Crab fishing at Dundrum Bay

It has been a mixed week here, glorious sunshine one day and thundery rain showers the next. If there is one thing I have learned about British summer time it is that you must make the most of the nice days because you never know when the next one is coming.

Last weekend we did exactly that, we put on our shorts, sunglasses and suncream and headed down to the sea for some crab fishing.

We've never been crab fishing before, but we often sit by the water edge and watch the crabs move along the water bed so we knew there were plenty there.

Checking for crabs in the shallow water

Crabs are greedy little beggars and will eat just about anything. We took bacon for bait and they absolutely lapped it up. We attached it to the crab line that we got from the pound shop and we were ready to catch.


When we caught the first crab and lifted it out of the water it became apparent that Neil was absolutely terrified of them. He wanted a picture and kept saying 'Mum get a picture', but then screaming and crying when he tried to go close enough for me to take one.



I think Neil's fears come from me to be honest. I wasn't to keen on them myself, alhtough I tried not to show it. I managed to get close for a few photos, then there was a point where I was trying to record a large on that my husband was lifting out of the water when the crab fell off the line next to my foot, and I screamed like a little girl and almost dropped the camera!

The kids searched the rocks to see what they could find. Neil returned with a small dead crab.


Meet Shelbert. Neil took a real liking to 'Shelbert' and wanted to bring him home as a pet. There were a few tears when he set him down somewhere and couldn't find him again.


Caitlin tried her hand at at bit of fishing with the mini rod.


She was very excited to have caught a fish. Unfortunately, the fish turned out to be seaweed, but she was still buzzing.

We didn't get a chance to stay very long. We forgot to pack any snacks, and Neil was so hungry that he started trying to eat the raw bacon that we had brought for the crabs. He thinks he is a t-rex, and it's ok because t-rex eat raw meat. We thought we better go home and get him some real food before he poisoned himself.

We threw the remaining bacon in to the sea for the crabs to feast on, and stood at the edge watching them fight for it along the sea bed, before heading home for something nice to eat.

We had a lovely afternoon in the sunshine, I love that we live so close to the sea because the kids love trips to the beach.