Behemoths Await Harvesters

Lovers of clams and clam competitions take note: The East Hampton Town Trustees will host their annual Largest Clam Contest on Oct. 2 at noon at the Donald Lamb Building on Bluff Road in Amagansett. The rain date is Oct. 9.

From Saturday through Oct. 1, adults and juniors ages 4 to 14 can take mega-clams dug from Lake Montauk, Three Mile Harbor, Napeague Harbor, or Accabonac Harbor to any of four seafood markets to be entered in the contest. They are the Amagansett Seafood Store, Gosman’s Fish Market in Montauk, the Seafood Shop in Wainscott, and Stuart’s Seafood Market, also in Amagansett.

Winners will be selected for the largest clam taken by both adults and juniors from the four water bodies, as well as the largest clam over all. A clam chowder competition is also in store, with judges set to determine the best red, white, and overall concoction. Winners will receive prizes donated from sponsoring shops and restaurants.

The trustees are still accepting donations, such as gift certificates for merchandise or services, from local merchants. Rules for the contest are available at the trustees’ office at the Lamb Building.

As in years past, East Hampton Town Councilman Fred Overton will serve his renowned Bonac chowder, and there will be free clams on the half shell as well.

  Also at the contest, Barley Dunne, director of the East Hampton Town Shellfish Hatchery, will explain the hatchery’s work. Members of the East End Classic Boat Society, which meets at the Hartjen-Richardson Community Boat Shop near the trustees’ office on Bluff Road, will display the Pooduck skiff it constructed this year. Members of the society will sell raffle tickets for the 12-foot, 10-inch skiff, which includes a trailer.

“I’m thrilled to be organizing this year’s Largest Clam Contest,” Tyler Armstrong, a first-term trustee, said on Monday. “It’s a way to bring the community together, both young and old, to celebrate an important part of our local heritage, as well as the bounty of East Hampton’s waters.”

Last year’s contest was held in November, after a six-week postponement due to Hurricane Joaquin. Susan Ceslow was the overall winner as well as the adult winner for Napeague Harbor, where she harvested a 2-pound, 6.3-ounce behemoth. Ethan Stillwach, a winner in previous contests, won in Napeague Harbor’s youth category.

Wayne Fenelon took the honors for largest clam harvested from Accabonac Harbor, while Evvy Rattray’s entry won in that harbor’s youth division. Cliff Keyes was a winner in Three Mile Harbor’s adult category, and Richie Maio was the youth winner. In Lake Montauk, Gwen O’Donnell took the adult honor and Curran O’Donnell was tops in the youth category.

A chowder created by Ken Dodge of Amagansett was honored as the contest’s finest last year, with honorable mention going to Bob Kostalek.