I’ve never really thought about oysters and how they exist before being topped with lemon on the half shell… but this past weekend Craig and I headed to the Oregon coast, met up with Paul and Lana Jane Brent and the four of us took an excursion north. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect – blue skies and about 70 degrees – a nice change from the cool, wet weather we’d been experiencing to this point.
We went up the Washington coast to a little town called Oysterville.
Aptly named, Oysterville is where the oyster industry began in the northwest. The Brent’s friend, Sydney Stevens, had a book launch party and was talking a bit about the book, the area and the history of the town. Her great grandfather was one of the founders of Oysterville and she lives in his house today. At the height of the oyster trade – which coincided with the Gold Rush – there were 250 residents in the town. Today there are 14 full-time residents.
I never knew that oysters are free floating until they are about 5 days old, at which point they need something solid to attach to to build their shell. (or something like that)
In Oysterville, the bay is sand so there is nothing for them to attach to. To keep the oyster business thriving, old shells must be put back in the bay for the new oysters to attach to. That is why they have these huge mounds of shells around the area and get upset when unsuspecting tourists stop and take them for souvenirs. (They do NOT smell good!)
To learn more about oysters and Oysterville, I encourage you to get a copy of the newly released book.
Tara, I love the picture of you with the oyster shells. And I must say, you get the prize for careful listening in the church when I was talking about oysters and their habits! Did you know that when the oyster spat is brand new it looks to the naked eye like little grains of sand but if you see it through a microscope, voila! Each little dot looks like an oyster, shell and all. Amazing!