OYSTER -- the Malpeque Oyster Tong & Shuck NEW!

Departing the cruise dock, we’ll make our way through Charlottetown to the north coast of Prince Edward Island on our way to Salutation Cove near Malpeque. It is here where Brian and Erskine Lewis will show you how the high quality Malpeque oyster is farmed.

The way oysters are fished on Prince Edward Island hasn't changed much in the past hundred years. Fishers still set out in small boats with tongs and crates the way their fathers and grandfathers did.

But at one time the world famous Malpeque oysters were almost completely destroyed by a disease that struck in 1915. It took decades to bring the industry to its present multi-million dollar status. Today oysters are both fished and farmed, and one of the leading producers of quality oysters is our neighbour on Salutation Cove, Future Seafoods. Their Rocky Bay Oysters can be found on menus in some of the finest seafood restaurants across North America, and we have arranged for you to learn where these succulent delicacies come from, how they are harvested and most importantly, how they taste!

Oysters harvested elsewhere on the island are brought to Salutation Cove to be cleansed by the pure waters of the cove. Here you’ll see how they farm oysters to produce the highest quality product, and you’ll be taken out in an oyster dory just offshore to try your hand at tonging!

Therese from Calgary had never been on salt water before and had certainly never been in an oyster dory. "This was the most amazing experience I've ever had. Brian is so funny. . . .and so passionate about oyster fishing. I had such a great time and learned so much. "

After you come back to shore with your oyster catch, you'll pay a visit to the nearby Future Seafoods packing plant where thousands of oysters are graded and packed for shipping every day. You'll learn how to determine the freshness of an oyster, what to look for when selecting oysters at a store and what to ask for when ordering oysters at a seafood restaurant. Ted Boutilier, co-owner of Future Seafoods, will give you a lesson in oyster shucking, an art that will amaze your friends when you get back home. And most importantly, you'll get a chance to sample the finest oysters you'll ever taste!

Oysters are like fine wine. . .every kind has its own unique flavour. Here's the way Rocky Bay Oysters have been described:

“Salutation Cove oysters are very delicate in texture, very salty with a sweet, crisp finish that leaves your mouth feeling clean and refreshed. A perfect appetizer!"

Tong & Shuck is available on a daily basis at high tide (Monday to Friday) beginning in mid-June until the end of November. Outside activity is weather dependent. We provide rubber boots, but just in case we don't have a pair in your size, it’s a good idea to bring along footwear that won't be ruined if they get wet.

This experience takes place in Fernwood which is near Bedeque, twenty minutes east of Summerside, and an hour west of Charlottetown.

Following our Tong & Shuck experience, we’ll make our way back to the cruise dock in Charlottetown via a different route but in time to make your ship’s departure.

This excursion will take approximately 5.5 hours +/-