Deer watching in Zeeland
Beachcombing in Zeeland
Written by: Paul Begijn, forest ranger for Natuurmonumenten
You might think beachcombing is a thing of the past, but in fact it’s increasing in popularity. All kinds of interesting items turn up on Zeeland’s beaches. When I was young I would spend almost every weekend looking for treasure. After a storm, the beaches here are often strewn with special objects that the sea throws up. Shells, mermaid’s purses and historical objects, for example. Beachcombing never fails to surprise.
Along the shoreline
Beachcombing is possible anywhere along the Dutch coastline. Most objects wash up where the seas and the wind have free rein, and when the waves crash in during a storm. In between the masses of seaweed along the shoreline, you can sometimes find mermaid’s purses, which are actually the cast-off egg capsules of catsharks.
Prehistoric finds
Cuttlefish bones, popular with canaries, can also be found. After particularly heavy storms, the coastline can be awash with razor clams and starfish. These are freed from the seabed by strong currents and the action of the waves and deposited on the shore. Sometimes you can come across prehistoric items, such as the bones of mammoths, shark’s teeth and fossilised shells.
Storms
The best chance of finding something is after a south-westerly or north-westerly storm. The wind and the waves then have free rein over hundreds of kilometres, causing the waves to crash metres-high along the coast. These are storms with a wind force of 9 or more. Storms of this magnitude are more common during the winter months, from October to March. During particularly fierce storms, a ship may sometimes lose part of its cargo. A television set, a sideboard or a barbie doll might suddenly turn up on the beach!
Beachcombing in Zeeland
Beaches well-known for their shells and shark’s teeth include Kaloot near Vlissingen and the beaches between Het Zwin and Breskens. I grew up in Zeeland-Flanders and almost every weekend we would head to the coast and look for shark’s teeth. I found thousands of shark’s teeth, both on the shoreline and buried beneath the sand.
Shark’s teeth
During my childhood, sand from out at sea was regularly pumped onto the beaches to reinforce the coastal defences. In fact, that still happens today, except that in the past sand would come from places along the coast that had fossilised strata. One of the best places to find shark’s teeth was near Het Zwin nature reserve, where fossils can be found in the seabed. These would be sprayed onto the beaches and in the dunes. Armed with a spade and a sieve, we would sift through the sands for shark’s teeth, which can be anything up to 55 million years old.
The extraction of sand now takes place more frequently and at other places, so it’s no longer as easy to find good shells and shark’s teeth. But there’s always a chance, because currents along the coast can be so strong that they wash up new shells and shark’s teeth from the seabed.
Beachcombing tips
- The best spot for beachcombing is along the shoreline, up to the high-tide mark. But likewise, places where the current washes up heavier material, including shark’s teeth, are also worth exploring.
- Head out to the beach after a south-westerly or north-westerly storm.
- The best time to search is at low tide.
- Beachcombing is becoming ever more popular. Start early in the day and remember not follow the footsteps of the person in front of you.
- Take a bag with you to pick up any plastic rubbish. Not only will this aid wildlife, but the beaches will be cleaner too.
- If you find anything of value which can still be put to some good use, you should report it to the police. If it’s of no value to anyone, keep it for yourself. An interview with Paul Begijn about beachcombing appeared previously on the website of Natuurmonumenten. Click here for the interview.
