Kayak Crabbing with Friends!
Updated: Jan 31
I’ve been wanting to go crabbing since before I returned to the PNW in 2024 — I love crab! So when I overheard fellow theater volunteers talking about crabbing adventures, I rushed over to listen. One had just returned from hand crabbing at a nearby beach (still on my to-do list), and the other was describing a kayak crabbing trip on Hood Canal.
A quick search led me to Hood Canal Adventures in Brinnon, WA, which offers a tandem kayak + crab pot package. I reached out to my good friend Nicole Leggiere, and she said yes! Days later we were standing on the shore as the owner, Christina Maloney, walked us through the finer points of crabbing and shoreline navigation.
The weather was gray and chilly, but Nicole and I were in high spirits as we paddled out, dropped our pot, and explored the shoreline. We were told to place the pot close to shore so we could find it again and avoid motor traffic. Nicole, sitting in the rear, handled the drop and later the retrieval, while I leaned the opposite direction to keep our balance.
The rental was for six hours, so we paddled north along the shore in search of a public beach where we could enjoy the picnic Nicole thoughtfully packed. (Many stretches of shoreline are privately owned, so we made sure to stick to public access.)
Once we found the right spot, we enjoyed a swim and picnic. The Hood Canal water was surprisingly warm — perfect for a quick dip.
Returning to the pot was harder than expected. Our arms were tired, the current was strong, and I was starting to feel the urgency of needing a bathroom. The site only has two port-a-potties — and yes, they were missing toilet paper and could’ve used a scrub. (See the post below for recommendations!)
When we finally found our buoy, Nicole hauled the pot into the kayak and several small crabs immediately escaped and started exploring. In my exhausted state, I panicked and tried to get away from them, which almost tipped the kayak. I’ll blame the near-tipping on physical exhaustion — but I also learned that this is an adventure best taken with a friend who knows you well and still likes you when you’re tired.
10/10 recommend — but go prepared. Read the post below and do your research before you head out.
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