Having spent a morning with Oyster Farm Tours Coffin Bay I have to say it’s one of my all-time favourite foodie experiences.
Freshly shucked, straight from the sea
The oysters grown in Coffin Bay are highly sought after, both here and overseas. And now I know why, they are the freshest most flavoursome I’ve ever eaten, and even if you’re not partial to these delicate, salty creatures, you must, I repeat must, try one!
Our tour starts at Oyster HQ, where we gather on the deck to look out over the oyster farm. Waterproof wadders are handed around and we eagerly pull them on over our clothes (think body-length gumboots).
Our guide is Ben the oyster farmer, and he beckons us to follow him down to the beach and into the sea. We wade in after him, and squeals of fun are heard all around as the water level rises to our waists.
Wadding out to the oyster farm
We clamber onto a floating gangway which leads to a bobbing pontoon. Perched next to rows of oysters, we shuffle around two long tables and take a seat as our boots dangle in the salty water below.
Ben is a great storyteller and shares the fascinating history of oyster farming and why Coffin Bay is so perfect for growing oysters (it has to do with the pristine water quality and the shape of the bay). As he talks, he casually shucks open oysters and hands them around. We each have a moist mollusc in our hand as he explains how it feeds and grows.
Ben the oyster farmer tells us all about oysters
I do a happy dance when a glass of bubbly is placed in front of me (pre-ordered, oysters and champagne darling!).
Next, we have a lesson in the fine art of oyster shucking, which as I quickly learn, requires considerable practice and technique. At this point we’re all wearing steel gloves and stabbing at our firmly shut oysters with a shucking knife. My oyster does not want to open, so I wave Ben over to give me a hand.
With my reluctant bivalve now open, I lift the shell, tilt my head back, and let the salty delicacy slide into my mouth. Sweet and creamy, it is the essence of ocean. I eat a few more and pinch myself, I’m on an oyster farm, in Coffin Bay!
When all oysters have been devoured we’re free to wade along the oyster racks and take photos before heading back to shore.
Oyster HQ is a waterfront ‘cellar door’ and is also an excellent restaurant, so after returning my wadders I order a seafood platter and sit down to enjoy a lovely lunch with some fellow oyster lovers I met on the tour.
We dine on the deck, looking out over the oyster farm and the crystal-clear waters of the bay. This has been the most fabulous foodie experience and should definitely be on your list.
The tour with Oyster Farm Tours Coffin Bay takes 1.5 hours and costs $53 with a glass of bubbly.
Listen to my podcast interview with Ben:
https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=701427
I’m Shannon, foodie and travel blogger. If you enjoyed this post you can sign up for my newsletter. I post heaps of photos on Instagram, and you’re welcome to pop into my Facebook lounge for a chat about all things travel and food.
