Stars and Stripes
By Rodie Kaiser
I never thought I’d be interested in mussels without garlic and shallots, or served in a bouillabaisse. I used to harvest my own mussels when I lived in the Downeast fishing village of Prospect Harbor, Maine. I discovered a sweet spot at the quiet side of Acadia National Park, near the entrance of Schoodic, in the prettiest stream of clear, crisp, cold rushing water. I often collected a five-gallon bucket of the cleanest, plump mussel meats, usually shared between my paella pan, my friends, and my neighbors.
Things have changed living on the coast of Cape Cod now. I have access to dozens upon dozens of intimate beaches, every one worth exploring. Each beach has its own personality, delivering a decent variety of mollusks if you are willing to persevere in fickle shelling conditions, as I do throughout the year. Lately shelling’s been slim pickings—since March 2024 to be exact. I suspect the wind turbine installations are wreaking havoc with aquatic life, and along with it my love for researching and collecting mollusks.
Last month I decided to explore more options, like risking an initial public offering as I collected gallons of common blue mussel pairs and valves, hoping to resolve the slightest possibility of the existence of rare varieties. As I trekked along the shoreline, I noticed the glistening of periwinkle interiors of Atlantic blue mussels.
I am not a shell artist or crafter, yet I thought, “Look at all this beauty scattered everywhere! Crafters, artists, and dreamers will love these!” This dreamer with unforgiving curiosity gathered over a gallon and carried them for what seemed forever. As I ended my trek, I hastily discarded them into a pile for someone else to appreciate more than me.
I lay awake that night, knowing I made a huge error. The next morning I returned, and there was a repeat dump of the most glorious blue mussels, waiting for me to take action. I collected several gallons to soak in mild bleach, and after soaking away the periostracum (the chitinous layer that covers the outside of the shell of many mollusks), the treasures I had hoped for were revealed. I saw stars and stripes as I stood in complete awe. I had found a DNA goldmine!
Northern horse mussel as found. Atlantic ribbed mussel as found
I returned to the spots several times, spending many days culling through hundreds of valves and spending days of slow and steady bleach bathing. The periostracum of each black and off-black beauty is as resilient as I am when I’m shelling. I didn’t expect to succeed; however, I’m not one to give up until I’m completely satisfied.
I recall leaving a boat that landed on North Kice in Southwest Florida’s Thousand Islands Wildlife Refuge. I picked up a fresh, hairy mussel pair. It was a brilliant Cape Cod cranberry. This was my introduction to the Southern horse mussel. I’ve picked them up for several years to admire their gorgeous color variations.
Albino Atlantic ribbed mussels revealed. Albino blue mussels and northern horse mussels. Northern horse mussels revealed.
I recently found some spectacular Northern horse mussel valves on Cape Cod, including one that I call the “All American,” featuring a cranberry, purple and white stripe, and as an albino collector, I never thought albino mussels existed in the Northeast. Was I mistaken!
The Atlantic ribbed mussel found in cold water has a shimmering layer of rainbow colors, often resembling abalone. Albinos look like a completely different shell, often a solid stark white with hints of deep blue. The endless summer of 2024 brought many albinos from all three mussel groups, featured here, and I was stunned to find them. These rare varieties of the northern horse mussel are extremely fragile and often translucent. Some valves are purple or showcase deep purple lines, like major fault lines shown on a map.
Radial blue mussels revealed.
Cleaning requires extreme patience and very gentle handling (see facing page). The stubborn periostracum on the inside hinge is always the last to dissolve. The most intriguing shelling adventures actually take place in my sink, excitedly waiting for the big reveal of the most unusual valves of the most usual mollusk—and enjoyed without a recipe.
Uncover stripes on your mussels
Step 1: Gather mussel shells on the beach. Clean off sand and algae as needed.
Step 2: Soak in a solution of 90% water and 10% household bleach for three days. Initially, the bath will bubble as the bleach interacts with the periostracum when it dissolves. Replace the water and bleach solution once a day.
Step 3: Select the most interesting contenders by holding them up to a bright light. Soak in a fresh bleach bath for two more days, making sure the shells aren’t getting dissolved along with the remaining periostracum.
Step 4: Give the mussels a final bleach bath. Rinse well in clear water and set out to dry.
All photos courtesy of Rodie Kaiser.
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No live shelling: Be sure shells are empty and sand dollars, sea stars, and sea urchins are no longer alive before you bring them home.
This article appeared in Beachcombing Magazine Volume 46 the January/February 2025 issue.
