Every year in the windy season, the waves hit snails and write densely on the coast, fishermen in Thoi Thuan commune, Binh Dai, Ben Tre just need to collect and sell and many people earn millions of dollars every day.
Every year, around the 10th month of the lunar calendar, is the windy season, the wind blowing from the northeast creates big waves rushing to the coast of Con Chay Muoi (Thoi Thuan commune, Binh Dai, Ben Tre). Waves also washed ashore many kinds of seafood, shrimp, fish, snails, fat snails, and most of all, snails.
At dawn, the tide recedes, leaving a beach hundreds of meters wide, stretching for more than 7km full of snails. The long spiral orange snails lying close together change the color of the beach. Fishermen here also just wait until this season to pull together to the “soldier” beach.
Around 6 am, hundreds of people will pull together to the beach, each person will choose a place to catch snails. Some people just choose to catch snails at the price of more than 100,000 VND per kg, although the quantity is small, they have to travel a lot, but they can sell it for a good price. Meanwhile, most people choose to catch snails, although cheap but a lot, just sit in one place and collect them in a basket to bring back.
Smiling like a flower, Ms. Huynh Thi Quick (40 years old, living in Thoi Thuan commune) is preparing to sell her work, even though it’s still very early. “One hundred kilograms, 300 thousand dongs,” said Ms.
Under a puddle, another woman was constantly picking up snails. “The waves are packed with snails here, if you don’t choose, you just need to reach down to collect your hands. In a few meals, there will be more,” the woman shared.
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy and her husband (47 years old, living in Thoi Thuan commune) also went to the beach to catch snails early in the morning. Thuy catches snails, and her husband is in charge of transporting snails to the shore to sell.
Ms. Thuy said that although she had been caught for nearly 5 hours, she had not moved more than 10m. The snails are so dense that you don’t need to look, just put your hand down to pick it up.
“This morning, I caught 200kg, except for gasoline for food and drink, about 570 thousand VND, just sitting in one place to collect, until the water is up, take a break, the people here make money in this season.
Every year, there are 4 months before and after Tet when snails wash ashore. About 2 months from now, the waves are big, the snails drift in densely, just shoveling, then the snails will also be bigger. The price depends on the snail, depending on the time, ranging from 3 to 7 thousand VND / kg”, Ms. Thuy said.
“Just by catching snails, my wife and I have money to feed our 3 children, and our 2 oldest children have gone to university,” Thuy said with a smile.
People in Ben Tre believe that snails are written as gifts from heaven to poor people in this coastal area. Because while living, snails create a significant source of income, while when snails die, waves wash ashore to form breakwaters, protecting productive land for people.
Not only that, there are too many snails, and fishermen can’t catch them all. Every year, a large number of snail shells wash up on the beach, creating the most unique and unique multi-meter long shell dike in Vietnam. Follow Dan Tri