The Brouwersdam - Windsurfers Mecca.

This afternoon we took ourselves to the Brouwersdam, a man-made dam built to connect the island of Goeree-Overflakkee (province Zuid-Holland) to the island of Schouwen-Duivenland in the province Zeeland in the Netherlands.
Perhaps now you'll understand why I call my neck of the woods 'The Wetlands'.

© Wibe Koopman Photography

Like the Florida keys, our islands are connected like a string of pearls through thin strips of sandy land, or through long bridges which double as barrage dams.

The islands were all proper islands until the Great Flood of February 1953, when huge parts of the islands were inundated in a fierce tidal surge, causing hundreds of people to lose their lives. After that they built a system of dams and bridges (the Deltawerken) to protect the islands and hinterlands from the next monster spring tide which is sure to come sometime.

© Renée Koopman

This particular dam is wildly popular with surfers. Kite surfers, board surfers,  ordinary surfers, kite karters, surfing karters and ordinary kiters all crowd onto the beach and have a great time. Fortunately this particular beach is very broad.

Especially Germans have found their way to this part of the Wetlands. They crowd the campsites with their campers and caravans and enjoy the sands. But I heard French and American as well this afternoon.

I grew up here, so 'beach' is nothing special to me. I am a tree person. But on the occasions I do visit the beach, I really do enjoy the atmosphere, the salty tang in the air, the wind and - at the Brouwersdam - the colourful kites in the air.

Not here the mondain beach clubs with decorative Buddha, wellness and cocktail atmosphere, but down-to-earth surfer's beach hangouts, with sun browned and wind blown happy people shivering in the fresh wind and drinking beer.

If you ever find yourself in the Wetlands, make sure to visit this part. It is a very special, quite un-typical piece of the Netherlands. Not a cow in sight.