The phenomenon known as the “black sun” is simply enchanting. However, not all experiences at the Wadden Sea present themselves with such pomp and splendor. The tidal flats appear motionless at first glance, but appearances are deceiving. The sandy bottom is literally alive with mussels and snails. The snail is only a few millimeters long, but up to 120,000 of the species can live together on a single square meter. Add to this around 100,000 freshwater crayfish on the same area, and when you multiply that by the 4,700 square kilometers of the tidal flat, the number of living organisms in the sand becomes quite astronomical.