In this episode, Michelle and Alex go “wadlopen” for the first time, on the Wadden Sea in the Netherlands. Learn about the history of wadlopen (or “mudflat walking/hiking”) and decide: is this something they should do again, maybe in a slightly more challenging environment?
Episode 82 · Filmed on July 31, 2023 · On the Wadden Sea, the Netherlands
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0:00 Introduction
1:32 What is wadlopen?
2:55 Raising the sails
3:34 What’s the plan for today?
4:35 The sailing experience
5:44 Walking on the Wadden Sea!
7:31 What did we think of wadlopen?
8:41 The return trip to Harlingen
9:00 Wrap up
9:25 On the next episode…
#expatlife #netherlands #friesland #wadlopen
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WHO IS BUNCHARTED?
We’re Michelle and Alex, an American expat couple living abroad in the Netherlands. 🇳🇱
In 2020, we quit our jobs to travel the world, and… well, that didn’t happen. So in 2022, we decided to make an even BIGGER change by packing up our lives (and our cats 🐈) and moving from Austin, Texas, in the US, to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. Subscribe for new videos like this every week!
Patricia Burns 
Wilma Chance 
Lindsey Stephens
In texel you mist go with de garnalen vissers its fun.
I used to be a shipsmate in the summer for a number of years on these "platbodems". Had a group of Americans on board for 2 weeks – which is really nice because in 2 weeks you can really travel places on the IJsselmeer and Waddenzee. Let me remind you that this was in a period that mobile phones, internet etc. had yet to become common goods. Every day we left port, they would immediatly start to ask "when will we arrive at the next port" where they could dissolve into the tourist crowd. Considering wind, currents etc. it was alway an approximation that could be way of. Them not having any clue of this and not willing to learn, we would end up responding to them "That would be 15.16" when leaving port at 9 o'clock. They would easily accept that answer and showed up on deck around that time to usually be disappointed (again) not having a habour in sight. In all other ways – great people, but slowing down was not their parté.
about 'unique' experiences: I've once done a guided bike tour through Bangkok. It was sooooo much fun. You get to see parts of the city you'd never find on your own. Highly recommended. Totally opposite to wadlopen 😀
did you get to walk through mud? That's sooo much fun. AFAIK that's only along the coasts
wow, I've never done this from a boat. Looks amazing
I went to pick oysters last year in Zeeland and it was so much fun (and we had an amazing dinner that night). I'm sure you'd love to do that too. There are several places where you can do that, but Yerseke is a famous one. You have to make sure it's the right tide etc. but there are some websites with useful information and tips for good spots.
Wadlopen is still on my bucket list, would love to do that some time. And it's been way too long ago since I was on one of the islands.
I might have a fun, and somewhat interesting suggestion in the upcoming spirit of Halloween: Try visiting the "Heksenwaag" in Oudewater. It's a very lovely little town, but they also have a museum there on how people were persecuted as witches in medieval times, and I don't know if they still do this, but you can also get yourself tested for being a witch or not, and get a certificate if you are not a witch.
Next time walk from the mainland to an island. It won't be relaxing, it will be hard, because a lot of the seafloor is covered in a 1 foot thick layer of mud and you'll have to walk through trenches of waist high water as well.
A thing I still want to do is to take a boat tour in de Biesbosch. They have these almost silent electric boats that allow you to get really close to the birds and animals living there. Maybe you should try it since it is basicly around the corner from Dordrecht. I think the best time would be end spring / early summer though.
If you ever wanna try wadlopen again i would recommend walking to schiermonnikoog. Its relitively easy and a lot of fun. Ihave done it earlier this summer with some friends and we had a great time. Ameland is fun too but a lot tougher.
Pro-tip: if you're going to do a more advanced wadlooptocht, buy yourself some high ankle allstars kind of shoes. Especially if you walk from the mainland to one of the islands, you start right of the Waddenzeedijk, in the blubber. Shoes that are tight and ankle height will stay on your feet. You wouldn't be the first to lose their shoes in the flats and marshes of the Waddenzee …