Meals

Sequim Dungeness Bay 🦀

Posted by markhadland on
Sunset over the ocean with grassy foreground and a wooden pathway leading to the water.

My good friend Ric Merrifield often invites me to Sequim to go crab hunting from his beach house. Here we don’t use pots. We walk to the low tide, and wade in the eel grass to hunt the crab with our bare hands.

Dungeness Crab Cakes

I love the views from his deck. In the early AM, when Ric earnestly wakes me, often after too much wine, to see the sun rise over Mount Baker.

Scenic sunrise view over calm water with Mount Baker in the distance, framed by grass in the foreground.
The view is worth it and I take pride having climbed the mountain three times!

I prefer a more civilized hour and am rewarded with some amazing sunsets, views of the sky and water. I really should paint some of these photos! I had a dear friend and artist, Marie Mullikin, who lived on Camano Island and would paint such beautiful scenes of the tides and marshes of the area. I am fortunate to own a few of her paintings. They are all similar in composition and color tones to these photos, and every visit here, I am reminded of her and her dear Husband Walt, who handmade her frames.

A serene coastal scene featuring a calm sea under a cloudy sky, with tall grass in the foreground.
A serene view of the ocean at sunset, featuring a cloudy sky with shades of orange and blue, along with silhouettes of grass and wooden posts in the foreground.
A path leading through tall grass to a tranquil body of water under a blue sky.
A serene view of the water at dusk, with tall grass in the foreground and cloudy skies reflecting soft light over the water.
Scenic view of a beach at sunset, featuring tall grasses, a small boat in the water, and colorful clouds in the sky.
A serene view of the ocean at Sequim, with low grass and flowers in the foreground, under a cloudy sky.
A serene coastal view at sunset, with clouds reflecting warm colors in the sky and calm waters, framed by tall grasses in the foreground.
A pathway leading through tall grass towards a serene coastal marsh during twilight, showcasing a cloudy sky reflected on the water.

After catching our crab, Ric immediately cooks and cleans them. The boys and I often crack them, but recently Ric just shook his head and said it’s not my first rodeo. Within about a quarter of the time it would take us to crack them, we were eating. Thank you Ric 🦀🦀🦀🩵

A close-up of a freshly caught crab being held above a kitchen countertop, with a bucket in the background.
A close-up of a large crab being measured with a tape measure, held by a person. The crab is resting on a countertop with some seaweed on its shell.
A table setting featuring two bowls of freshly cooked crab meat, one with a fork, alongside drinks and a plate of food in a cozy dining setting.
It does not get any fresher or better than this.
A plate featuring cooked crab meat, ribeye steak, and a creamy side dish, set on a textured table mat.
Ric recently acquired a Weber charcoal kettle grill, so now we have been grilling NY Steaks and artichokes from his garden for dinner as well.
A serene view of water during dusk with a large full moon in the sky, a small boat anchored nearby, and a shoreline with green grass and wooden structures.

The take-home bounty.

Two bags containing cooked crab legs and meat, placed on a paper towel inside a refrigerator.
Bags of freshly caught crabs placed on a kitchen counter.
A metal bowl filled with freshly cooked crab, featuring bright orange shells and white meat on a granite countertop.
A bowl filled with freshly cooked and shredded crab meat.
A wooden cutting board with various ingredients including scallions, lemons, a red bell pepper, celery, sour cream, Old Bay seasoning, and a red crab cracker, with a bowl of crabs in the background.
A glass bowl filled with chopped green onions, red bell peppers, and other diced vegetables on a black surface.
A bowl of thick, beige-colored crab cake batter with a spoon resting inside, surrounded by a decorated rim.
A stainless steel bowl filled with shredded crab meat topped with diced vegetables, including green and red bell peppers, celery, and spices.
A stainless steel bowl filled with crab meat mixed with breadcrumbs and other ingredients for making crab cakes.
A mixing bowl containing a mixture of ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, and capers, with a spatula resting inside.
Crab cakes arranged on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cooking crab cakes in a frying pan with visible pieces of crab and seasoning.
A frying pan with several golden-brown crab cakes cooking on the stove.
A plate with a crab cake, a wedge of lemon, and a dollop of sauce, surrounded by various bowls of accompaniments.
A close-up image of a crab cake on a blue plate, with a piece missing, revealing its flaky interior.

The Salad

Peach, Heirloom Tomato, Basil, Burrata Salad
A plate featuring slices of peach and tomato topped with a ball of fresh mozzarella, drizzled with balsamic glaze and garnished with fresh basil.

The gazpacho

Gazpacho
A selection of colorful vegetables on a kitchen cutting board, including red and yellow bell peppers, ripe tomatoes, green cucumbers, jalapeños, and avocados.
A cutting board with various chopped vegetables including colorful heirloom tomatoes, bell peppers, chopped cucumber, green onions, and lime halves, alongside a knife.
A pot filled with various tomatoes, including yellow and red varieties, submerged in boiling water.
A bowl of colorful tomatoes submerged in ice water, with a digital timer displaying 8:26.
Chopped fresh cilantro on a cutting board next to a knife.
A cutting board with a slice of red bell pepper, a stalk of celery, and green onions laid out for preparation.
Chopped red onions and colorful diced vegetables in a glass bowl on a granite countertop.
A stainless steel bowl filled with chopped ripe tomatoes in various colors, including red and yellow, on a kitchen countertop.
A bowl of gazpacho soup with a chunky texture, featuring a mix of vegetables and herbs.
A golden-brown crab cake served on a light blue plate, accompanied by a dollop of sauce and a wedge of lemon.
A beautifully arranged table with various dishes, including crab cakes on a plate with a wedge of lemon and sauce, surrounded by bowls of fresh salads, fruits, and drinks.

A perfect Pacific Northwest Meal! Thank you Ric 🦀🦀🦀!

One Comment Add yours

  1. Ron says:
    November 14, 2025 at 6:20 pm

    To die for!

    Reply

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