A Hungarian tourist who does not know the old collection clearly finds the new flags: “With the English text below I understand well.” Whether the flags can also be seen and read when they flutter in the wind is the question. Lifeguard Cloeck thinks so: “Certainly on the beach. We also have masts there. I think people can easily see it there”.
Outdated information boards cause confusion
The new warning flags must appear this beach season in most places along the North Holland coast. HSV partnership expects it will take approximately two years before the flags have been introduced everywhere on the Dutch beaches. Not only the flags must be replaced, also flyers and signs must be adjusted.
At the beach entrance in Bloemendaal aan Zee, visitors are already informed about the new flags via a digital board. But a little further, with a dune transition, that information has not yet been updated: the old flags are still shown on the board.
“That is certainly awkward,” says Cloeck as he looks at the board. “We hope that this will be resolved as quickly as possible. Before the summer, the province promised that the new signs will come with the new flags on it.”
It is still unclear when the information boards will be adjusted. A spokesperson for the province was not available for comment.