To differentiate the sexes, Williamson explained that the underside of the male abdomen is shaped like the Washington Monument, while the female's is in the shape of the U.S. Capitol building.
Toting bait, crab line and buckets, the eager group headed over the wooden bridge to the beach, where Williamson handed out crabbing tips. He demonstrated how to hook and tie the bait for hovering first-timers.
``When you can see the crab, yell `Get the net! Get the net!' '' he told the anxious bunch. ``It's not quite like fishing. Crabs will let go.''
The huddle of moms, dads, daughters and sons broke apart and each crabber claimed his or her own personal crabbing spot. Simultaneously, they chucked their raw chicken necks through the salty air and into the water.
Those holding lines stood still and quiet, while teammates waited close by, armed with dip nets.
The few who weren't interested in crabs played with limp, washed up minnows, and chased rambunctious ghost crabs in circles. Toddlers steered clear of angry pincers.
``We're exposing them to a very important part of our environment,'' Williamson said. ``We can teach them while they are having a good time.''
In the distance, above the strip of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, the fading orange sun sank slowly into thick layers of blue-gray clouds, while a radiating full moon sneaked up behind the crabbers. As laughing gulls fought for loose pieces of chicken, a trio of black skimmers shaved the surface for late evening snacks.
``We're involved with interpreting the marine life, beach life, bird life . focusing his binoculars. ``These people are thirsting for this type of experience.''
One of the first crabbers to emerge with a fresh catch was Samantha Larson, 9, of River Falls, Wis.
Samantha, who was visiting the area for the first time, trucked through the sand to dangle her dripping crab in front of her mother, Kathy Larson. A proud and equally excited dad, Dirk Larson, followed closely behind.
``That was so exciting,'' Kathy Larson said, as her daughter headed back to the water. ``This is all so new to us.''
The Larsons, who had been driving all day after a trip to the mountains, had never crabbed before. ``We were pretty tired, but we said, `We'll try it,' '' Kathy Larson added. ``I'm so glad we did.''
Donald Norum, 6, who was visiting from Charlottesville, hit the water with his mother, Jean Lightner-Norum, to man the crab line.
``I have always been interested in crabs and all marine life,'' Donald said. With a damp white T-shirt and gray pants rolled up to his knees, he waited only seconds for a bite.
His father, Blaine Norum, and 4-year-old brother, Steven, watched from the shore.
``There's resistance,'' Donald said, tugging at the line. ``That means the crab is trying to get the bait.''
Because it sported an orange sponge on its ``apron,'' Donald's catch went back into the water. ``It has an egg case like the last one,'' he said with disappointment.
According to Williamson, these egg cases hold up to 2 million eggs.
Although crabbers are permitted to take home legal-sized catches, they are asked to release all fertilized females. The park promotes catch and release.
Manassas residents Alex Johnson, 15, and Jason Young, 15, decided to take their crabs back to camp for dinner.
``Crabbing is pretty cool,'' Alex said. ``I like coming down here and catching them.''
Williamson said he saw himself in many of these young crabbers. He used to crab at 64th Street as a kid. ``It takes me back a few years,'' he said. ``These are like my old stomping grounds.''
Through this program, Williamson said he hopes the children learn how important it is to respect the environment, like he did as a child.
``This type of involvement will plant some seeds that will last a lifetime,'' Williamson said. ``Hopefully this will be something they can pass on to their children.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
WHEN CRABBY IS GOOD
[Color] Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Gary Williamson of Seashore State Park gives tips on baiting crabs
and learning to tell the difference between males and females.
Photos by TODD SPENCER
Beth Orrison, 4, gets the biggest kick as Chelsea Canon watches her
mother Janet bring in a crab netted off Seashore State Park beach.
Alan Jensen, 9, of Virginia Beach looks for a crab on the end of his
line. ``I've got to stop catching women,'' said Jensen of the
female-release rules.
LEFT: With their net standing at attention, Faye Orrison and
daughter Beth, 4, crab side by side in the Cheseapeake Bay.
RIGHT: Joshua Canon, 5, charges toward the shore after acquiring a
net provided by Seashore State Park employees for a few hours of
crabbing.
As the sun went down, a group of nearly 50 children and parents
gathered on a mile of private beach for the Seashore State Park
Crabbing Program.
Steve Norum, 4, was among a group of kids more interested in the
shore's other life, like washed up minnows and rambunctious fiddler
crabs.
WHEN & WHERE
What: Seashore State Park Crabbing Program.
Who: Conducted by Gary Williamson, park interpreter.
When: Every Friday evening through Labor Day, from 7 to 8:30
p.m.
Why: To introduce children to the basics of crabbing.
Where: Interested crabbers meet at the campground amphitheater at
7 p.m.
How much: Crab nets are provided free. Bait and line can be
purchased at the camp store for under $2.
For more information: Call the visitors center at 481-4836.
by CNB