{"id":7064906,"date":"2026-09-23T15:49:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T15:49:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/learning-to-crack-crabs-during-peace-river-seafoods-blue-crab-university-solo-travel-girls-adventures\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T15:49:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T15:49:44","slug":"learning-to-crack-crabs-during-peace-river-seafoods-blue-crab-university-solo-travel-girls-adventures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7064906","title":{"rendered":"Learning to Crack Crabs during Peace River Seafood\u2019s Blue Crab University \u2013 Solo Travel Girl’s Adventures"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Disclosure: I received a complimentary deck of This Big Travel Challenge however, all opinions are my own and have not been reviewed by the gifting source. Some posts on this blog may contain affiliate links. As an\u00a0Amazon Associate<\/a>, I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.<\/em><\/p>\n

It was a Monday night in August, and a handful of cars had pulled into the Peace River Seafood & Botanicals parking lot. The fish shack is usually closed on Mondays, but tonight was different: I was about to earn a master of blue crabology during its inaugural Blue Crab University.<\/p>\n

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\"Peace
Peace River Seafood in Punta Gorda, Fla, Aug. 17, 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Fresh
Fresh Crabs sign in Peace River Seafood in Punta Gorda, Fla., Aug. 17, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

Why Peace River Seafood Feels Like Old Florida<\/h2>\n

Peace River Seafood<\/a> is one of my favorite Southwest Florida restaurants. Because of my previous role in the local tourism industry, I\u2019ve watched it grow and evolve over the years. Housed in a 1926 Florida Cracker house in Punta Gorda, the seafood market and restaurant has been operated by Kelly and Jimmy Beall since 2003. Kelly\u2019s father was a commercial fisherman, and with her marketing background, she eventually left her job to hustle blue crabs and open the restaurant with her husband, commercial crabber Jimmy.<\/p>\n

Although the restaurant serves a variety of seafood, its signature items are boat-to-table blue crabs, plucked fresh out of Charlotte Harbor by local captains. Many times, I\u2019ve sat outside at a picnic table and watched crabbers pull up with their harvest, then seen the crates go off to be steamed and eventually served. The WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! of wooden mallets<\/a> cracking blue crabs is part of the soundtrack of the place.<\/p>\n

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\"Blue
Blue Crab University Student Field Manual, Peace River Seafood, Punta Gorda, Fla., Aug. 17, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Obligator
Obligator Selfie with Blue Crab University T-shirt, Peace River Seafood, Punta Gorda, Fla., Aug. 17, 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

Why Blue Crab University Was Born<\/h2>\n

Cracking blue crabs isn\u2019t for the timid or impatient, which is one reason Blue Crab University began. Over the years, many Peace River Seafood <\/a>customers have sat down to an abundant bowl of fresh crabs and asked their servers, \u201cHow do you crack these crabs?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelly\u2019s concept goes beyond teaching customers how to crack blue crabs. Blue Crab University also covers Crab 101, local crabbing history, Atlantic blue crab biology, life in Charlotte Harbor, commercial crabbing, and the hands-on lesson in how to pick a blue crab, all while helping keep the region\u2019s crabbing heritage alive.<\/p>\n

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\"A
A male blue crab on the left and a female blue crab on the right (red-tipped claws), Blue Crab University at Peace River Seafood, Punta Gorda, Fla., Aug. 17, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Inside the First Blue Crab University Class<\/h2>\n

When I entered the Old Florida seafood shack, I picked up my student field manual, wooden mallet, and Blue Crab University T-shirt, all included with registration along with the lecture, demonstration, and all-you-can-eat blue crabs. All students, about 20 of us, changed into our shirts before the lesson began, adding to the playful college theme. Seating was outside on the patio, where I found a spot at a picnic table across from my friends who drove from Sebring. Others at the table were from within Charlotte County.<\/p>\n

As Kelly kicked off the lesson, we were served blue crab cornbread, and it was delightful. I had no idea it was even a thing, but I\u2019m so glad it is. It\u2019s a tasty combination of crab and seafood-boil seasoning that tastes a little like Old Bay, but not quite.<\/p>\n

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\"Receiving
Receiving my Master in Blue Crabology from Kelly Beall, Blue Crab University, and Co-Owner, Peace River Seafood in Punta Gorda, Fla., Aug. 17, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Crabology 101: Blue Crab Facts and Field Notes<\/h2>\n

I\u2019ve cracked crustaceans at Peace River Seafood more times than I can count, but I still learned new facts and tidbits. For example, the buoys on crab traps are labeled with letters and numbers indicating the type of trap, such as R for recreational and V for commercial, along with the state endorsement number.<\/p>\n

Two crabs were used to show the two genders. By looking at the crab\u2019s underside, if the apron, or flap, is narrow and looks like the Washington Monument, it\u2019s a male crab, also called a Jimmy. Its claw tips are blue. A female\u2019s apron is shaped like a purse and has red claw tips, like lipstick.<\/p>\n

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