Visiting the Wadden: Ameland

[marlof]

A few weeks ago, we spent some time on Ameland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ameland), one of the islands in the Wadden Sea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadden_Sea) in the north of The Netherlands. In the North of the island, it borders with the North Sea. The island is protected against the water by dunes.

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295824270_EfNVY-L.jpg

On the south side of the island, the coast is defended against the Wadden Sea with a dike.

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295835145_bGBC2-L.jpg

The dunes occupy quite a large area of the island, but in between the dunes and the dike, there's a lot of farmland and a few villages (Hollum, Ballum, Nes and Buren).

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295831737_eVYag-L.jpg

We happened to be in Hollum when they had there festivities for our national Queens Day.

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295836322_56kVU-L.jpg

Happy for them, it was one of the few really sunny moments we had whole week. The weather wasn't actually bad, but at times it did look quite threatening. Which, on a beach, is not a bad thing for a photographer.

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295830777_nDXfn-L.jpg

Seals are one of the attraction (especially with kids) of the Wadden Sea, so we spent a fun afternoon on a boat to a bank where they are known to sunbath.

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295840099_grjxx-L.jpg

And the farmland? Well, to us it will always be famous for the sheep. Wherever you looked, there they were.

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295821661_CUEm3-X2.jpg

All in all, as always on the Wadden Islands, we've enjoyed ourselves tremendously. So we said goodbye to our lighthouse (which was located next to our rented place):

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295844127_PsGdr-L.jpg

and went to the bus stop, so we could catch the boat that took us back to the mainland.

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295843724_9oYaZ-L.jpg

[marlof]

... there I was, all alone, at the wadden, wainting for some ppl to come by and comment. ;)

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295840501_X6xiz-L.jpg

[schmoo]

How adorable! I haven't really seen any photos fo the Dutch coastline and it's quite lovely. Not much to block your view there, eh? :D The clouds are lovely, esp in the shot with all the buildings (and windmill!) to show the scale.

I didn't know they had seals there. :smo

[marlof]

Thanks Schmoo!

Yes, they have seals there. On the other coast, in Pieterburen, there's a special shelter for sick seals. They nurse them back to health, and then put them back to sea.

http://marlof.smugmug.com/photos/295817083_JKuUF-L-1.jpg

On my site, you can see more images of both Ameland (http://marlof.smugmug.com/gallery/4945364_SHG4c) and the seal shelter (http://marlof.smugmug.com/gallery/4945275_2TD5i).

[ian408]

Very nice. I like the barren-ness of the place. I bet it's a wonderful place to visit.

[schmoo]

Thanks Schmoo!

Yes, they have seals there. On the other coast, in Pieterburen, there's a special shelter for sick seals. They nurse them back to health, and then put them back to sea.

On my site, you can see more images of both Ameland (http://marlof.smugmug.com/gallery/4945364_SHG4c) and the seal shelter (http://marlof.smugmug.com/gallery/4945275_2TD5i).

Awesome! And so cute! (http://marlof.smugmug.com/gallery/4945275_2TD5i#295816205_u66v3)

[marlof]

And so cute! (http://marlof.smugmug.com/gallery/4945275_2TD5i#295816205_u66v3)

Yep, that's how they look. But they'll severely damage your hand if you try to stroke them. :)

[marlof]

Very nice. I like the barren-ness of the place. I bet it's a wonderful place to visit.

It is. The islands in the Wadden Sea have a very special atmosphere. They can be a bit crowded in season, since they're a typical place to spend your holiday with kids. But especially off season, it's lovely there.

[Jeroen]

Very nice series. The bus stop is my favorite. I like the emptyness in it.

Cheers, Jeroen

[marlof]

Very nice series. The bus stop is my favorite. I like the emptyness in it.

Thanks Jeroen, that's my favorite picture as well. I liked the shape of the little houses they made of the bus stops there. This one was at the end of the line, near the entry to the beach, and the soft but contrasting colors struck me. That the little bird on top wanted to pose as the only living soul was fortunate.

[summerz]

Very nice series. The bus stop is my favorite. I like the emptyness in it.

Cheers, Jeroen
One of my favorites as well for the same reason.:thumb