Nature constantly changing the appearance of the resort island of Sylt. Stickers on cars and a special flair have known the island Sylt and made famous. Every year come nearly 800,000 passengers on Germany’s largest North Sea Island. The elongated shape with the bent elbow at the northern end and the small hooks in the South of the island has made the sea with his power in the course of time. Constantly the nature works on the island even today. What this will look like in 50 or 100 years, now safe to say no one can even calculate. About 1000 years ago, you could reach the island still comfortably dry at low water.
Looking at representations of the island on maps, which were made over 300 years ago, and it compares with the current maps, you can see the many changes easily. They are particularly striking on the South and the North tip of the island. The ocean currents constantly carries country in the West. Since 1870, records are made to do this regularly. It is to realize that the decline of the coast has doubled in the last 100 years. Storm surges are a particular threat to Sylt. A very narrow point South of Rantum was flooded when the flood of 1962 and could again cause a separation of the island. You attempted with wooden stake groynes to halt the erosion.
The anticipated success not turned up. Large, four-footed here with several tons of weight rather sank into the sand and could not hold it. The only way to prevent a serious change in the resort island of Sylt, is the washing of sand off the coast with excavator ships. Even if the high costs, so the island can be protected and their image is preserved to us. We think North Sea at a popular holiday in our House on the protection of the island and keep in mind that we are entering the dunes only on the marked routes. Thus, you can contribute also to defend of the island with little effort. Gerd-E. Gunther
