Living off the Land - Durban Style

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Ever since seeing all those fresh mussels on the rocks when we first arrived I've been wondering how they would taste in the mussel dish Lee used to whip together back in New York. Two of Dave and Liesel's good mates, Deb and Mike, who take full advantage of the sea's bounty from their ocean side pad in Umhloti, offered to show us just how one goes about harvesting said mussels. For any eco-warriors out there, they have all the proper licenses and such, which allows them to harvest 30 mussels each on any given day. At this time of year oysters can't be harvested but you can pick up any "rollers" (oysters that have become detached naturally) you may find along the way.

Low tide arrived and off we went, armed with our gloves, a bucket, a couple of tools, and my personal vision of a garlicky, buttery broth wafting through my head. Finding the mussels is not a problem, they're everywhere, the challenge lies in finding just the right mussel and making sure you're not swept off the rocks by a wave while doing so.

It was loads of fun, not just harvesting the mussels, but witnessing all the other life that exists in the small niche between beach and breakers. We found two octopi, loads of cool little fish and of course all sorts of mollusks and such that call these rock pools home. It is amazing what you'll see if you just sit still and take note for a few minutes. With the right license and a bit more gear we could have thrown a few crayfish in the pot but that’s for another day.

Before long our bucket was full and we sat down to give them a bit of a cleaning, which basically consists of picking off all the other life growing on the mussels and returning it to the ocean. No sense it taking what is not needed.

Well, to belatedly make a long story short, we ate like champions that night. The oysters were absolutely spot on, and the pot of fresh mussels Lee whipped up was nothing short of fantastic! Sure, we weren't truly living off the land, but there’s no reason anyone around these parts should ever starve.

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Photos

Dave, Liesel, Andy, Deb, and Mike
Checking out the day's harvest after we've all cleaned up and dried out.

Bucket of Fun
fresh mussels and oysters

Phil, the shucker
Our oyster shucking abilities leave a lot to be desired, but with Phil and a screwdriver, we managed.

fresh oyster
Not sure what type of oyster this was, but it was of the very yummy variety

Down the Hatch
Andy: Let's call this "me eating an oyster."
Lisa: Let's call it "I need a shave and a haircut."

The End Result
awesome

Mussels
needed two photos for emphasis

Comments

[Fitz]

Ok there is no way Andy is writing this blog! There are no spelling errors or grammatical mistakes.

[Thomas Twomey]

Wow!
Hi Andy and Lisa, only one month into the trip and it already looks like you've had a year's worth of experiences! I love this blog, it is a great way to keep everybody up to date on things. Is there a place for general comments? Or do you have to post comments under a specific entry? I'm assuming that you guys will make it to Kruger soon? What about Kalahari? I can't wait to see those photos. Andy, perhaps you can ask Lisa to familiarize herself with a few key phrases in order assist your travels. How about these: - "There's your leopard in the road!" - "Ooouuuuu brake, brake, BRAKE!" - "Ears flapping, first gear!" Lisa, may I suggest purchasing a copy of Jock of the Bushveld to pass the time on the gigantic trek north to the Punda Maria Camp way in the northern reaches of Kruger. Andy will inevitably insist on driving there, and it is perfectly acceptable to let him do all the driving while you sleep in the back seat. Just ask him to describe what its like road tripping through Africa with me. For another laugh, ask him to tell you the story of traveling through Johannesburg airport with Mark, Mike and I. I've only seen Andy irate once in all the years I've know him, and I'm proud to say that I was a part of the experience. Are you guys eating a lot of biltong? I was in the Fairway supermarket in Brooklyn and they are now selling it here. I bought a pack in honor of your trip. What about ketchup flavored potato chips? ... my two favorite South African snacks I'm subscribed and will keep reading!