Grabbin’ crab: Some say catching crustaceans takes talent; others chalk it up to luck

PORT ANGELES — Some bob the snares, tapping the crabs on their heads like an eager child begs attention.

Certain individuals appear to know something the others don’t, expressly directing their poles like a conductor moves a baton.

But when asked if technique plays into the popular Grab-a-Crab Derby at this weekend’s Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival, volunteer Sherry Anderson of the Puget Sound Anglers spoke unequivocally: “No.”

Still, some crabbers claim mysterious talent.

One man, who caught three free crabs before Anderson blew her whistle, claimed, “I’m special. I have a knack for it,” Anderson recalled Friday.

Typically, one person catches a free crab — marked with a special tag — every hour. The man who hauled out three in 10 minutes will give the volunteers something to talk about for quite some time.

“You can’t see the tags underwater,” Anderson said. “I don’t know how he knew.”

Children, of all crabbers, are worth observing.

Pressed against the tank, an 11-year-old boy donned a blue-and-green Nike T-shirt stating, “I’m in charge.”

And indeed, he was in charge.

Marshall Springob of Port Angeles defeated three crabs, he said — on his mother’s birthday, no less.

Two-and-half-year-old Autumn Ahrens of Port Angeles struck out on her first go. She shed a few tears, her grandmother Sandy Latner said.

“I was trying to explain, ‘Not everyone catches a crab.’ ”

Nevertheless, Autumn and her sister Satine Ahrens, 6, tried again.

This time, little curly haired Autumn caught one in the first two minutes, screaming as she pulled him out, Latner said.

“He’s a big guy, too,” she said.

Latner leaned down and asked Autumn, “Where is he?”

She looked around for a second and then pulled off her googly eyed crab hat, a softer, kinder crustacean than the one that caused her to scream.

As the two young crabbers walked away, Autumn whispered, “Bye-bye, crab.”

The Dunk-a-Crab Derby continues today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For $5, attendees become amateur crabbers and for another $15, they can keep their catch for dinner, Anderson said. Crabs are cleaned, boiled and served on the spot.

So many people filter in and out of the derby, it’s difficult to track participation and successful catches.

“It’s too fast and furious to keep up,” Anderson said.

Full day today at Crab Fest

PORT ANGELES — The Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival will offer music, a chowder cook-off, arts and crafts and of course seafood today.

The festival will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., beginning with the Crab Revival non-denominational service at The Gateway pavilion at the corner of Front and Lincoln streets. The Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers and CrabFest Revival Choir will serve gospel music, words of peace and breakfast until 10:30 a.m.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. will be the Captain Joseph House Chowder Cook-Off. The fifth annual benefit for Captain Joseph House, a nonprofit that will provide a place of respite for veteran families of fallen soldiers, will be in the Clallam Transit lanes, just west of The Gateway pavilion.

Arts and crafts and food booths also will open at 10 a.m., and the Grab-A-Crab Derby will begin — all on City Pier at Lincoln Street and Railroad Avenue.

The Kitsap Bank Crab Central Tent in the parking lot of the Red Lion Hotel will open at 11 a.m., offering crab dinners, delicacies from 18 food booths and live music until 5 p.m.

Cooking demonstrations by area chefs will start at 11:30 a.m. at The Gateway pavilion.

The last chance to get a crab from the station on City Pier will be just before 5 p.m. when the festival closes.

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Reporter Sarah Sharp can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or at ssharp@peninsuladailynews.com.