“Ships, machines…” project manager Tom van Eijk is beaming. He keeps his glasses with dark lenses on, because of safety regulations. “It’s basically playing in the sandbox, but for grown-ups.”
At the end of the morning, a large dredger appears in the North Sea, a few hundred meters away from the De Vrijheit pavilion and the entrance to Heemskerk beach.
“He got sand on one extraction site, twenty kilometers out to sea,” Van Eijk explains. “Here it is connected to a pipe.” He points to the end of an enormous hose, which is supported between two mountains of sand in ankle-deep water. Then the hose suddenly starts spewing water, and not much later also sand.
Up to three meters higher
It is the task of Rijkswaterstaat to: maintain the coast. The beach and dunes protect the land against flooding, but they are worn away by wind, waves and currents. That is why Rijkswaterstaat sometimes has extra work done.
Van Eijk and his colleagues from dredging company Van Oord ensure that sand from the sea is sprayed over the beach of Heemskerk. According to Van Eijk, in just two weeks’ time, the beach will become up to three meters higher over a length of about 170 meters. In addition, the strip will be wider, up to about 70 meters.
Dry feet
Owners of the beach houses will have to wait almost a month longer this year to place their houses on the sand. But they take that for granted, Hans Adrichem said earlier to NH. He is the chairman of the Beach Association.
During a storm in 2023, the waves lapped against the houses. This must be prevented in the coming years. Adrichem: “If all goes well, we will be dry again in the coming years.”
According to Van Eijk, this should work out just fine. His company will continue working almost without breaks for the next two weeks. “About every four hours the ship returns to the pipeline. We use machines to ensure that the sand is properly distributed.”
