Riding on Red Bricks: Deltaworks Excursion

Deltaworks Excursion

Stamped: 2:32 AM

Netherlands is located in a low-lying delta. A large part of the country's history was a constant struggle against the flooding waters of the North Sea. In the 1950s, the Delta Works was established. This project aimed at improving the safety of the lower areas of the Netherlands against severe storms and flooding by constructing a series of storm surge barriers and dikes.

Last Saturday, we went on an excursion organized by TU Delft to the Oosterscheldekering, the largest of Delta Works' storm surge barriers, located in Zeeland some 100km South of Delft. The trip was great because everything was free! The bus, the lunch, the admission, everything. We did have some troubles with the administration as we signed up late, but in the end, there were more than enough vacancies in the 5 huge buses they chartered.

The storm surge barrier is basically a massive structure that holds on to a continuous metal sheet (we're talking enormously scaled stuff here...). The barrier lowers the metal sheet to cut the sea waters away from inland waters when the high tides reach beyond 3m above sea level. This will keep the water levels low in the Netherlands and prevent flooding. The boat below is a specially constructed craft that carries the precast foundation of the barrier and lowers it onto the ocean floor (already laid with layers of massive rocks and sand).

Prior to our visit of the storm surge barrier, we spent an hour or two enjoying ourselves at the outdoor water theme parks. This is basically a nice outdoor space with various gadgets and machines to educate people the properties of water. Kids learn certain techniques in which water can be stopped / transported, like the miniature dam pictured below :)

Had good fun playing with the water slide. Got sick of it after 2 tries though haha... Some of the water splashed onto my jacket but it was fine... just a little colder that's all. Check out the Frank Gehry look-alike building below. It's a whale museum, which was a building within the park.

There was an exhibition going on in the main building of the park, and we came across this model. It is the Maeslantkering, another storm surge barrier more elegantly constructed, near the port of Rotterdam. Below are flowers for dar dar :)