THE HONDSBOSSCHE SEAWALL

In the Middle Ages, the coast near Petten consisted of a dune bar that was a kilometer further west than the current coast. In the 15th century, the St. Elizabeth's Flood (1421) caused a breakthrough that knocked away a large part of the dune bar. The dunes were subsequently restored, but the sea continued to calving the dunes on the sea side, which was compensated by sand replenishment on the land side. Sand replenishment is the replenishment of sand in places where dune sand has disappeared due to coastal erosion. This flexible coastal defense, with the dune bar moving eastward over the years, meant that land was surrendered to the sea. In the 16th century, the shifting of the dune bar was stopped by placing piles to protect the base of the dune bar and the construction of beachheads (breakwaters that protrude into the sea at right angles to the coastline). When the piles and beachheads fell into disrepair in the 17th century, they resorted to flexible coastal defense, with the dune bar moving eastwards. In 1880, the vulnerable sand dike, which had been on its current site since the end of the 18th century, was significantly strengthened. The marram grass vegetation on the slope on the sea side was replaced by a deck of basalt blocks. This seawall finally proved resistant to severe storms. In 1981 the dike was raised to Delta height: 11.5 m +NAP.
In the meantime, a new beach with dunes has been built for the existing 'hard' barrier, so that a natural and innovative coastal reinforcement has been realized.

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