h.dirix
Brave horses who gave their lives for saving people......Part 1
The sea inlet between the Dutch Wadden islands of Ameland and Terschelling called "The Borndiep" is notorious for its very high current velocities at the start of high tide and low tide. As a result, swimming in this dangerous area is strictly prohibited.
A lot of erosion takes place along the coast and this is slowed down by placing breakwaters at right angles to the coastline.
Due to this strong currents, great depths are created in this tidal inlet and the treacherous nature of this is that they can arise suddenly.
Ameland's lifeboat used to be launched in earlier times at this location by launching it from a trailer, because the surf in this place is not as high as on the coast of the North Sea.
The last rescue took place in 1979 when the German sailing yacht "Windspiel" stranded on a sandbank and the horse rescue boat was alerted, so the rescue plan was put into operation.
10 Powerful horses pulled the 13- ton lifeboat and trailer with a thunderous roar to her launch site and from there the trailer and the boat were pulled into the sea inlet by 8 selected horses through the surf.
What no one had noticed, however, was the fact that a very deep stream channel had formed under the water's surface very near the coast.
The boat was launched, but the 10- ton trailer was pulled into the depth along with the 8 horses, so these horses had no change and were dragged along and drowned.
The crew of the life boat had not seen this happen because they focused on locating the sailing yacht in distress.
However, the crew of the sailing yacht were all brought ashore unharmed...
Brave horses who gave their lives for saving people......Part 1
The sea inlet between the Dutch Wadden islands of Ameland and Terschelling called "The Borndiep" is notorious for its very high current velocities at the start of high tide and low tide. As a result, swimming in this dangerous area is strictly prohibited.
A lot of erosion takes place along the coast and this is slowed down by placing breakwaters at right angles to the coastline.
Due to this strong currents, great depths are created in this tidal inlet and the treacherous nature of this is that they can arise suddenly.
Ameland's lifeboat used to be launched in earlier times at this location by launching it from a trailer, because the surf in this place is not as high as on the coast of the North Sea.
The last rescue took place in 1979 when the German sailing yacht "Windspiel" stranded on a sandbank and the horse rescue boat was alerted, so the rescue plan was put into operation.
10 Powerful horses pulled the 13- ton lifeboat and trailer with a thunderous roar to her launch site and from there the trailer and the boat were pulled into the sea inlet by 8 selected horses through the surf.
What no one had noticed, however, was the fact that a very deep stream channel had formed under the water's surface very near the coast.
The boat was launched, but the 10- ton trailer was pulled into the depth along with the 8 horses, so these horses had no change and were dragged along and drowned.
The crew of the life boat had not seen this happen because they focused on locating the sailing yacht in distress.
However, the crew of the sailing yacht were all brought ashore unharmed...