Mudlarking on the Elbe (or other tidal rivers)

[antiphonus]

This one is for you European mudlarks. I've had a lot of fun (and some success) larking the Thames, and lots of telly and magazines have been devoted to the hobby, but what about other tidal rivers? The Elbe has a tidal height of almost 4 meters in Hamburg; is there a Hanseatic mudlarking community?

How about other (tidal) rivers in Europe? Or is this an exclusively English phenomenon?

Thanks for any response

[Klappspaten1349]

I have seen a documentary about the mudlarkers at the river themse just recently. It looked like great fun and they made some very good finds on the ground of the river! For Hamburg and the river Elbe I only know of some people who are digging at the small beach areas on both sites of the river. Not sure if its possible to dig in the mud because of the tide and because of law-reasons.

[antiphonus]

Very interesting. So it's your understanding that searching/digging the tidal mud would be illegal?

Thanks for the reply!

[oldartefact]

Death of a mud larker!!! RIP mate.
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[Wilci]

In the Netherlands, the major rivers for the most part are channeled. A very small part is tidal. As you know we have a history with water!!! But ..., there is regularly a big difference in the level of the rivers. Thats depending how much rain is fall upstream in Germany. Small beaches along the river (especially the River Rhine and Waal.) always change in shape. Especially pebble ridges change and after each high level or the river you can catch new finds.

[antiphonus]

lol, RIP...

[fred]

There is enough range on the Rhine all the way up to Bonn and beyond to mudlark, or more realistically to poke around amongst the gravels and sediments. I have no idea what causes the levels to rise and fall but they do. In addition the water levels change with the seasons too. I enjoy messing about in the shallows but I've never found much beyond modern coinage and artifacts.