Crabbing with Pawpaw!

 We visited family in Louisiana in June.  There were lots of fun things to do!  One thing that my children haven't done yet is go crabbing.  I suppose that most children haven't done that, but if you're from the New Orleans area, it's just as normal as going to the park.  Well, calling it normal is probably a stretch.  ;)

Daddy had taken several days off during the week we were visiting.  He called one morning to see if the children wanted to go out crabbing.  I jumped at the opportunity because I had always loved it when I was a child, and I knew that the kids would love it too.  Benjamin was very excited.  He got to help Daddy set everything up.  I didn't think he'd want to because it involves touching raw chicken, but he was all for it!  I told Mom that Olivia was probably down there touching everything gross while Benjamin watched.  I was wrong.
 

Olivia got bored and went to play on the playground.

To set up, you take raw chicken (or any type of meat, really) and tie a string to it.  You put a weight by the chicken so that it sinks to the bottom.  Benjamin threaded the weights, Daddy tied them all on, and then Benjamin wrapped them up to take out to Salt Bayou.

The water was deeper than I remembered.  Olivia couldn't go out alone, so she sat with Mamaw.

This is exactly how I picture Daddy....in the bayou, trudging through the mud, catching some sort of creature.  :D

Olivia talked Mamaw into getting a little closer to the water.

This is what they were catching.  Fun!

You take the chicken and tie each individual string to a line that runs across the bayou. Then you come back and pull them in slowly, one at a time.  You keep the net ready and then drop the chicken (with crab hanging on) into the net.  You shake the crab off and then throw the chicken back in.  If it falls through the holes of the net, it's too small.  If not, dump it in the bucket and move to the next line.  Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Mamaw caved.  She's a sweet Mamaw.  Livi got in the water after all.

Daddy paused for a picture with Olivia.

These are what the houses look like all along the bayou.  If you look closely, you'll see that they are all up on pilings.  Almost all of these houses are new because most were completely washed away in Katrina.  Yes, washed away.  You could drive down the road and see how a house had been completely lifted off of it's pilings and then dropped across the street or down the block, etc.  Amazing.

Olivia and I decided to leave early because she was very disappointed that she couldn't swim like Ben.  We went back to Jenny's apartment and went swimming there for a while before we headed out to dinner with Pawpaw and Mamaw.

This is what a crab looks like after you cook it. 

Olivia eating frog legs (!!) with my Dad.  This kid rocks!

We had to have a talk about how to eat shrimp.  LOL!

Mom was showing Benjamin how to peel a crab.  He was not impressed!  While catching crabs may be fun, he declared later, "Yuck! Crab is gross." 

This is a different kind of crab, but Olivia liked the claws on this one more because they were bigger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A couple of days later my dad came and took Benjamin out fishing.  Benjamin wasn't sure what he liked the best, but he sure thinks my dad is fun!!  I am glad that the children got to experience something that was so common to me as a child.  I should remember these things more.  :D