The dike

In the autumn our boat would be lifted out of the water, placed on a trailer and then nicely parked in the garden. It was always a fun experience to get the ladder out, climb in the boat, do necessary repair jobs and look at the world around us as if being in Noah's arch. It is odd to sit in your boat high up in the sky on the dry. If the river would overflow and go behind the dike we would be safe with the boat at hand. It was never necessary, clever water management all round. We live 0,8 - 1,3 m below sea level. This sea business and reclaimed land is highly intriguing for anyone who has not lived with it.

On our day trip we travelled on from Volendam, to Edam and then to Enkhuizen on the Houtribdijk (N302) to get the feeling of what it is like to drive on a dike that runs straight through what once used to be sea, the Zuydersea. It all changed, from Zuydersea, to IJsselmeer, land was reclaimed, polders made, planning for more land. In 2013 it was decided not to continue with giving up more of the Markermeer.

The pictures below show what it is was like, what was planned and what it is like today.


Picture from Google of the dike: Houtribdijk - Markermeer left, IJsselmeer right, the difference in colour is the depth.





Old situation (Bosch atlas, 1951)

Planning for new reclaimed land (Bosch atlas, 1951)

The N302 at the top corner as we took it from Enkhuizen, driving back through Flevoland

The dike seemed to go into infinity, the sky colouring the water on both sides in all shades. Traffic not easy in the tremendous rainshower that hit us. It was quite an experience.