The day was bright and beautiful…. So how nice to have a picnic on the beach. White sands, only touched by the wind, blue sky, a quiet dark blue sea. Yes this is how it should be forever, but the waters are rising……
The first thing you notice when you start crossing the last of the dunes are large metal strips across the entrance to the beach. “What is this? Another amazing new real estate investment?”
And then you get a bit further, over the dunes. “Oh help they are digging… there are pipes… oil???” As we look over the fence my friend tells me this is a project to protect the coast against the rising of the sea level.
Of course I cannot pass without taking some pictures. A workman comes to the fence (are we trespassing?) and hands us a folder. This really is a strange project! But I am beginning to like it.
In short: The Dutch fought the sea for so long, that now they want to trick it into helping them. Loads of sand are brought to the coast. They are creating a kind of sandbank that reminds me of the sands in Sicily near Tindari looking more or less like a Madonna.
And then it starts to get interesting…. The sea will spread the sand along the coast in stead of taking it from the beaches. The name of the project
“Sand Engine” says it all.
This was an educational picnic! We enjoyed the bright yellow rubbish bins.
A little plant, looking a bit like a succulent, was struggling for life.
The fence that vanishes in the distance.
Just another perfect day……
