Commercial Dungeness season has been pushed back until at least December 1st due to whales. While this gives the rest of us more of a chance to load up on crab in November it also means that, 1.) people that are hurting financially from the Covid closures get hurt some more (Restaurants closed; prices for fish dropped) and 2.) starting next year we get to suck it too, if the whales don't leave on schedule. While on some level I appreciate the communal sucking as something we can share and experience together, on another level I wonder why why should all be punished for the rebound of the whale. I, like any other seeing, feeling human, feel an enormous amount of awe and reverence at the sight of whales. The fact that our forebears hunted them to almost extinction is a stain on all of our souls. But, the fact that they have rebounded enough in numbers to find crab gear a danger is probably more of an indicator that their recovery is working than it is an indictment of our fishing techniques. I'm probably wrong (my wife says I usually am, at least when I argue with her) but I'm hoping that something that allows for everybody to coexist can get worked out. 

    This year, we sporties get to open early, though. And the weather kinda sucks. Tomales Bay should be doable tomorrow morning at least, but after that it gets really windy. The ocean will be bad. Up to 17 foot seas are predicted for the weekend. Getting out of Tomales Bay will close to impossible. People will try. My bet is that there's a 50:50 chance of a fatality tomorrow. We will try to discourage it. Cameron will be asking anyone planning on crossing the Tomales Bay bar to write their name in black marker on their body so that the Fire Department can identify their remains. For those of you planning on heading out, see Cam in the store. He has a pen for you. Barring that, stay in the bay. It turns out that crappy crabbing is better than dying. Who knew? If you can't wait for better weather, go to Bodega. You can still die in that kind of water from there but your area of demise can vary more. Or wait. We want to eat the crab, not feed them.