First-Class Mud

Do not think that every mud is just ordinary mud, pfff, no.

Before understanding WHY I had to travel to the Island of Doom (see next episode), I have to explain what is so special about the mud that can be found there.

First, one doesn't speak about "mud" for a stuff of this quality, but about "cohesive sediment".

Cohesive sediment is formed by silt (that is very fine, first-quality sand, found in abundance on the island), a bit of (North) sea salt (not too much), and THE secret ingredient (I hope I am allowed to tell it): mussel poo. You wouldn't believe all what mussel poo changes in the ecosystem of a beach.
Obviously a lot of research is devoted to this topic. I nearly felt over one day when I opened the lab-fridge to put my samples inside. First it was the smell (well, you can't expect mussel poo to smell better than ordinary poo), and then the sight of all these little bottles neatly labeled "little mussel poo" (in dutch it sounds so cute: mosselpoepjes), followed by a code number... I first thought of a joke and then decided not to put my expensive and dear sulfate latex nanospheres in the same place. Imagine that the poo-smell diffuses into my samples and contaminate them!?

french vision of mussels

... No, my samples, I brought them home and they are having a fresh rest in the vegetable-compartment of my fridge...