Before the first hint of daylight, the beach begins to wake.

Silhouettes of fishing boats glide towards shore, their crews working together in quiet rhythm. There is little conversation amongst the crew as they work, only the scrape of hulls on the sand, and the gentle lap of waves meeting the beach. After a night at sea, every movement has purpose.

As the boats settle on the shore, woven baskets filled with the night’s catch are lifted onto long bamboo poles and carried by two men towards the waiting crowd. Others balance heavy baskets across their shoulders, climbing the beach with the ease that comes from years of practice.

At the top of the sand, the market begins to stir. Buyers gather quickly, examining the fish with experienced eyes before friendly bargaining begins. Voices rise and fall, laughter mixes with quiet negotiation, and neighbours greet one another as another day of work begins.

The air carries the smell of salt and the sea. Roosters announce the coming morning from nearby villages, while the eastern sky slowly changes from deep indigo to soft shades of pink and gold. Within minutes, the darkness has given way to daylight, revealing smiling faces, weathered hands, and baskets that only moments before had emerged from the sea.