Crabbing at Fort Victoria
What better childhood memory than crabbing at the seaside! Discovering nature, avoiding being nipped, and having good old fashioned fun! Fort Victoria has the perfect crabbing spot off of our deep water sea wall or when the tide is out in our rockpools...
Shore Crabs
Crabs you will find here are the non edible green shore crab (Carcinus maenas), You can find them in the rock pools at low tide and by using a crab line off of the Sea wall at high tide.
Where to Crab
The sea wall to the North of the Fort provides deep water and plentifull crabbing fun when the tide is in, when the tide recedes then move along the shore and explore the rock pools.
"Crabbing"
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Crabbing is catching crabs with either a crab line or a drop net, Crab lines require some skill as the crabs come and take the bait on the line you have to skillfully pull up the line without losing the crab! a drop net is easier as you place the bait inside the net and once a crab has ventured into the net, you pull the net up, crab and all!..
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Set yourself a time limit of say 20 minutes, to see who can catch the most crabs in that time and always keep the crabs in a bucket of sea water in the shade, idealy with some sea weed in for them to hide under. Always immediately return the crabs to the sea where you caught them as soon as you are done.
Crabbing Equipment
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Dont worry if you have arrived un-prepared, the Museum Gift shops Sell crab lines, drop nets, crabbing buckets and even crab bait.