Dive into the magical underwater world
The heart of the Oosterschelde or Eastern Scheldt beats underwater. It harbors a huge variety of animals and water plants. You can discover them for yourself by going on a diving or snorkeling adventure. Wearing the right equipment, you can go looking for sea anemones, crabs, and cuttlefish. It is a real treasury. Stand amazed at the sponges, some of which look exactly like the ones you use in your bathroom, or the colorful sea squirt colonies that turn the gray rock into a richly varied reef.
One of the best dive sites in the Benelux
As many as 800,000 dives occur in the Oosterschelde every year, the month of May being particularly popular. This is when sport divers are most likely to spot a common cuttlefish, one of their most favorite creatures. The common cuttlefish comes to spawn in the Oosterschelde in spring, as does the common squid. It’s a real spectacle.
Not for beginners
Diving in the Oosterschelde is not suitable for beginners, however, due to the currents. Both the horizontal and the vertical currents can be difficult to navigate, so please don’t go diving here if you are not thoroughly familiar with tidal water diving.
Booking diving lessons
Would you like to give it a try? There are several scuba diving schools that offer courses. You can find their dive sites on the ‘duikplaats’ website.
Attenzione: questo sito web è in una lingua straniera.
Snorkeling safari
If you are not a diver but would still like to explore the underwater world of the Oosterschelde, you can always go snorkeling! Nearly everyone can do it and going on a snorkeling safari ensures that you will see the best spots. You will see the area that most divers skip, which makes it even more interesting. Stay near the land or breakwaters, where you will get to see the most between the rocks.
Checking out a tidal pool
You will sometimes see a row of concrete tanks along the coast, or a single huge concrete tank. You can only see them at the foot of a dike at low tide. The tidal pools are tiny worlds in themselves. They retain water when the water around them recedes, bringing the underwater world very close while the tide is out. This way, you can study different kinds of seaweed, molluscs, sponges, and young fish. All without getting wet!
Where to find them? Near camping ground de Vierbannen in Ouwerkerk, on the island of Neeltje Jans near Proef Zeeland, and in Wemeldinge at the site of the Dijkhuisje.
Where to find them?
Near camping de Vierbannen in Ouwerkerk, in Wemeldinge near the Dijkhuisje, but also in Bruinisse, Gorishoek and Wissenkerke.
Attenzione: questo sito web è in una lingua straniera.
Attenzione: questo sito web è in una lingua straniera.
