The trawler rumbles across the grey tidal flats, bringing back a group of people and picking up new passengers to take a kilometre out where there are better pickings of shellfish. The passengers getting off all have full bags.

Hmm, I wonder what they found? Clams, oysters, conches, crabs, mussels, scallops? They are going to have a wonderful satisfying BBQ lunch-on-the-beach with their hard-earned harvest.

The new passengers scramble onto the trawlers, the children excited to accompany their parents on this quintessential Korean family experience. Everyone is wearing rubber boots, with bright vests and aprons on to protect their clothes from the mud of the tidal flats.

The sea is receding further away as low tide approaches. It’s easily a kilometre or more away from the sand I’m sitting on. The breeze is nice and crisp, but a hot sun still shines down on us this autumn morning. The hills are vibrant with fall colours, the trees a mix of green, yellow, orange, red and brown. Some trees have already lost all their leaves, their barren branches looking almost grey against the colourful backdrop.

The tidal flats right in front of me are also covered with people walking with their children. Many of them are teaching their kids how to dig for shellfish. Some of them have full overalls on. Those have to be the professionals, the ones who harvest the tidal flats for a living. They walk further out towards the sea as the harvest is more fruitful there. ‎

Hmm, shall I go and dig too?

So, how did you enjoy this tiny piece of South Korea? I must admit digging for shellfish in the mud flats of Incheon is still on my wish-list. I do really really want to try it one day. 🙂