Monday, December 22, 2008

A large number of yellow buoys in front of the Zuid-Hollandse and Zeeuwse Eilanden...

Screenshot of the radar kindly supplied by Dutch Coastguard. Click on the image for a more detailed view. The light-blue-line is the reflection of the surf along the Aardappelenbult and the beaches of Goeree.

Quote from the Navber 81/08 Vlissingen: As part of the "Natura 2000-beheerplan Voordelta" a great number of yellow buoys have been laid in front of the Zuid-Hollandse and Zeeuwse Eilanden. These buoys mark resting areas-to-be for seals and birds and an area for bottomprotection. For further information see www.noordzeeloket.nl These areas and buoys will be published in the 2009-edition of chart 1801 and trough NtM's for charts 110, 116 and 122.


Paddling in the Voordelta last Saturday we "inspected" the yellow buoys Rijkswaterstaat has laid around the closed zone of the Aardappelenbult recently. Due to weather conditions (a cloudy and drizzling day) visibility in general was limited, yet the buoys were quit easy to be seen from the cockpit of the kayak.

The Buoys around the Aardappelenbult are named "BO" which is an abbreviation for "Bollen van de Ooster" (the more official name for the sand the seakayakers call A'bult).

The legal status of the resting area is made clear on the backside of the Buoys: "Nbw 1998, art. 20". "Nbw 1998" is an abbreviation for the "Natuurbeschermingswet 1998" - the Dutch law on nature protection, "artikel 20" refers to the nature reserves with restricted acces.

Buoys marked as waypoint with the GPS on 20-12-2008

The actual numbers on the buoys on the water differ from the numbers on the radar-screenshot. The marks on the radar-screen are based upon the Markeringsplan Natura 2000 gebieden Voordelta (click here - see the map on page 14). During the realisation of the "Markeringsplan" Rijkswaterstaat obviously decided to change numbers and names ("BO" instead of "BVO"). As far as we noticed, the location of the buoys is conform the screenshot and the markeringsplan: BO 16=BVO 104, BO 29 = BVO15, BO 27=BVO14, BO 25=BVO13).

The new buoys will be marked on the Nautical Charts published in early 2009. A good occasion to renew your old chart ( Hydrografische kaart 1801)!

2 comments:

Tom Steenbergen said...

Hans,
I thought you mentioned in your earlier report of the new "nature reserves" the northern tip and surf area of the Aardappelbult would still be available for paddling?

Anyways a very interesting paddling area is now lost.

Hans Heupink said...

Hi Tom!

It's correct: the eastern/northern tip of the Aardappelbult is still open for paddlers and waveboard-surfers. This area is marked on the screenshot by the buoys BVO10-11-12-13-14-BVO 15. The yellow dot in the middle between BVO 10 and BVO15 is a post planted on the sand and marks the beginning of the surf area.
(The surf area is part of the nature reserve because access is limited to paddlers and board-surfers - it's closed for other kinds of vessels...)

I do admit that the new nature reserves give some major restrictions for us seakayakers. But I want to emphasize that the Voordelta isn't lost for paddling! There are still excellent paddling-opportunities left. The Voordelta still is a great and very interesting paddling destination, to be enjoyed with respect for the nature reserves.
Let's paddle it in the new year: You're welcome!

Greetings,
Hans