Hard work making a living as a clam raker in Hoang Mai

The tide has just receded, revealing sandy beaches stretching out like large fields. With bare hands or rudimentary tools such as spoons and ladles, coastal women meticulously and quietly rake the sand, their eyes intently watching the waves pass by to reveal small clams the size of a thumb. Occasionally, there are also a few larger clams, the size of two adult fingers.

Mrs. Pham Thi Au, Than Ai block, Quynh Phuong ward, was one of the first people to arrive at the beach. Her hands groped under the sand, picking up each clam. She said that clam raking has been her job for decades. When she was young, like many other coastal women in the area, she worked as a seafood processor for warehouses and frozen factories. When she got old and was no longer healthy enough to work on a hourly basis, she switched to clam raking.

Nearly 80 years old, every summer morning he goes to the beach at 3-4 am. That is when the tide has just gone out, there are few people so he can choose a convenient sitting position. If he is diligent and lucky, he can dig up 5-6 kg of clams.

Clams that are close to the shore are usually quite small, and are sold wholesale to clam seed purchasing facilities for 7,000 VND/kg. On days when tourists or beachgoers buy them to cook soup, they can be sold for 10,000 VND/kg.

As for Mrs. Nguyen Thi Chien, Quynh Phuong Ward, Hoang Mai Town, clam raking has become her main occupation. Over 60 years old, her husband passed away early, her two daughters have started their own families, she alone has to manage her daily meals and worry about tomorrow's meals. Therefore, when the clam season comes, every morning she is at the beach, working hard. She said that in previous years, there were a lot of clam seeds. There were days when she raked nearly 10kg. But in recent years, the number of people coming to the beach has increased, so clams have gradually decreased.

Clam season usually starts from the third lunar month and lasts until September. To find clams, you have to go early, when the tide is low, and look for the sandbanks that appear where clams live. People keep raking until the sun comes up, the water rises, and they can't rake anymore, then they return.

This job not only attracts women but also many men and children who follow their mothers to the beach. Strong men use a rake made from steel bars and nets, approaching the water surface and walking backwards to pull. Although there are fewer clams on the shore, the clams are bigger and can be imported to restaurants and bars.

The children sat on the sand, digging for clams and playing innocently. For them, digging clams was not only a way to earn some extra money to help their parents buy books for the next school year, but also a way to escape from the four walls and computers and phones.

When the sun rises high above the sea, the heat begins to be intense, the clam diggers stand up, carrying the products they have just exploited to go home. Their faces are darkened by the sun, the wind and the smell of the sea...