Marsdiep tidal inlet (between the Waddenzee and the North Sea)

Horizontal velocity of the water column (currents)

Continuous water samplers; acoustic backscatter sensors

In a cooperation between NIOZ (Netherlands Institute for Sea Research) and TESO (Texels Eigen StoombootOnderneming), the ferry Schulpengat is used as a platform to obtain extensive data series onoceanographical parameters in the Marsdiep area, i.e. one of the inlets between the North Sea and the Wadden Sea. The ferry sails the transect with an interval of 30 minutes, daily starting at 06.00 and ending at 22.00. Data are directly presented to the public in the lunchroom of the ferry Schulpengat and hourly, when the ferry is in the Texel harbour, transmitted to NIOZ and presented on Internet. The project has been started in the framework of the UN- Year of the Ocean 1998 which aims at an increasing awareness of the importance of the ocean for the climate (and life) on earth.

Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research
Landsdiep 4 P.O. Box 59
Den Burg/Texel

1790 AB
Netherlands