I will be there for 4 days next week. I really want to go to the beach for swimming and clam digging. We are also bringing our bikes. We are staying in Charlottetown. What do you suggest?

Hi Valentina!

Thank you for reaching out to Ask an Islander. If you want to bike to a good spot for clamming and swimming, I suggest Tea Hill. It’s the closest place to Charlottetown to do both. You can easily cycle to Tea Hill park/beach in 30 to 40 minutes; it’s about 10 km. (Note: There is a dedicated bike lane from Joe Ghiz Memorial Park to Sobey's Stratford. From there, turn right into a bike lane on Kinlock Road to Keppoch Rd).

Alternatively, you could go to one of my favourite spots, Pinette, where there is decent clamming anywhere along the river and harbour.

Another great spot is Panmure Island. An excellent destination for swimming, clamming, and cycling. This is one of my favourite beaches and the perfect beach to watch the sunset.

Right now, Tea Hill, Pinette, and Panmure have no restrictions on shellfish harvesting. This map is updated regularly and should be consulted before digging anywhere. Keep an eye out for DFO signage; white, red, or yellow signs all mean the same thing: don’t dig there.

You can also try Victoria-by-the-Sea, Maximville, Cardigan, Point Prim, or Beach Point.

As you probably know, there are quite a few rules to keep in mind when you’re out digging for clams, e.g. you are allowed to use your hands or hand tools like shovels or rakes to dig. The daily limit for recreational clamming is 100 clams total, that’s across all species, not 100 of each. It’s a personal limit too, so if you grab 50 in Pinette and another 50 in Tea Hill, you’re done for the day. The main types you can dig are bar clams, bay quahaugs,  soft-shell clams and razor clams (amazing, by the way). Here are the minimum sizes you’re allowed to keep:

• Bar clams: 102 mm
• Bay quahaugs: 50 mm
• Soft-shell clams: 50 mm
• Razor clams: no minimum size

It's best to bring a ruler as these size rules are taken seriously and DFO officials do check. If you’re thinking about digging oysters or scallops, forget it unless you have a licence.

Once you’ve got a good haul, you can cook the shellfish using any method you like: boiled, steamed, fried, or baked. 

Pro tip: Get rid of the sand by soaking the clams in a bucket of tap water for 20 minutes to an hour. That usually does the trick. 

Don’t do what I did! I left a big bowl of soft shells on the counter overnight in fresh water and woke up to a kitchen soaked from clams spitting all over the place. These little guys have surprising range.

Have fun and happy digging!

Rod