But Abalone tastes Sooo Good. I miss diving for it in California.
OMG, I am with you on this one. When I was a Boy Scout, the whole troop took diving lessons and the instructor refused to pass us until we had tried Abalone. I would not eat any kind of shellfish at the time because it looked so nasty. I finally caved and tried it. Now, the only shellfish I can't eat is oysters. I tried, but, well, they won't stay down.
Our first trip to Santa Catalina Island netted about 80 shells. We went back as a scout troop 13 times, for a week at a shot. Of course, I wasn't a scout for all those trips, but as my Dad's boat was one that went, and I had experience driving it on the ocean, I got to tag along and dive! We collected enough shells to line the planter along the back fence with them. I am talking hundreds here. They all went when my parents sold the house 9 years ago......
Regretfully, I made a stupid mistake on one of those trips and ruptured both eardrums on a 230 foot free dive to the ocean floor. Now, I can detect a 30 elevation change on land and underwater, 10 feet. At 25 foot depth, I am in agony.
I wish I could go back to Catalina and get more, 'cause it is @$!#ed expensive in a store!