Amber from the Baltics adorned the crown of Tutankhamun, at that time it was considered one of the most valuable stones. Information about amber is found in Homer's Odyssey. Phoenician merchants called the stone Sakhal, that is, drops of resin, which it really is.
During a storm in the Baltic Sea, waves raise small objects even from the bottom, so floating amber can also be found in the sea grass that sways on the surf. Pebbles are also found in pebble bays under water. Storms in these places only in cold weather, therefore, amber "catchers" put on special wetsuits so as not to get hypothermia.
Some locals catch amber with wire nets attached to long poles. With these tackles, fishers scoop up grass from the coast. Algae are carefully sorted out in search of amber. Grass that is close to the shore is easier to pick up with regular, frequent rakes.
Catching amber is gradually becoming a fun or sport. Competitions are held in Russia (mainly in Kaliningrad), Germany, Lithuania and Poland. Catching this petrified tree resin is more like mining for gold. To get access to the competition, it is enough to appear at the right place and time.
About a hundred people take part in the competitions in Kaliningrad, who from early morning until late at night, with the help of special equipment (a net, a rake and a scoop), sort out the nearest algae and sand. It is not necessary to enter the sea itself or the quarry.
Sometimes the organizers of the competition prepare a special rubber pool in advance, around which crumbs of amber are scattered. The winner is the one who collects the most petrified resin in a given period of time.
Fishing for amber is becoming more and more popular. Poland has already hosted 11 world championships in this unusual sport. At the last of them, the Russian national team took first place among foreign teams. The European championship in amber fishing is planned to be held in Kaliningrad.
Experienced catchers of petrified tree sap claim that the best attempts are obtained during the northwest wind and large waves. A lot of amber gets stuck in the clay near the shore.
