september 5 / 14 - Terschelling
We're going to Terschelling where a large part of the island is nature reserve (80%). It is only a small island, a little more then 30 kilometres long. At some places, the beaches are as much as one kilometre wide! The island's average width is 3.5 kilometres and has a variety of landscapes, dikes, grassland, heather, dunes, beaches. And it is also the place where Irene's family lives, so it is a bit of a homecoming.

Before we take the ferry at Harlingen we drive over a major dike in the Netherlands, the Afsluitdijk which was finished in 1933 and has a length of 32 km. It is 7.25m above sea-level and is a fundamental part of the Zuiderzee Works, damming off the Zuiderzee, a salt water inlet of the North Sea and turning it into the fresh water lake of the IJsselmeer. When we get out the car we try to imagine how they started making the dike straight into the sea on both sides and finally reached each other in the middle where we stand now. More Holland & Water

We sail in 2 hours to the harbour of West-Terschelling. Oma Joke (nana) has come to the harbour in Harlingen together with cousin Nine and the kids explore the ferry together.

On the island we ride on a 'bakfiets', practice archery, do some mini-golf, take a ride on the flying fox, go to the nature museum and pat a stingray, eat 'pondkoek' and bike and walk around on one of the many biking or cycling paths.

People from Terschelling are known for their resourcefulness in using anything and everything that washes ashore. The islanders are surrounded by famous shipwrecks, and even nowadays many containers wash ashore that are blown off the decks of cargo ships in the North Sea. We have a look at the Shipwreck museum and see photos and evidence of the thousands of shoes that washed ashore 2 years ago. The house next door still sells these shoes still for 5 euros! Joren is looking for the next size up for the Kilimanjaro's sportshoes he is wearing and were sent by nana, but we're out of luck.

More info on Terschelling and the Wadden : www.wadden.nl

Flag of Terschelling : red are the roofs of the houses, blue is the sky, yellow are the dunes, green for the grass, and white for the sand of the beaches of Terschellingerland.

Rood zijn de daken, Blauw is de lucht, Geel zijn de helmen, Groen is het gras, Wit is het zand, dat zijn de kleuren van Schellingerland. 

Lighthouse Brandaris
An old document from 1323 refers to a "fire house" on the island of Terschelling, and a beacon on St. Brandaan church is mentioned in the mid-16th century. The present tower dates back to 1593-94 and is the oldest structure specifically built as a lighthouse in the Netherlands. The light was discontinued in the early 17th century and replaced by two smaller lights on the dunes. It was reactivated in 1835 and fitted with a Fresnel lens in 1837. The Brandaris is a real landmark on Terschelling, and can be seen from afar approaching the island.

Shipwrecks
Famous shipwrecks around Terschelling: Perhaps the most famous shipwreck off the coast of Terschelling is the Lutine , whose bell hangs in Lloyd's of London and rings whenever there is any world class disaster. Another famous ship was the Oka 18, which sank near the town of Formerum. Until recently its chimney could be seen rising out from the sea. In West Terschelling a pub was named after this ship.

Cranberries
Terschelling is also famous for it's cranberries, only found on Terschelling and Vlieland (the next Wadden Island) after a shipwreck of an American ship in 1839. The story goes that some barrels of cranberries washed ashore after a shipwreck, and according to Terschelling custom, were dragged behind the first dunes by the finder thinking it were barrels of rum. After opening the barrels and finding sour berries in there he disappontedly smashed all the barrels and left. This proved to be the ideal circumstances for the berry to grow (sandy earth) and now Terschelling is one of the few places outside America where the cranberry grows. The Islanders have become very inventive with coming up with new recipes, you find the cranberry products everywhere!