Times-Standard photographer Shaun Walker does his part for Eureka

# # #

Have you ever seen crabs race, Humboldt? You’re about to!

Your Lost Coast Outpost was graciously invited to a media-only gathering Friday afternoon at the C Street Market Square organized to help promote Eureka Main Street’s upcoming Crab Crawl Festival. The gimmick? A test heat of one of the event’s main draws, the “extreme crab race.”

That is worth some iPhone video, right? Sure.

Crab Race rule enforcer Thomas Meagher

But first, let’s make sure you grasp the finer points of the sport. You’re all familiar with the giant globe installation down at the foot of C Street, yes? OK. That’s your playing field. To begin the race, crustaceans are dumped out above the Arctic Circle and then its a scramble to make it down past the line that circles, oh, looks to be about the 50th parallel, if we had to guess. But beware! Racers who are sluggish — or lose a limb, as a few did Friday — are subject to penalties i.e. a squirt gun blast from a dude in a goofy crab hat!

OK! Let’s do this!

I know what you’re thinking: What’s in it for the crabs? Well, according to the actual official rules “the winning crab will be released back into the ocean.” They’re racing for their lives! So there is some real incentive here.

What was this all about again? Oh ya. Eureka’s first ever Crab Crawl Festival is next weekend, Feb. 6 and 7. There’s lots of other stuff besides crab racing going on. So be there.