It's a Saturday, the sky is clear, and it's already 9 a.m. On the seafront in the town of Oostduinkerke (Flanders, Belgium), fishermen Bruno Mertens and Marius Dugardein hitch their carts to their horses—a powerful, high harness that will take them out into the North Sea. From September to December, they start early because that's when the tide is low, and the horses wade in until the water covers half their bodies; only their heads and rumps stay dry. Two hours later, at 11 a.m., the tide will begin to rise, and the fishermen will pack up their gear and catch and head home. "Always on a Saturday, because that's when people can come and watch us. We put on public demonstrations for everyone, and the little ones have a great time watching," explains Bruno.