Traces of sunken island found off Schiermonnikoog

21 March 2008

SCHIERMONNIKOOG – Researchers of the Stichting Verdronken Geschiedenis [Foundation for sunken history) have found the first traces of the island Bosch, which sank off the eastern coast of Schiermonnikoog.

The island was situated between Schiermonnikoog and Rottummeroog until 1570, but was inundated during major flooding that year (referred to as the Allerheiligenvloed).

Historical maps show that an island was situated near Schiermonnikoog. Researchers from the foundation have now found evidence of this in radar images of the sea bottom.

A spokesperson says that the images show disruptions 3 to 4 metres below the sea floor, which indicates that an island used to be situated at this point.

It is still unclear if the island was inhabited. Records from the period do indicate that an official beach comber was stationed on Bosch to collect items that washed ashore.

No artefacts were found in the sea floor during the radar investigation. The images are not defined enough to discern anything of that sort, the spokesperson said.