Following in the footsteps of the old fisherman, walking backward, pedaling the waves, filtering sand, and raking “sea pearls”

October 30, 2022 vinlovevietnam VIETNAMESE PEOPLE 0

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The whole person was almost submerged in the sea, buried the rake in the sand to get the tiny clams. The result obtained can be the dinner, and can also be the “life force” of the clam rake.

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Around 8am, it rained, leaving Da Nang beach empty. At this time, Mr. Pham Thanh (70 years old, residing in Man Thai ward, Son Tra district, Da Nang) went to Man Thai beach to start a day of raking clams (Photo: Hoai Son).
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Clams are bivalve molluscs that live in the sea. Local people mainly catch wild clams. This type is priced from 80,000 – 100,000 VND/kg (depending on size) (Photo: Hoai Son).
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Going to the sea, the cold wind hit his face, and Mr. Thanh looked at the sky and lamented: “The weather is so bad today, the waves are big, I don’t know if this old body can do it.” Without finishing his sentence, he lowered his head to the foam of the waves and slowly rummaged under the sand (Photo: Hoai Son).
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The only tools he brought with him were a backpack, gloves and a long bamboo racket. The racket is designed in an inverted V shape to attach the rake blade. On the racquet body, there is a net woven bag (Photo: Hoai Son).
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The job is hard, almost having to stay in the water all day, so along with the clam raking tools, Mr. Khanh always carries a bottle of drinking water with him and two potatoes tied behind his head (Photo: Hoai Son).
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“From the foot of Son Tra mountain, I scratched all the way down to Pham Van Dong beach and then had lunch with potatoes. Then I scratched back home. One day, I was in the water for about 8 hours,” said Mr. Thanh (Photo: Hoai Son).
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Clams are located deep in the sand, requiring the rake to soak in water that is knee-deep, even chest-wide to press the pole deep into the sand and pull back. At this time, the clams will enter the net (Photo: Hoai Son).
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According to Mr. Thanh, in this sea village every time in the clam season, there will be dozens of people raking to earn “three piles and three dong”. All day long they bask in the sun, wind and sea water. If you’re lucky, you can earn a few hundred thousand dong a day, contributing to improving your life (Photo: Hoai Son).
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“Scratching clams is also lucky, sometimes scratching the whole day can’t see clams, but one day it’s good enough. Like today, I also earned nearly 200,000 VND,” said Mr. Thanh (Photo: Hoai Son ).
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At the age of 70, he used to do many jobs, but for so many years, Mr. Thanh attached his life to clams. Now that his health has declined, after working for a few minutes, he had to take a break, pounding his back with his hands to relieve pain (Photo: Hoai Son).
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Reaching his hand to quickly wipe the water splashed on his forehead, Mr. Thanh replied to the question in a sour voice: “You have to use your feet to dig into the sand to find clams. Sometimes you get bleeding by snail shells and pieces of crockery. Soaking in sea water also causes skin damage. peeling, extremely itchy. Working for a long time, everyone in the profession suffers from back and spine pain” (Photo: Hoai Son).
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By noon, the waves began to get stronger and the rake was so heavy in his hand that he had to stop and rest. He mused: “I know it’s extreme, but what do I do if I don’t go. This job doesn’t make much money, but it also helps me earn a few dong, especially at this old age” (Photo: Hoai Son).
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In the afternoon, the tide rises, the sand quickly sinks under the water. At this time, many families are preparing dinner, but in front of the sea, Mr. Thanh’s figure is still bobbing on top of the waves, patiently living his life (Photo: Hoai Son).
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