Oooh, you must have hiked in Cuxhaven last week on Thursday, probably. My ex-landlady and I took the Halunderjet to Helgoland, Germany's only high seas island. We had a headwind of roughly 27 knots, plus the speed of the ship at 35 knots, giving us a total of 62 knots windspeed (114 km/h or roughly 71 miles) on the top deck, unprotected from the wind. It (!) was (!) AWESOME!!!! The speed of the wind in your face drove the tears right out of your eyes, but you couldn't help but laugh and feel elated at the incredible power of the elements. Neuwerk technically belongs to the county of Hamburg. Yeah, I know, strange, pffft, what do I know. Roughly 100 kilometers of river separates the island from Hamburg, and yet, it belongs to the district of Hamburg-Mitte. And that tip about mudhiking being dangerous is not just to scare tourists and give them that little adrenalin kick. It IS dangerous. Every single year there are many people trapped somewhere in the mudflats when the tide returns. Most get rescued by the water patrol, but every so often some people get sucked out to sea and drown. Yes, it IS that dangerous. Once the tide comes in, you better be very very close to the actual dry shoreline to flee, not on the mudflats themselves. No, you CAN'T escape the tidal currents, either on foot, or swimming. The currents are MUCH too strong and rise much too fast. So, please, for all that is good, take a local mudflat guide if you want to go mudhiking any distance from the actual high-tide shoreline. Another tip for mudhiking: take the strongest, most water-resistant sunblock you can find, and apply it GENEROUSLY to the top of your feet. Heck, if there is a layer of unabsorbed sunblock on the top of your feet, you might have just applied enough. If you find a really dry spot while hiking, dry off your feet during the hike, and reapply a new coat after sloshing through the water. The water cools off the sun's rays, so it feels nice and cozy in hot weather, but the sun's rays get amplified and magnified onto the usually much more tender skin on the top of your feet. Easily creating the worst sunburn you might experience in your life. Around twenty years ago I took a long mudhike from Amrum to Föhr and didn't know about that phenomenon. The sunburn on the top of my feet kept me hobbled for nearly a week. I couldn't wear ANYTHING on my feet during that time, no socks, no shoes, nothing, and my skin peeled off multiple times in multiple layers. The age restriction on kids is not to discriminate against the kids or families. It is just that most smaller kids don't have the stamina to do the long tour. They can't throw a tantrum and stop in the middle of the mudflats for too long, or they will endanger, literally, all the members of the hike. Once you reach a certain point of no-return you HAVE to continue the hike, otherwise trying to return is going to place you in grave danger. You simply can't turn around at any spot and safely reach shore again. Especially the longer hikes take pretty much the exact time of low tide to reach another island and safe spot, often at a fairly crisp walking pace. In some case you may even have to wade through a Pril, a shallow water canal, reaching up to hip or chest height on an adult. Carrying kids across may be possible but difficult. Which is why these horse drawn carts are sooo high off the ground. The horse don't mind getting wet (they are trained to remain calm in such waters). Also, the square-to-cube root law means that kids' surface area to volume means they cool off much faster than adults, making them much more easily susceptible to hypothermia, should the wind blow as hard as it did with you, or should the water be colder. So it is either a do-or-die situation, literally. So, no the guides aren't being unfair or unreasonable when they can't take very small kids along on these longer hikes, they are being very safety conscious.
And now imagine that the storm is even stronger and dark clouds and heavy rain are added, the sea gets wild. Then you know why it is called "Nordsee ist Mordsee - North Sea is Murdersee". I grew up on the North Sea (Wilhelmshaven) and loved this weather.
Don't miss visiting the Ostfriesische Inseln. Some can be visited for a couple of hours like Langeoog. These islands are soo beautiful. My sister is living on Juist
Nice Video. 😃The Wind, the fresh air and the smell of the ocean makes these hikings so special. A footbath for body and soul. We made a Moonlight-Wattwanderung from Dagebüll to Oland last year. Nice themperatur and absolutely no wind - my best mud flat hiking tour ever. AND - Wattwandern allways barefoot. Its not dangerous, dont worry, maybe you get a small cut or three, but it heals faster in the salty water then you reach the shore 😉
And with that you have seen and felt an absolute highlight of Germany. It was nice to see how much fun you had with this gentle breeze. For your next visit, I can only recommend a single tour. They are always associated with a lot of fun and have a high learning factor.
Finally you are in the right part of Germany 👍😉. The little wind is not a problem for us North Germans. The mudflats in front of Cuxhaven can also be walked on very well without shoes (it's the sandy mudflats, but there's also the muddy mudflats, where you sometimes sink up to your knees). And no, no fish have made it there, but it is digested sand of the lugworms (analogous to earthworms). A little fun fact - more organisms live on one square meter of mud flats than on the same area in a tropical rainforest.
The Wadden Sea is a great area for many vacations. There is so much to explore in the UNESCO world heritage of three Nationalparks from the border of Germany-Netherlands to Germany-Denmark. Sand worms, seals, small whales, a lot of mussels, salty meadows, crabs, jellyfishes etc. and brave seagulls stealing your Fischbrötchen "on the fly" right out of your hand.. As childrens we loved the summer vacations at beaches of the North Sea, building sand castles, swimming when the water rises up and flying kites. I highly recommend to vist a Nationalparkhaus for more knowledge about that stunning nature.
The guided mudhiking tours do not allow children under the age of 5 because it can be dangerous carrying a child through the „Watt“. There are fields of quicksand, the „Schlick“ (the soft dark mud) can get really deep and you can get easily stuck if you don’t know your way around. Also there are „Priele“ which are like small rivers in the mud where the water flows back and forth. Those can be really deep. If you are going mudhiking again I really recommend a guided tour (even for little kids) because you can learn a lot about the ecosystem Wattenmeer. Also look for „beachies“. Beachies are like neopren socks with a really thick sole to protect you from getting your feet cut and even the hot sand in the summer. But it still feels like walking barefoot so that’s really cool. ☺️
Love the North Sea! Every year holidays on an East Frisian island (Norderney, Juist or Borkum)! Who needs the Mediterranean or Baltic Sea (less wind, less tide, less fun). Have an East Frisian Tea Time that warms you up!
Moin, welcome to northern Germany. Not every time its so windy, but often its raining. But have a good time here and hopefully you have good weather. We life here in the northern part of Germany and we never can imagine to life in another place than here.
The 'fish poop' is what worms ( Wattwürmer) leave behind when they dig themselves in. I'm so happy that you are enjoying the rough north as well as the south because it does have a lot to offer. Maybe you will visit some place from where they do boat trips to the seal banks, that would be so much fun for Willa.
Ah I miss a really good windy day at the shore. Feels like it blows away all of your problems 💗 Looks like you had a good time and I hope you managed to brush out your hair without having to sacrifice too much of it 😅
Yes, Germany is small, compared to the USA, but we have a variety of different landscapes, in the north you can find this wadden-sea, in the north-east you have the baltic sea with no ebbtide and float, in the middle we have flat landscape with some minor mountain-ereas (Hartz) and in the south we have the big mountains. And the wadden sea is unique along the north-sea-coast (Netherlands, Germany and Denmark).
Welcome to my home town :) I hope the next time you’re coming back, you have better weather. I am visiting my family this weekend and we have sunshine and near to no wind. Make sure to visit the “Kugelbake” in Döse next time. You can see all the big containers going to Hamburg from really close when they pass by. You can also take a boat to see the seals (I think Willa would love that) or you take the boat and visit Helgoland for the day :-) A lot to do up here!
On the western side of Northern Germany there are several small islands called “Halligen”, with tiny settlements. Tiny as in four houses, for instance. It is also possible to hike to several of them during low tide, but you truly need an experienced guide to do this. During bad winter storms it is quite usual for these islands to be “drowned”. This is called “Land Unter“ - “ land under” ( water). For that reason the houses are two storied, often with an extra upstairs kitchen and are built on (usually) hand-made hills called “Warft”. I spent one New Year’s Day night on a Hallig once during a fierce storm. It was “thrilling” to say the least. But the next day was beautiful weather (cold, of course) and we walked around an island where the entire land mass had been literally newly washed! If I recall the island correctly (this happened more than 30 years ago), the floor of the church on this island was “paved” with sand, permitting the flood waters to more quickly seep out.
Fingers crossed you can save your beautiful long hair, Risa, and don't have to chop anything off. As a small child of about 4 or 5 I suffered from anemia and the doctor prescribed - among a diet change and supplements - really fresh air, so my parents, my sister and I went to the Netherlands' part of the North Sea for a two weeks vacation. The wind was blowing like in your video every day, we walked on the beach for hours each day and it was a wonderful experience! Also, my anemia went away rather quickly afterwards ;)
by the way, when you are driving south. Mayby you like to visit Bremerhaven and there the 'Deutsches Auswandererhaus'. It's a Museum about the Emigration of Germans to the US and other Countrys
The fish"poop" is left behind by Watt-worms, who filter the sand. We call the muddy part of the ocean floor "Schlick" and even have sports event here, like "Wattolümpiade", where we play Wattfußball, Wattvolleyball and more.
Oh, great ! I was in Cuxhaven as a child (maybe 8 or so) and we went by "Wattwagen" to Neuwerk and back. I still remember it very well; it was a big adventure for me. I am sure Willa will be so thankful when she's grown up that you show her the whole world.
I grew up there and never bothered to do my hair in a special style.. as if you would go outside it'll be ruined.. so I always have a hair band around my wrist to put it up
The best! Those ‘yellow things’;) are ‘Strandkörbe’! So, a ‘beach basket’ literally translated! In the summer you can rent them for a day! At every beach and island! You have to do it once! :)
Moin & welcome to my birthplace Cuxhaven! If you came back one day you must absolutely visiting the Sightseeing features of the City (Kugelbake, Schloss Ritzebüttel & Schlossgarten, Kurpark and so many more...). Every Season in the Summertime are the "Duhner Wattrennen" (Horse Race in the Wadden Sea) takes place. I hope we see us next time in Cuxhaven! Sorry for my bad English.
I did also look back your holydays in croatia and greece and i thought what a great way to have this channel so that willa in a decade or so can revieuw what adventures and differend country s she and you did visit becource by her age now she might not remember. Keep up the good work. I am always looking out to sunday to see a new video made by you and also the black forrest familie
thanks for sharing this video, really fun to watch! the foam on the sand was mesmerizing, you captured some great shots! looking forward to see more content 🤗
Hi. I' m original from that area gut live in the south-west now. Ist's always nice to see somethink about the coast. About the wheather you should be careful. If you think : hmmm, there could come rain.....it will come immidiatly. Rainjackets are really useful. And sunglasses because of the wind. Because you are fans of nice food: try fish there :-)
The beaches of the Baltic and North Sea are notoriously windy. You may have noticed the unusual beach chairs, made out of wicker, that are designed to protect people from the wind while enjoying the sun. As a matter of interest, although Britain occupied that part of Germany after the war, the US Military had a large base in Bremerhaven that was used as the main port of entry for equipment from the States. It closed at the end of the Cold War in 1990s.
It sure looks like a great deal of fun (and the seascape is intriguing as well as the windmills)! It's great that all three of you just embraced the wind (or let the wind embrace you ) and had as much fun as possible while successfully dodging the impending rains. However, I imagine if there was even ONE person in a group that disliked the experience, it could challenge if not weigh down the enjoyment of the rest of the group. In any case, thanks for sharing with us!
I absolutely never head for the North without my 100% windproof jacket, even in Hochsommer, lol! I love it there so much, but I’m never going on a Wattwanderung. I‘ll wave to you from solid ground! P.s. you guys are really cool for doing this. It’s really important for the environment that the Waddensea is protected.
@@peter_meyer ooo I have a horror of not being on the very firmest of land! In Wales we have quicksand and you just don’t know it’s there until it’s too late. I‘m sure it’s all perfectly organised in Germany, so that everyone is safe… but my legs won’t take me on to that Watt!
"There IS no bad weather, only bad clothing" ;) North Sea > Baltic Sea. I was very often on vacation in Cuxhaven, from young age with my family, I know most of the city by heart. You have the beaches on one side (with or without water...) and the harbor on the other side with fresh fish (and Northsea Shrimps!) sold on site, and some impressive ships of the international trade to Hamburg passing by in spitting distance :O
As a Schleswig-Holsteiner from Kiel all I can say is: Why make this distinction about the Borth and Baltic seas at all? It's a one-hour-car ride from one side to the other. We can easily enjoy both!
Omg its so cool to see Cuxhaven. Never saw it in any travel videos/blogs about Germany. Well done guys ! P.s. I’m living here :) Please visit Cux again 😄
very nice video! 👍 My tip for the next travel destination. Nationalpark "Elbsandsteingebirge" or "Saxon Switzerland". It's a very beautiful landscape near Dresden.😉
Oh ,i am sorry for the little wind from seaside there 🤪😂😂. I live near Bremerhaven,, it's 50km in the south of Cuxhaven.. We love the place,the sea ,the tide .. It's Not every day so much wind there,,i swear 🤪👍🏻. Greets from Bremerhaven,, a very cool town with much places and coll museums and arts
I´ll never forget the time we were on Neuwerk and a guy in swim trunks walked ashore and had to be stopped to wander back, because he'd never would have made it home with the flood coming in. He just went on a stroll in Sahlenburg...😵 One time we stayed in the hay hotel, that was fun - but that's probably not for families with small kids. If you book a night in a hotel on this Hallig, the carriage will take your luggage and you can enjoy the Watt with just the most necessary items on you. Then it´s a nice hike. And after the "FLIPPER" sails, the island gets very quiet and only the few guests wander the levees. Usually the winds fades and it´s just birds, cows and horses... peace of mind. Funfact: Neuwerk is actually part of Hamburg 🤓
It was worms. You should look up info on the animals there. There is loads online. Helgoland is really interesting. It was Danish, British and now German. Was strategically important in WW2. Its really interesting. PS. If you ever come back up..I live in Bremen, the town of "the town musicians"..you are welcome to stay.
That looked like so much fun!! I would bet y'all were extra tired when you hit the hotel. Wind will suck it out of you. Travel safe and give Willa an extra hug 🤠
It's not always *that* windy. Generally windy yes - kite flying for example is very popular - but you don't always have problems talking or walking. The expected wind strength is part of the weather forecast.
Im from Nuremberg and enjoyed all your videos from my area. I also possess a holiday flat in Sahlenburg (Cuxhaven) and im there 2-3 times a year. So now im also enjoying this video seeing you walking that long road to the beach! edit: Btw its not often THAT windy, so youve been really unlucky there :D
The poop ist actually worm poop. There are "Wattwürmer" (watt worms) hiding deeper down in the sand. I'm sorry that it was so cold and windy on your trip...
All the bigger German sea rescue boats have a small "daughter" boat in a recess at the stern. It gets launched when there are people in distress in shallow waters where the larger boats cannot operate. Most people saved by them are indeed hikers who are trapped when the tide comes back. You should always have a tide-calendar when you walk out there or even cross the seabed from one island to the next. There are wider and deeper "Priele", something like a creek, that are the main streams for the water to rush in and out. The water in them runs really fast and can wash a person away who wades through them
Those people at the Northsea coast are clever. First they dredge up sand from the seabed and enlarge their small sandy beaches with it. Naturally the German coastline, be it the Baltic or the Northsea does not have the geology for endless white sandy beaches. Then the eternal wind will slowly blow the sand away so that the beach has to be "repaired" in winter. But when there is a strong wind in the summer, the sand is blown into the eyes, nostrils and between the teeth of the people at the seaside. And what is the solution to that more or less man-made problem? It is the "Strandkorb", the beach-basket, that you are supposed to rent for a day or the entire length of your vacation there. You turn its back into the wind, sit down and enjoy your sandwhich, potatoe salad or french fries without grinding on sand.
I am living in Bremen, not far away from Cuxhaven......and quite often we go there for a daytrip. We are doing ' Wattlaufen' barefeet...it is supposed to be very good for you feet...and never ever getting cut by something.....The Island across is called NEUWERK. You should come back when the weather is better.....But anyway...glad you enjoyed it !
If you are exploring the north I would recommend you to visit the little fishing village Greetsiel. It has very cute architecture and you are also close to the lovely eastfrisian islands.
We really have the best and warmest weather in Germany in the Rhine Valley. Nice to see from your videos, while it is still snowing in the south and a hurricane is raging in the north, we've had summer here for a long time already 😄
Thank you for telling the people it can be dangerous. :) Too many people underestimate the north sea. It's a small ocean but a very dangerous one. "Nordsee ist Mordsee" - "North Sea is a murdering sea" is a typical saying here in North Germany. But also I like this video because a lot of people from abroad always showing videos from Berlin or from Bavaria or the alps. But the wadden sea is also very interesting and mudhiking can be a lot of fun too! :)
I was very curious to watch this video because it's about Northern Germany. But I was amazed when I found out that they went to Cuxhaven. I live here for two years now but I still haven't managed to see the places in the video. So, this was really cool for me. :-)
So cool you live there! We definitely want to highlight the North of Germany-it has so much to offer! Stay tuned because there are 3 more videos about the North coming out. 😊 & Thanks for the kind words.
@@OurStorytoTell Thank you very much for your reply. Your video has shown me that I should be more appreciative of my town. So you did a very good job here. :) I'm glad you enjoyed the north and I'll definitely watch the other videos (hoping that you also visited Oldenburg, my home town:-).
So , for me at least , you have to go to visit Helgoland. Willa seams to like the wind.....very important ! This Island is about 70 KM Offdshore....pure Nordsee.
That's a healthy North Sea breeze in that video. But not something the locals would even really call windy 😁Not saying you'll see cows flying on a REALLY windy day on the North sea, but this looks pretty average 😉
I think it was an interesting mud flat hike at low tide. However, one must also look at the clock and not get lost. Because the water comes back at high tide. Ich denke, es war eine interessante Wattwanderung bei Ebbe. Allerdings muss man auch auf die Uhr schauen als auch, sich nicht verlaufen. Denn bei Flut kommt das Wasser zurück.
It's highly recommended to only go hiking in the mud-flats with a guide. And there is a reason why small children are only admitted on short tours. The water rises quickly, and the guide cannot wait for kids who cannot keep up without risking the safety of the whole group. Also, the water in the tidal creeks can be thigh-high, and the current can be too strong for small children to Criss over safely.
What does a North German do when a stranger comes and wants to buy land? He takes him to the Wadden Sea, a lot of undeveloped land and so cheap... Too bad that hours later the sea is there again and nobody owns the nature park. I wouldn't go too far out into the Wadden Sea without a guide unless you are a seal and can swim long distances in the sea. Oh yes, the sand in all clothes and in the car is free.
I Like this video, but i hava one suggestion: When you have bad filming conditions like in this video please consider to turn down the real sound and subsequently speak and record your words again from home. In my eyes that would be better than you trying to say something against stormy winds
Agreed, the seashells are bit like walking over glas. Only the dead ones are open and may have sharp edges. In most of the cases the seashells are in clusters anyhow and can be easily avoided. Nothing beats the funny feeling, when the mud comes through the toes 😆
That the international Travel books do you really Miss this about Germany is really a Big mistake but hiding from the Wind in Cuxhaven in the shore is nearly Impossible
I wish you would have taken the chance of going barefoot for a while, it is quite the strange feeling - not at all like waliking on the wet parts of a beach, even though the ground looks similar. I do have to admit though, that I ended up with a large cut from one of the shells when I did it myself...
It's probably for the better if it's not well-known. Not only is it a very sensitive environment, there's enough idiots already who get caught by the tides...
It is in the travel books actually, but always with a warning to never go for longer hikes without a local guide and always watch the tide, the tidal creeks and the clock on short hikes and never go too far away from the beach.
It is so refreshing to see more videos of the north of germany because most of the US people just stay in the South. 👍
People don’t realise what they’re missing out on. I love Northern Germany!
Wanted to write the same 💯❤
I am quite happy that the Americans haven't yet realized that we have a beautiful coastal region ... there are already plenty of tourists.
Over here in northern Germany we say, „it‘s not really windy as long as the sheep still have their curly fur“…😉😊
🤣🤣
War mein erster Gedanke 😂😂
Yepp, and then there are two more windstrengths:
Sheep gone : hurricane
Sheep gone - sheep there - sheep gone - sheep there: tornado.
😁😁
😂
"curls", not "curly fur"
We did these guided tours already and highly recommend to come back one day.
The fish"poop" is in fact the left behind of worms digging into the sand
And it is almost only sand by itself.
So true, and I have linked here the info about "Wattwürmer" or Lugworms in wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugworm
As kids in the 1960s we used to dig them out to use as fish bait.
Oooh, you must have hiked in Cuxhaven last week on Thursday, probably. My ex-landlady and I took the Halunderjet to Helgoland, Germany's only high seas island. We had a headwind of roughly 27 knots, plus the speed of the ship at 35 knots, giving us a total of 62 knots windspeed (114 km/h or roughly 71 miles) on the top deck, unprotected from the wind. It (!) was (!) AWESOME!!!!
The speed of the wind in your face drove the tears right out of your eyes, but you couldn't help but laugh and feel elated at the incredible power of the elements.
Neuwerk technically belongs to the county of Hamburg. Yeah, I know, strange, pffft, what do I know. Roughly 100 kilometers of river separates the island from Hamburg, and yet, it belongs to the district of Hamburg-Mitte.
And that tip about mudhiking being dangerous is not just to scare tourists and give them that little adrenalin kick. It IS dangerous.
Every single year there are many people trapped somewhere in the mudflats when the tide returns. Most get rescued by the water patrol, but every so often some people get sucked out to sea and drown. Yes, it IS that dangerous. Once the tide comes in, you better be very very close to the actual dry shoreline to flee, not on the mudflats themselves.
No, you CAN'T escape the tidal currents, either on foot, or swimming. The currents are MUCH too strong and rise much too fast.
So, please, for all that is good, take a local mudflat guide if you want to go mudhiking any distance from the actual high-tide shoreline.
Another tip for mudhiking: take the strongest, most water-resistant sunblock you can find, and apply it GENEROUSLY to the top of your feet. Heck, if there is a layer of unabsorbed sunblock on the top of your feet, you might have just applied enough. If you find a really dry spot while hiking, dry off your feet during the hike, and reapply a new coat after sloshing through the water.
The water cools off the sun's rays, so it feels nice and cozy in hot weather, but the sun's rays get amplified and magnified onto the usually much more tender skin on the top of your feet. Easily creating the worst sunburn you might experience in your life.
Around twenty years ago I took a long mudhike from Amrum to Föhr and didn't know about that phenomenon. The sunburn on the top of my feet kept me hobbled for nearly a week. I couldn't wear ANYTHING on my feet during that time, no socks, no shoes, nothing, and my skin peeled off multiple times in multiple layers.
The age restriction on kids is not to discriminate against the kids or families. It is just that most smaller kids don't have the stamina to do the long tour. They can't throw a tantrum and stop in the middle of the mudflats for too long, or they will endanger, literally, all the members of the hike. Once you reach a certain point of no-return you HAVE to continue the hike, otherwise trying to return is going to place you in grave danger. You simply can't turn around at any spot and safely reach shore again. Especially the longer hikes take pretty much the exact time of low tide to reach another island and safe spot, often at a fairly crisp walking pace.
In some case you may even have to wade through a Pril, a shallow water canal, reaching up to hip or chest height on an adult. Carrying kids across may be possible but difficult.
Which is why these horse drawn carts are sooo high off the ground. The horse don't mind getting wet (they are trained to remain calm in such waters).
Also, the square-to-cube root law means that kids' surface area to volume means they cool off much faster than adults, making them much more easily susceptible to hypothermia, should the wind blow as hard as it did with you, or should the water be colder.
So it is either a do-or-die situation, literally.
So, no the guides aren't being unfair or unreasonable when they can't take very small kids along on these longer hikes, they are being very safety conscious.
I love how Willa just watches and enjoys everything. She is so cute and smart as well.
Willa ist schon richtig windfest wie eine echte kleine Ostfriesin..!
Next weekend is Kieler Woche. Maybe you have time for a visit. 🙂
And now imagine that the storm is even stronger and dark clouds and heavy rain are added, the sea gets wild. Then you know why it is called "Nordsee ist Mordsee - North Sea is Murdersee". I grew up on the North Sea (Wilhelmshaven) and loved this weather.
Don't miss visiting the Ostfriesische Inseln. Some can be visited for a couple of hours like Langeoog. These islands are soo beautiful. My sister is living on Juist
I work on Juist every now and then. It’s gorgeous, indescribable. I filmed last time I was there.
Man, I love the combination of being near the sea and having strong winds. Its the best.
Very famous "tide - island": Mont St. Michel at the french side of the English Channel.
Nice Video. 😃The Wind, the fresh air and the smell of the ocean makes these hikings so special. A footbath for body and soul. We made a Moonlight-Wattwanderung from Dagebüll to Oland last year. Nice themperatur and absolutely no wind - my best mud flat hiking tour ever. AND - Wattwandern allways barefoot. Its not dangerous, dont worry, maybe you get a small cut or three, but it heals faster in the salty water then you reach the shore 😉
And with that you have seen and felt an absolute highlight of Germany. It was nice to see how much fun you had with this gentle breeze. For your next visit, I can only recommend a single tour. They are always associated with a lot of fun and have a high learning factor.
Finally you are in the right part of Germany 👍😉. The little wind is not a problem for us North Germans. The mudflats in front of Cuxhaven can also be walked on very well without shoes (it's the sandy mudflats, but there's also the muddy mudflats, where you sometimes sink up to your knees). And no, no fish have made it there, but it is digested sand of the lugworms (analogous to earthworms). A little fun fact - more organisms live on one square meter of mud flats than on the same area in a tropical rainforest.
The Wadden Sea is a great area for many vacations. There is so much to explore in the UNESCO world heritage of three Nationalparks from the border of Germany-Netherlands to Germany-Denmark. Sand worms, seals, small whales, a lot of mussels, salty meadows, crabs, jellyfishes etc. and brave seagulls stealing your Fischbrötchen "on the fly" right out of your hand.. As childrens we loved the summer vacations at beaches of the North Sea, building sand castles, swimming when the water rises up and flying kites. I highly recommend to vist a Nationalparkhaus for more knowledge about that stunning nature.
The guided mudhiking tours do not allow children under the age of 5 because it can be dangerous carrying a child through the „Watt“. There are fields of quicksand, the „Schlick“ (the soft dark mud) can get really deep and you can get easily stuck if you don’t know your way around. Also there are „Priele“ which are like small rivers in the mud where the water flows back and forth. Those can be really deep.
If you are going mudhiking again I really recommend a guided tour (even for little kids) because you can learn a lot about the ecosystem Wattenmeer.
Also look for „beachies“. Beachies are like neopren socks with a really thick sole to protect you from getting your feet cut and even the hot sand in the summer. But it still feels like walking barefoot so that’s really cool. ☺️
Love the North Sea! Every year holidays on an East Frisian island (Norderney, Juist or Borkum)! Who needs the Mediterranean or Baltic Sea (less wind, less tide, less fun). Have an East Frisian Tea Time that warms you up!
Moin, welcome to northern Germany. Not every time its so windy, but often its raining. But have a good time here and hopefully you have good weather. We life here in the northern part of Germany and we never can imagine to life in another place than here.
The 'fish poop' is what worms ( Wattwürmer) leave behind when they dig themselves in.
I'm so happy that you are enjoying the rough north as well as the south because it does have a lot to offer. Maybe you will visit some place from where they do boat trips to the seal banks, that would be so much fun for Willa.
Ah I miss a really good windy day at the shore. Feels like it blows away all of your problems 💗
Looks like you had a good time and I hope you managed to brush out your hair without having to sacrifice too much of it 😅
What a cool sensory experience!
Yes, Germany is small, compared to the USA, but we have a variety of different landscapes, in the north you can find this wadden-sea, in the north-east you have the baltic sea with no ebbtide and float, in the middle we have flat landscape with some minor mountain-ereas (Hartz) and in the south we have the big mountains. And the wadden sea is unique along the north-sea-coast (Netherlands, Germany and Denmark).
Welcome to my home town :) I hope the next time you’re coming back, you have better weather. I am visiting my family this weekend and we have sunshine and near to no wind. Make sure to visit the “Kugelbake” in Döse next time. You can see all the big containers going to Hamburg from really close when they pass by. You can also take a boat to see the seals (I think Willa would love that) or you take the boat and visit Helgoland for the day :-) A lot to do up here!
On the western side of Northern Germany there are several small islands called “Halligen”, with tiny settlements. Tiny as in four houses, for instance. It is also possible to hike to several of them during low tide, but you truly need an experienced guide to do this. During bad winter storms it is quite usual for these islands to be “drowned”. This is called “Land Unter“ - “ land under” ( water). For that reason the houses are two storied, often with an extra upstairs kitchen and are built on (usually) hand-made hills called “Warft”. I spent one New Year’s Day night on a Hallig once during a fierce storm. It was “thrilling” to say the least. But the next day was beautiful weather (cold, of course) and we walked around an island where the entire land mass had been literally newly washed! If I recall the island correctly (this happened more than 30 years ago), the floor of the church on this island was “paved” with sand, permitting the flood waters to more quickly seep out.
Fingers crossed you can save your beautiful long hair, Risa, and don't have to chop anything off.
As a small child of about 4 or 5 I suffered from anemia and the doctor prescribed - among a diet change and supplements - really fresh air, so my parents, my sister and I went to the Netherlands' part of the North Sea for a two weeks vacation. The wind was blowing like in your video every day, we walked on the beach for hours each day and it was a wonderful experience! Also, my anemia went away rather quickly afterwards ;)
by the way, when you are driving south. Mayby you like to visit Bremerhaven and there the 'Deutsches Auswandererhaus'. It's a Museum about the Emigration of Germans to the US and other Countrys
That’s a great tip. I’m going to Bremerhaven soon, I‘ll go there.
The fish"poop" is left behind by Watt-worms, who filter the sand. We call the muddy part of the ocean floor "Schlick" and even have sports event here, like "Wattolümpiade", where we play Wattfußball, Wattvolleyball and more.
I guess Willa even enjoys the windy weather, she is so cute
Oh, great ! I was in Cuxhaven as a child (maybe 8 or so) and we went by "Wattwagen" to Neuwerk and back. I still remember it very well; it was a big adventure for me. I am sure Willa will be so thankful when she's grown up that you show her the whole world.
Customer enters a shop in Cuxhaven. Customer: "Do you sell Hairspray?". Shop owner: "No"
I grew up there and never bothered to do my hair in a special style.. as if you would go outside it'll be ruined.. so I always have a hair band around my wrist to put it up
The best! Those ‘yellow things’;) are ‘Strandkörbe’! So, a ‘beach basket’ literally translated! In the summer you can rent them for a day! At every beach and island! You have to do it once! :)
You can also buy them for your own garden 😛
Maybe you didn't know, Neuwerk island belongs to Hamburg.
Moin & welcome to my birthplace Cuxhaven! If you came back one day you must absolutely visiting the Sightseeing features of the City (Kugelbake, Schloss Ritzebüttel & Schlossgarten, Kurpark and so many more...). Every Season in the Summertime are the "Duhner Wattrennen" (Horse Race in the Wadden Sea) takes place. I hope we see us next time in Cuxhaven! Sorry for my bad English.
1969 I was Born in Cuxhaven and I recommend mud-hiking for everyone - IT IS very healthy for your feet
I've been to Cuxhaven. It's only 2 hours by car from Hamburg where I visit my relatives. But I had never heard of mud hiking till now.
I did also look back your holydays in croatia and greece and i thought what a great way to have this channel so that willa in a decade or so can revieuw what adventures and differend country s she and you did visit becource by her age now she might not remember. Keep up the good work. I am always looking out to sunday to see a new video made by you and also the black forrest familie
thanks for sharing this video, really fun to watch! the foam on the sand was mesmerizing, you captured some great shots! looking forward to see more content 🤗
Hi. I' m original from that area gut live in the south-west now. Ist's always nice to see somethink about the coast.
About the wheather you should be careful. If you think : hmmm, there could come rain.....it will come immidiatly.
Rainjackets are really useful. And sunglasses because of the wind. Because you are fans of nice food: try fish there :-)
The beaches of the Baltic and North Sea are notoriously windy. You may have noticed the unusual beach chairs, made out of wicker, that are designed to protect people from the wind while enjoying the sun. As a matter of interest, although Britain occupied that part of Germany after the war, the US Military had a large base in Bremerhaven that was used as the main port of entry for equipment from the States. It closed at the end of the Cold War in 1990s.
I have a Strandkorb at home, in the South of Germany, because they’re so fantastic. Bremerhaven is also where the film das Boot begins, am I right?
That's a large part of the reason why Bremen is its own state. Its politics got decoupled from the surrounding area.
It sure looks like a great deal of fun (and the seascape is intriguing as well as the windmills)! It's great that all three of you just embraced the wind (or let the wind embrace you ) and had as much fun as possible while successfully dodging the impending rains. However, I imagine if there was even ONE person in a group that disliked the experience, it could challenge if not weigh down the enjoyment of the rest of the group. In any case, thanks for sharing with us!
love u guys 😁 😁 😁 love this Video
I absolutely never head for the North without my 100% windproof jacket, even in Hochsommer, lol! I love it there so much, but I’m never going on a Wattwanderung. I‘ll wave to you from solid ground!
P.s. you guys are really cool for doing this. It’s really important for the environment that the Waddensea is protected.
"I’m never going on a Wattwanderung". Hm, i wonder how we can make you change that decision. You're missing out on something you'll never forget.
@@peter_meyer ooo I have a horror of not being on the very firmest of land! In Wales we have quicksand and you just don’t know it’s there until it’s too late. I‘m sure it’s all perfectly organised in Germany, so that everyone is safe… but my legs won’t take me on to that Watt!
@@LaureninGermany If you're a member of a guided tour, there are many other legs with you.
@@peter_meyer I‘ll go if I grow wings, ok? 😆
@@LaureninGermany Hmmmm, have to look up how to manage that. Will take some time.
"There IS no bad weather, only bad clothing" ;)
North Sea > Baltic Sea.
I was very often on vacation in Cuxhaven, from young age with my family, I know most of the city by heart.
You have the beaches on one side (with or without water...) and the harbor on the other side with fresh fish (and Northsea Shrimps!) sold on site, and some impressive ships of the international trade to Hamburg passing by in spitting distance :O
As a Schleswig-Holsteiner from Kiel all I can say is: Why make this distinction about the Borth and Baltic seas at all? It's a one-hour-car ride from one side to the other. We can easily enjoy both!
Thanks for putting the North on the map!
Willa seemed to have had the time of her live! Beautiiifulll wind!
Really enjoying your videos, hugs from Belgium
Omg its so cool to see Cuxhaven. Never saw it in any travel videos/blogs about Germany. Well done guys ! P.s. I’m living here :) Please visit Cux again 😄
very nice video! 👍 My tip for the next travel destination. Nationalpark "Elbsandsteingebirge" or "Saxon Switzerland". It's a very beautiful landscape near Dresden.😉
Thanks for the tip! We are headed to one of them in a couple months! STAY TUNED! 😊
Oh ,i am sorry for the little wind from seaside there 🤪😂😂. I live near Bremerhaven,, it's 50km in the south of Cuxhaven.. We love the place,the sea ,the tide .. It's Not every day so much wind there,,i swear 🤪👍🏻.
Greets from Bremerhaven,, a very cool town with much places and coll museums and arts
Wuhu Hometown!
Mine as well ! So rarely it is featured in videos like this.
I´ll never forget the time we were on Neuwerk and a guy in swim trunks walked ashore and had to be stopped to wander back, because he'd never would have made it home with the flood coming in. He just went on a stroll in Sahlenburg...😵
One time we stayed in the hay hotel, that was fun - but that's probably not for families with small kids. If you book a night in a hotel on this Hallig, the carriage will take your luggage and you can enjoy the Watt with just the most necessary items on you. Then it´s a nice hike. And after the "FLIPPER" sails, the island gets very quiet and only the few guests wander the levees. Usually the winds fades and it´s just birds, cows and horses... peace of mind.
Funfact: Neuwerk is actually part of Hamburg 🤓
It was worms. You should look up info on the animals there. There is loads online.
Helgoland is really interesting. It was Danish, British and now German. Was strategically important in WW2. Its really interesting.
PS. If you ever come back up..I live in Bremen, the town of "the town musicians"..you are welcome to stay.
That looked like so much fun!! I would bet y'all were extra tired when you hit the hotel. Wind will suck it out of you. Travel safe and give Willa an extra hug 🤠
I could feel the wind when I saw your hair. Love it! Next level: try to eat an 🍦
Oh that would be quite the experience 😂
It's not always *that* windy. Generally windy yes - kite flying for example is very popular - but you don't always have problems talking or walking. The expected wind strength is part of the weather forecast.
Now your close to the town I grew up, Bremerhaven. So I often was in Cuxhaven, bur more in the part called Dunen. And you get used to the wind :-)
It's so wonderfull to see how you guys enjoy that trip. Go on and have fun.
Risa, hair combing must have been fun, huh?! :-) 8:57
Im from Nuremberg and enjoyed all your videos from my area.
I also possess a holiday flat in Sahlenburg (Cuxhaven) and im there 2-3 times a year.
So now im also enjoying this video seeing you walking that long road to the beach!
edit: Btw its not often THAT windy, so youve been really unlucky there :D
unlucky? I would say very lucky it s such a great experience that literly blows ur mind. I love it and i think they had fun too.
The poop ist actually worm poop. There are "Wattwürmer" (watt worms) hiding deeper down in the sand. I'm sorry that it was so cold and windy on your trip...
All the bigger German sea rescue boats have a small "daughter" boat in a recess at the stern. It gets launched when there are people in distress in shallow waters where the larger boats cannot operate. Most people saved by them are indeed hikers who are trapped when the tide comes back. You should always have a tide-calendar when you walk out there or even cross the seabed from one island to the next. There are wider and deeper "Priele", something like a creek, that are the main streams for the water to rush in and out. The water in them runs really fast and can wash a person away who wades through them
I follow your videos since the beginning. Still looking up at Sunday morning
That means so much to us! Thanks for the support! 💛
Venturing out into the mud with high winds, that is the spirit ! If you go on vacation to the North Sea coast, that is....
Hi, Here I live,so sorry to have missed you, it is great here Is it not? I Wood have invited you to my house. Take care and enjoy the Nordsee
The "BLOWN AWAY" headline from last weeks video would have really fit here! 😆
Thats so awsome to See germany from that view 😊
Those people at the Northsea coast are clever. First they dredge up sand from the seabed and enlarge their small sandy beaches with it. Naturally the German coastline, be it the Baltic or the Northsea does not have the geology for endless white sandy beaches. Then the eternal wind will slowly blow the sand away so that the beach has to be "repaired" in winter. But when there is a strong wind in the summer, the sand is blown into the eyes, nostrils and between the teeth of the people at the seaside. And what is the solution to that more or less man-made problem? It is the "Strandkorb", the beach-basket, that you are supposed to rent for a day or the entire length of your vacation there. You turn its back into the wind, sit down and enjoy your sandwhich, potatoe salad or french fries without grinding on sand.
I am living in Bremen, not far away from Cuxhaven......and quite often we go there for a daytrip. We are doing ' Wattlaufen' barefeet...it is supposed to be very good for you feet...and never ever getting cut by something.....The Island across is called NEUWERK. You should come back when the weather is better.....But anyway...glad you enjoyed it !
If you are exploring the north I would recommend you to visit the little fishing village Greetsiel. It has very cute architecture and you are also close to the lovely eastfrisian islands.
Oh, Sahlenburg! I take at least one vacation every year to go there! Love that you experienced the weather (wind)! 🙂
We really have the best and warmest weather in Germany in the Rhine Valley. Nice to see from your videos, while it is still snowing in the south and a hurricane is raging in the north, we've had summer here for a long time already 😄
Great video. What a weather. Blow the cobwebs away 😜
Thank you for telling the people it can be dangerous. :) Too many people underestimate the north sea. It's a small ocean but a very dangerous one. "Nordsee ist Mordsee" - "North Sea is a murdering sea" is a typical saying here in North Germany. But also I like this video because a lot of people from abroad always showing videos from Berlin or from Bavaria or the alps. But the wadden sea is also very interesting and mudhiking can be a lot of fun too! :)
We thought so too. It’s not something to just go out and do on your own without research. We loved the North Sea and hope to go back again someday!
If you are in Cuxhaven then it is the ideal moment to visit Helgoland germanys only high sea island. ;-)
Ohhh you were so unlucky with the weather! It usually is beautiful x
I think a voice over would be really nice in this windy Situation
Thanks for the suggestion. 😊
I was very curious to watch this video because it's about Northern Germany. But I was amazed when I found out that they went to Cuxhaven. I live here for two years now but I still haven't managed to see the places in the video. So, this was really cool for me. :-)
So cool you live there! We definitely want to highlight the North of Germany-it has so much to offer! Stay tuned because there are 3 more videos about the North coming out. 😊 & Thanks for the kind words.
@@OurStorytoTell Thank you very much for your reply. Your video has shown me that I should be more appreciative of my town. So you did a very good job here. :) I'm glad you enjoyed the north and I'll definitely watch the other videos (hoping that you also visited Oldenburg, my home town:-).
Now you have remarked why Germany's Sea shores are also called "The high in the North"
Hey Guys, in German we call it Wattwürmer. Thais is not fishpoop. It is really funny doing a Wattwanderung.
So , for me at least , you have to go to visit Helgoland. Willa seams to like the wind.....very important ! This Island is about 70 KM Offdshore....pure Nordsee.
Neuwerk is funnily administered by the state of Hamburg.
That is strange! 😂
That's a healthy North Sea breeze in that video. But not something the locals would even really call windy 😁Not saying you'll see cows flying on a REALLY windy day on the North sea, but this looks pretty average 😉
I think it was an interesting mud flat hike at low tide. However, one must also look at the clock and not get lost. Because the water comes back at high tide.
Ich denke, es war eine interessante Wattwanderung bei Ebbe. Allerdings muss man auch auf die Uhr schauen als auch, sich nicht verlaufen. Denn bei Flut kommt das Wasser zurück.
It's highly recommended to only go hiking in the mud-flats with a guide. And there is a reason why small children are only admitted on short tours. The water rises quickly, and the guide cannot wait for kids who cannot keep up without risking the safety of the whole group.
Also, the water in the tidal creeks can be thigh-high, and the current can be too strong for small children to Criss over safely.
What does a North German do when a stranger comes and wants to buy land? He takes him to the Wadden Sea, a lot of undeveloped land and so cheap...
Too bad that hours later the sea is there again and nobody owns the nature park.
I wouldn't go too far out into the Wadden Sea without a guide unless you are a seal and can swim long distances in the sea.
Oh yes, the sand in all clothes and in the car is free.
No Fisch poop, worm poop 🥳
I Like this video, but i hava one suggestion: When you have bad filming conditions like in this video please consider to turn down the real sound and subsequently speak and record your words again from home. In my eyes that would be better than you trying to say something against stormy winds
Thanks for your suggestion. 😊
yes, wadden sea. you get a free natual sandblasting peeling almost every time.
5:50 they're "Wattwürmer"
i love your Videos - but the only way to go in the 'Watt' = mud is barefoot. It is good for your feet and the shells are not sharp.
Agreed, the seashells are bit like walking over glas. Only the dead ones are open and may have sharp edges. In most of the cases the seashells are in clusters anyhow and can be easily avoided. Nothing beats the funny feeling, when the mud comes through the toes 😆
Hey, nice Video... But why o why did... Put the shoes Off...!!!😘
I just noticed you act a lot like Germans in your last videos. Less ecstatic but enjoying life nevertheless. I like this attitude a lot.
That the international Travel books do you really Miss this about Germany is really a Big mistake but hiding from the Wind in Cuxhaven in the shore is nearly Impossible
no...not fish poop...it comes from the "wattwurm"!
Some german Islands, people and weather are comparable with Nantucket.
So cool! We have never been to Nantucket, just heard about it in books, but we did love our trip to Föhr!
I wish you would have taken the chance of going barefoot for a while, it is quite the strange feeling - not at all like waliking on the wet parts of a beach, even though the ground looks similar.
I do have to admit though, that I ended up with a large cut from one of the shells when I did it myself...
Well, you didn't find the real mud. For example at the beaches of the jadebusen sund you will find 50 cm or 2 foot deep mud !!
there is a lot of destinations missing for places to visit in Germany in travel brochures and books.
too much to see, not enough time.
OMG 😂😂😂😂
😂👍🏾😎
These "Worms" are the 💩 of the mudworm
Wat wär'mer ohne Wattwürmer 😉
It's probably for the better if it's not well-known. Not only is it a very sensitive environment, there's enough idiots already who get caught by the tides...
It is in the travel books actually, but always with a warning to never go for longer hikes without a local guide and always watch the tide, the tidal creeks and the clock on short hikes and never go too far away from the beach.