WEC Waddenzee Live Cam

History

The Wadden Sea region has its roots in a dynamic geological history that began at the end of the last Ice Age. As glaciers retreated some 12,000 years ago, rising sea levels inundated the low-lying plains of what are now the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. Sediment carried by rivers accumulated in shallow coastal basins, gradually giving rise to extensive tidal flats. Early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers made use of these rich intertidal zones, gathering shellfish and fishing in the shifting channels. Archaeological digs along the fringes of the modern Wadden Sea have uncovered flint tools and bone implements, evidence that human activity was closely tied to the rhythms of the tides even in prehistory.