Flood route | Nothing but water on Tholen
Stavenisse, Scherpenisse, Sint-Annaland
On the night of 1 February 1953, parts of the Netherlands were rocked by a storm surge. A storm that had already had a chance to develop considerably on the Atlantic Ocean in the previous days is heading towards the Dover Strait with a wind force of 11 to 12. By 31 January, it was clear that coastal areas could expect "dangerously high tides". People climbed on the dykes to watch the natural spectacle. If the water does not subside during low tide, it becomes clear that things are seriously wrong. Between 4am and 6am, several dykes around the Eastern Scheldt break through, including in Stavenisse. In a short time, an 1800-metre hole forms here. Huge waves enter the polder, one dike after another fails. Much of the island of Tholen was flooded. Stavenisse can no longer be reached by land, up to Scherpenisse there is nothing but water. The polder around Poortvliet is also flooded. In Stavenisse 156 people drown. The Watersnoodhuis in Stavenisse collects stories, images and information about the disaster. You cycle here over a section that had become off-limits to citizens. Because of the water, it was too dangerous. The Reformed church in Stavenisse did not remain unscathed either. The water stood up to 3.20 metres, the damage was enormous. Up to 4 metres, the salt water affected the walls, this line can still be seen. On the road between Stavenisse and Sint- Maartensdijk, you pass a work of art originally intended for in the village of Stavenisse. Add the Pit stop to your route and read more about 'Het Zeemonster'. Photo: Joop van Bilsen, National Archive / Anefo Collection
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Gorishoeksedijk , 4694 PH Tholen | 37.9 KM | |
|
From
11
to
84
|
530 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head west | 352 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Galgepad | 174 M | ||
| Continue straight | 4 M | ||
| You are now at section 84 | 0 M | ||
|
From
84
to
83
|
1835 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head north on Galgepad | 1.6 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 28 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Wal | 137 M | ||
| Turn left onto Haven | 62 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kaaistraat | 40 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Kaaistraat | 5 M | ||
| You are now at section 83 | 0 M | ||
|
From
83
to
82
|
507 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head north on Kaaistraat | 262 M | ||
| Turn right onto Westvest | 8 M | ||
| Turn left onto Noordpoort | 220 M | ||
| Turn right onto Onder de Linden | 17 M | ||
| You are now at section 82 | 0 M | ||
|
From
82
to
18
|
1092 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head northwest on Provincialeweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 18 | 0 M | ||
|
From
18
to
17
|
1126 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head north on Provincialeweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 17 | 0 M | ||
|
From
17
to
14
|
3818 M | 3.8 KM | |
| Head northwest on Provincialeweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 74 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 1.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
|
From
14
to
15
|
5389 M | 5.4 KM | |
| Head northwest | 350 M | ||
| Turn right onto Poststraat | 609 M | ||
| Turn right onto Voorstraat | 166 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Stoofdijk | 138 M | ||
| Turn left onto Veerweg | 2.4 KM | ||
| Keep left at the fork | 1.7 KM | ||
| You are now at section 15 | 0 M | ||
|
From
15
to
12
|
6017 M | 6 KM | |
| Head east | 1.6 KM | ||
| Keep left at the fork | 1.8 KM | ||
| Make a slight left | 1.9 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Havenweg | 20 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Havenweg | 294 M | ||
| Turn left onto Molendijk | 61 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Molendijk | 56 M | ||
| Turn left onto Suzannaweg | 20 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Suzannaweg | 24 M | ||
| Turn right onto Molendijk | 264 M | ||
| You are now at section 12 | 0 M | ||
|
From
12
to
30
|
2727 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head northeast on Havenplein | 60 M | ||
| Turn right onto Spuistraat | 124 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 32 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Oude Zeedijk | 1.1 KM | ||
| Keep left onto Oude Zeedijk | 710 M | ||
| Continue straight | 148 M | ||
| Continue onto Joanna Mariapolder | 561 M | ||
| You are now at section 30 | 0 M | ||
|
From
30
to
27
|
2329 M | 2.3 KM | |
| Head southwest on Priestermeetweg | 1.5 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Weihoekweg | 824 M | ||
| You are now at section 27 | 0 M | ||
|
From
27
to
21
|
2637 M | 2.6 KM | |
| Head southeast on Bram Groenewegeweg | 2.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 21 | 0 M | ||
|
From
21
to
20
|
4833 M | 4.8 KM | |
| Head east | 27 M | ||
| Turn right | 14 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Paasdijkweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Stoofstraat | 7 M | ||
| Continue onto Paasdijkstraat | 16 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Paasdijkstraat | 297 M | ||
| Turn right onto Langestraat | 143 M | ||
| Turn left onto Markt | 107 M | ||
| Turn left onto Smidsstraat | 129 M | ||
| Turn right onto Stoofstraat | 10 M | ||
| Turn left | 7 M | ||
| Turn right onto Stoofstraat | 465 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Stoofstraat | 30 M | ||
| Turn left onto Koningsweg | 14 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kruytenburgseweg | 28 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kruytenburgseweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Schoondorpseweg | 742 M | ||
| Keep left onto Schelphoekseweg | 278 M | ||
| Continue onto Buitendijks traject | 11 M | ||
| You are now at section 20 | 0 M | ||
|
From
20
to
10
|
4609 M | 4.6 KM | |
| Head west | 4.4 KM | ||
| Keep right at the fork | 126 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Gorishoeksedijk | 56 M | ||
| You are now at section 10 | 0 M | ||
|
From
10
to
11
|
484 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head northwest on Gorishoeksedijk | 484 M | ||
| You are now at section 11 | 0 M |