Transporting and storing live clams

[jp57]

Going to be clamming this Sunday morning in Virginia. After that I will be driving back to Delaware. I was planning on putting them in a cooler with ice on the bottom, layers of newspaper, and the clams on top. Should the lid to the cooler be shut, or do I leave it open a little for air? How long can they stay like that? I know I have to put them in a bucket for a little while so they can purge sand. Is tap water ok? It's well water with a softener. Thanks for any advice.

[SHELLFISH]

Like you said "In a cooler with ice on the bottom."
Don't let the clams sit in melted ice water.
Don't use fresh water to purge them!  Use SALT water!
What I would do is get the Clams and wash them off on the water with salt water. There is plenty of it out there!
On the way in I would pour off the bucket of SALT water and replenish with fresh SALT water.
You will be surprised how much they have already purged themselves!
Bring the bucket of Clams and fresh SALT water home; leave overnight.
The next morning pour off the SALT water. Now store the Clams in a refrigerator or a cooler for transport.
The cooler does not have to stay open. Just make sure the melted ice water doesn't get to the Clams!
I have stored Clams in the refrigerator up to two weeks! That is about max; if they start to open discard!
The shellfishers motto "When In Doubt Throw It Out!"

[jp57]

Thanks for the info. I thought I had a bushel basket down there that I was going to keep them them in. I ended up stopping by the dollar store and picking up a cheap laundry basket. I put them in the cooler for the drive home
 When I got home I put them in tap water for a couple of hours. Then moved them to the steamer pot. They came out great but some still had a little sand in them. I will use your method next time.