- Holidays in the North Sea
- The underwater world of the North Sea
The Hague is rightfully considered the heart of the Netherlands - the country's authorities are located here, the royal court and all the main institutions of the state live here. With such a set, it is unnecessary to worry about the cultural heritage of the city - it is simply overflowing with architectural monuments and museums, and there is also the sea here, all possible types of recreation are generally developed in The Hague, and therefore it is impossible to ignore it when traveling around the main points of the globe.
The Hague is located on the coast of the North Sea and heads the so-called North Riviera. The local climate is clearly not disposed to beach pleasures - year-round coolness and frankly cold sea, but the Dutch themselves try not to notice this, courageously plunging into the rapid sea waves.
The swimming season in The Hague is almost fleeting - July and August - and the time for beaches is over. The water temperature in the sea at this time is optimal - 17-18 °, with a good scenario all 20 ° - that's all that local bathers can count on. In winter, the water temperature drops to 2-7 °.
At the same time, fairly strong winds constantly blow on the coast, bringing with them fogs and rains. Although the summer months still delight vacationers with 25 ° warmth on land, which is ideal for those who, due to health or habits, cannot stand the heat.
The North Sea is quite shallow and slightly saline; through the English Channel it connects with the Atlantic Ocean, which brings warm currents and a significant part of marine life here. Daily tides are insignificant, but the waves are strong and in some areas reach 7-11 meters. The bottom relief is heterogeneous, there are sharp drops in depths, shallows and banks.
But the sea in The Hague has one big advantage - the water here is impeccably clean and transparent, and therefore pleasant and safe for swimming.
Holidays in the North Sea
Despite the intrigues of the climate and the elements, the Dutch love a beach holiday and try to equip it at the highest level. The Hague has two beaches, fully equipped with infrastructure. These are Kijkduin and Scheveningen. Both wide and long beaches are covered with clean sand, bars, cafes, sports grounds and other entertainment elements are scattered along the coast. Both beaches are completely free.
The most popular is Scheveningen, a former fishing village that has been successfully transformed into a major cultural and tourist center. Competitions, tournaments are held here, and thanks to the windy weather and waves, it is a local paradise for surfers and kiters.
Despite the crowded beaches in the summer season, most vacationers prefer sun baths to sea baths, and therefore lie on the shore, slowly overgrowing with a tan. Few dare to swim in the North Sea in The Hague.
If the swimming season lasts from July to August, the surfing season is longer - from May to September, and the diving season is from May to October.
In this case, the presence of a wetsuit is required - the already cold water during immersion does not exceed 15 °. There are quite a lot of diving sites in the area, and many are accessible directly from the shore - from equipped decks and slopes. Many bays and dive sites are designed for experienced divers and can be dangerous for beginners due to strong currents and sudden changes in depth.
Along with water sports, sea fishing is popular; it is not for nothing that nature has endowed the sea with innumerable gifts of nature. You can fish both near the coast and going out into the open sea on boats.
Also popular:
- boat trips;
- sailing;
- windsurfing;
- water skiing;
- Beach football;
- Beach volleyball.
The underwater world of the North Sea
Many rivers flow into the North Sea, it is connected to the Atlantic Ocean, the Baltic and Norwegian Seas. Such an active water exchange endowed it with abundant flora and fauna. It is home to 150 species of animals and fish, and about 300 species of plants grow at the bottom.
In the local waters, cod, Atlantic herring, shrimp, halibut, mackerel, mackerel, sprat, oysters, mussels, crabs and lobsters, scallops, rays, salmon, flounder, and several species of sharks are found.
The high transparency of the water, which reaches tens of meters, allows you to easily enjoy the views of the sea depths while diving.
The bottom of the North Sea is covered with various types of algae and sea grass.
