What are People Looking for with Flashlights on Orange Beach?

What are People Looking for with Flashlights on Orange Beach?

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Imagine this: a darkened coastline adorned with hundreds of flickering lights, illuminating the sandy terrain below.

Curiosity piqued, you draw closer and discover a captivating scene unfolding—the locals engaged in a thrilling nocturnal pursuit.

Nighttime brings out a unique spectacle on Navarre Beach—the search for ghost crabs.

These tiny, harmless creatures emerge from their sandy hideaways, transforming the shoreline into an otherworldly realm.

Bathed in moonlight, these enigmatic beings scuttle about, earning their ethereal name.

With flashlights in hand, locals and visitors alike join this mesmerizing hunt, guided by a sense of adventure and wonder.

The beaches of Orange Beach offer a glimpse into a mysterious world where the nocturnal dance of man and crustacean intertwines, leaving both captivated by the allure of the night.

What are People Looking for with Flashlights on Orange Beach?
What are People Looking for with Flashlights on Orange Beach?

Meet the Ghost Crabs in Orange Beach

Step onto the moonlit shores of Orange Beach, and you’ll soon find yourself face-to-face with the fascinating residents of the sand—ghost crabs.

These pint-sized marvels, also known as sand crabs, possess a unique allure that sets them apart from their daylight-dwelling counterparts.

With their petite size and pale, almost translucent bodies, ghost crabs have mastered the art of camouflage, blending seamlessly with the moonlit sand.

An After-Dark Symphony: Behold Their Enigmatic Behavior

As darkness blankets the coastline, a mesmerizing symphony unfolds—a spectacle only witnessed by those who dare to venture out with their trusty flashlights.

Watch in awe as ghost crabs scuttle across the beach, their delicate claws digging into the sand, leaving behind tiny tracks. Their quick movements, like miniature acrobats, add a touch of whimsy to the nocturnal beachscape.

Curiosity propels them as they explore their surroundings, occasionally engaging in spirited battles over territory or scurrying into their burrows at the slightest sign of danger.

Secrets of Adaptation: Discover Their Distinctive Features

Nature has equipped ghost crabs with an array of fascinating adaptations to thrive in their sandy domain.

Their eyes, perched on stalks, grant them panoramic vision, allowing them to spot potential predators or potential mates from afar.

Equipped with powerful legs, ghost crabs possess an impressive ability to run swiftly, evading any danger that may come their way. Witness their agility as they dart across the sand, seemingly defying the limits of their miniature frames.

The Magic of Moonlit Hideouts: Exploring Their Burrows

Peek into the hidden world beneath your feet as you discover the intricate network of ghost crab burrows.

These burrows serve as safe havens, shielding them from predators and the scorching sun.

Delve deeper into their sandy abodes and you might catch a glimpse of the ghost crabs’ ingenious architectural skills—elaborate tunnels, neatly crafted chambers, and the occasional mound of sand decorating their entrances.

These burrows provide more than just shelter. They serve as a gateway to a captivating subterranean realm where the ghost crabs retreat, rest, and prepare for their nightly escapades.

The Beach’s Enigmatic Charm: Ghost Crabs in the Nocturnal Tapestry

As you immerse yourself in the moonlit ambiance of Orange Beach, let the ghost crabs become your guides to the mysteries that unfold after dark.

Their ethereal presence adds a touch of magic, transforming the beach into a playground of enchantment. Their silent dances and elusive nature beckon you to join them in their nocturnal exploration.

Orange Beach & Crab Hunting

Ghost crabs vary in size and tend to hang out next to the edge of the surf just along the edge of the top where the Sandy berms are created and where waves crash along the beach.

Some of the larger ghost crabs can be found near the base of the dune although this part is restricted to humans and is primarily the home base for crabs.

Ghost crabs are only active during the warmer months and hibernate in the cooler months.

Catching these crabs can be quite challenging but also fun. They have very great eyesight and will be able to spot you before you can even spot them.

Since they have eight legs, they can move very quickly in the sand and the bigger crabs will rush into the surf while the smaller ones burrow in the sand very quickly.

A great sport and activity you should partake in is hunting for these ghost crabs. For that, you will need a low-tech hunting gear and a hunting party.

With a flashlight, sand bucket, handheld net and your fellow crab catchers, this fun-filled event will linger in your memory for a very long time.

While you’re at it, you will observe that catching ghost crabs is better done with a team. The bigger ghost crabs tend to cover themselves in the sand to hide while the smaller ones try to escape by running away.

It is up to you and your team to find a method that works and successfully catches some ghost crabs.

The name “Ghost crabbing” stems from the higher chances of finding the small shore crabs at night. This amazing family activity has quickly become a vacation tradition.

For this activity, the main essentials are a bucket and a flashlight. Make sure you bring red filter stickers to prevent the bright light from affecting newly hatched baby sea turtles.

You can get these red filters from the welcome center sun Gulf Shores and Orange beach. Don’t forget to stop by and get some.

Many families turn this activity into a game and compete against each other by forming teams and counting the number of crabs caught at the end of the day to find the winner.

With every crab caught, a point is awarded and then the crab is released back into the sand afterwards.

Make sure that you release the crabs back into the sand after you are done. Do not take the crabs away from the beach or back to your lodge.

Blue Crab on Alabama’s Gulf Coast

Another amazing activity you can engage in while on Orange beach is hunting for blue crabs.

These creatures would be a nice addition to a delicious meal or you can just have fun catching them and then release them afterward.

You can find blue crabs in the back bays and waterways during the summer months.

How to catch Blue Crabs

Using a basket

The best method to catch blue crabs is a crab basket.

These can be bought at any of the tackle shops around. Once you have gotten these baskets, you must drop them from a pier, canoe, kayak or sea wall and then wait.

You can visit the Gulf State Park Pier for recreational crabbing or fishing. Here, you will also be able to obtain your fishing license and take advantage of all of the pier’s facilities and amenities, such as:

  • bait and tackle,
  • souvenirs, and

Using like and bait

Another way of catching blue crabs is by using the line and bait. You do not even need a hook. All you have to do is attach the bait to the end of the line using a sinker.

Next, drop the line and when a crab finds it, make sure you pull the crab slowly to the shore.

To finally catch the crab, you will need a net.

Since crabs are not picky eaters, you can use anything as bait. Keep a container close by so you can put your crab inside to keep it alive. This way, you know it is safe to eat.

FAQs

What are people looking for with flashlights on Orange Beach?

People come out at night to find crabs around the beach.

If you are not planning on cooking the crabs, be gentle with them and release them quickly so they get back into hunting for food and remoisten their gills to keep breathing.

What do you look for when crab hunting on the beach?

While it is quite easy to find crabs on the coast, they can be very difficult to find in the sand.

At low tide, look out for their footprints in the sand. These will lead you to them.

You can also look for a large dark shape in the sand that looks like it’s moving sideways.

Do sand crabs come out at night?

Ghost crabs also known as sand crabs derive their names from the fact that they come out at night and they are the same color as the sand so that they blend into it easily.


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