Day ten is now over. Only two more days left in the Netherlands!
Today we went to Delta Works, which are large barriers placed around Holland (specifically the island areas) to defend the country from large storm surge. As stated in previous blog posts, the flood of 1953 had killed almost 2,000 people, and in order to ensure this does not occur again, the Netherlands installed many of these across the country. The one we visited today was the most expensive Delta Works to install, which was very interesting to see.
We also got to see around the museum they had. We got a guided tour from Marco about how Delta Works operates, and I was very intrigued on how they decided to use sliding doors for when they predict storm water will be high. I was very glad to hear that Delta Works actually allows ecosystems to live on the opposite side, so the area is good for seals and smaller fish to live. This is definitely more sustainable than a dam.
However, I also struggled to understand how Delta Works was sustainable. In my opinion, it felt like it was not. We saw in many videos piles of concrete being poured, machines being run, and other machines used to create the Delta Works; however, for the price of 70 billion dollars in today’s money to only be closed a total of 56 times, is incredibly low. A few of those 56 times was to show how Delta Works operates. All of the energy to create and operate is not very sustainable.
It was also difficult for me to comprehend as the surrounding Delta Works area felt like an amusement park. Parts of it was fun, do not get me wrong, but other parts felt very unsustainable and wrong. Something that really hurt me was watching a seal alone in a tiny enclosed pool. Seals are very social animals and, in my opinion, should be in the ocean. We also got to see an aquarium, and while I am not sure if Delta Works’ aquarium is focused on conservation and rehabilitation, it felt as though many animals were just trapped in the aquarium for show. I strongly believe in animals, specifically marine animals, to be in the wild unless the aquarium is genuinely caring for an animal’s well-being. Without any confirmation of whether Delta Works is committed to the animals’ lives, I felt it very difficult to enjoy the aquarium.
Continuing on, we also went on a boat tour, and it was very beautiful. We got to see (free) seals sunbathing on the beach! Afterwards, we went to the “Delta Works Experience.” This was very interesting, and it followed the story of a young girl when the flood struck her home. The ending of the experience stated that Delta Works saved the Netherlands with heroic music playing in the background. I do wonder how many Dutch people feel like Delta Works has an impact on their lives, though. I completely understand why the Netherlands felt it was necessary, especially after such a deadly flood.
Other than that, it was MacKenzie’s nineteenth birthday! We went to dinner with the group, then we headed over to the grocery store and bought some chocolate muffins for her with a candle! Overall, it was a very fun day and very interesting to learn more about how the Netherlands protects itself from water.