Diving in Holland | Let’s go Diving in the Netherlands
By: Torben Lonne
Famed for its cheese, tulips and windmills, the Netherlands is also the country of dykes and water.
In the province of Zeeland, hundreds of kilometers of dykes and dams protect the Netherlands from the sea. Together, these form the Delta Works – the largest underwater artificial reef in the world.
Because of that, it’s one of the most popular diving areas in Europe!
Colours Underwater in The Netherlands
All diving in Zeeland is done on man-made hard substrates at the base of dykes, the supports of the Zeeland Bridge, and even around hanging mussel farms.
At a distance, the waters in Zeeland are green, brown and grey. But get closer and the landscape changes colour! Underwater, the dyke is covered in a carpet of white, red, pink, purple, yellow and orange anemones, sponges and ascidians.
There are all sorts of fish, such as gobies, shannies, cottids, rock gunnels and flat fish – as well as lobsters, squat lobsters, starfish, sea slugs and prawns.
In May, the cuttlefish come to the Oosterschelde to breed. You can watch the mating ritual up close and personal.
Challenging
Most photography in Zeeland is macro and close focus wide angle.
The bottom dwellers are small and the distance to the subject is short. Given that the visibility of these waters ranges from three to ten meters, photos taken in Zeeland feature image filling subjects. The conditions in Zeeland are also challenging for lighting.
While you will need direct strong light to create contrast, the silt in the water means a greater risk of dirt and spots in the photos. Each photo requires careful consideration!
But if you have the techniques mastered, the result will be absolutely fantastic.
Above the water
Zeeland has wide, clean, easily accessible and sandy beaches, but there are also isolated coves. Where you can let the sound of the surf wash right over you and busy beaches with an excellent choice of sporting activities.
Zeeland has it all!
Soak up the spring sunshine, lounge at a stylish beach club or dive into the waves. Whatever you choose, the superb sand and sea is here all year round!
What is your favorite European Dive spot?
Have you ever dived in the Netherlands or some other parts of Europe? What is your favorite dive place?
Comments
Hi, thank you for the article. May i know recommend dive shop that can i contact if i would like to arrange for a diving trip in Zeeland. Currently im here for my holidays
I life there , a guy i know is filming a lot of his dives.
enjoy : https://www.youtube.com/user/JackieODiving
Grtsz R
Great Video!
I haven’t been to zeeland, but based from i read in the above-mentioned article, here are my observations and suggestions:
For those joining the competition, it will be a great challenge especially if you specialize in reef macro photography. However, since most dive spots in zeeland are man-made structures, this can easily attract small critters and your subject may not be a problem. I strongly suggest to link your subject plant or animal with the man-made structures it lives. Does it affect the structure? does it add structural strength or weaken? things like that
For the rest of the divers, zeeland may be a great new experience.
So i’l put zeeland in my list of future dive vacations
Very interesting article, I never knew about this diving spot in the Netherlands. I enjoyed the video very much. Thank you!
Hi Gabriel and Maya, you’re more than welcome to visit our dive spots! @Maya: you have to be a CMAS diver to enter the photo championship.
I’ve heard about the Cuttelfish span, it looks cool, and if I ever get into coldwater diving I might go!
Wow i never knew that there was so much cool diving in nort Europe. Might go up there some time.
Is it possible to enter the Photo competition if your not cmas diver?
Great pictures I love them!!