Marsdiep
Geographical location
The Marsdiep is a 4 km wide strait, or a tidal inlet between the island of Texel and the location of Den Helder on the Dutch mainland. It is the connection between the North Sea and the Zuiderzee and the southernmost and westernmost link between the North Sea and the North Sea Wadden Sea. The Marsdiep was historically of great importance, since the entire waterway of the major Dutch ports of Amsterdam, Enkhuizen and Hoorn went through the Marsdiep. Since the Napoleonic period is Den Helder on the basis of this strategic location base for the Royal Netherlands Navy.
It is believed that the Marsdiep was created as a tidal inlet through the All Saints' Day of 1170, when the North Sea broke through between Texel and Den Helder and Texel made to the island. Previously, there was a small river, the " Maresdeop " (from mare = sea and deop = low), which culminated in the former Wieringermeer. Over the period since 1170 the Marsdiep gradually moved further south. The mouth on the North Sea side is divided by the upstream, but at a speed of about 100 meters per year as we near the end large sandbank Noorderhaaks into two branches: between Noorderhaaks and Texel runs the Molengat, while the southern branch between the Noorderhaaks and the old whaling village Huisduinen from the Breewijd, the Schulpengat and the Westgat there.
The tidal flow makes the Marsdiep hours every day, to a raging river when the water flowing from or reaches a speed 5-7 miles per hour. This recurring and strong flow ensures that the Marsdiep not sanded or verschlickt, but quite deep is northwest of Den Helder, it is 45 meters deep.
For fishermen and water sports enthusiasts the Marsdiep is a paradise. Windsurfers will find westerlies and running off water excellent conditions: since the retreating water has to squeeze from the Wadden Sea by the Marsdiep at low tide, there is here a strong, forth into the open sea flow, and the west wind generates short, steep waves that represent excellent Abheberampen.
The Marsdiep is repeatedly crossed daily by a car ferry in 20 -minute journey between Den Helder and the small fishing village of ' t Horntje at the south end of Texel. The Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research ( NIOZ ) ( Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research ) is located at the ferry port in 't Horntje.
Special
In May 2007, a stray humpback whale could taste the shrimp in the Marsdiep before he swam back to the open sea.
On August 20, 2008 ended the second and final stage of the international sailing classic " Tall Ships ' Races " in Den Helder. The participants, including almost all sail training ships in Europe, came from Bergen, stayed three days in Den Helder, and then held on August 23, imposing their "Parade of Sail " on the Marsdiep.