Scharendijke

The village of Scharendijke is particularly well-known among water sports enthusiasts. After the construction of the Brouwersdam, the village became a centre for water sports.

Scharendijke owes its name to the fact that it came into existence in the 15th century on a dike. This is a dike on a deep tidal channel without a mudflat in front of it. At that time, it was no more than a hamlet. Farm labourers and dike workers lived there for a long time.

The development of the village only started with the construction of a small harbour, Kloosternol. Later, the harbour was expanded into a marina.

The Bethlehem church in the village was built in 1955 to replace the destroyed church in Elkerzee. The neighbouring hamlet was badly hit during the flood disaster and the church, among other things, was completely destroyed. The name of the Bethlehem church refers to a medieval Bethlehem monastery that must have stood here once.

With the North Sea beaches and Grevelingen Lake within walking distance, Scharendijke is the ideal place for surfing, sailing and diving. Divers in the Netherlands regard the diving areas "Het Koepeltje", "Scharendijke Haven" and "Nieuwe Kerkweg" as the hotspots of Grevelingenmeer. Also characteristic of Scharendijke are the Muralt walls at the top of the dike, which is actually a cheap solution for raising the dikes.

The village also once had a dolphinarium. From 1973 to 1980, the Dolfirodam, moved from Rotterdam, existed in Scharendijke. Every summer, some 150,000 spectators came to watch the dolphin shows.

Various events are held in and around Scharendijke. Such as the Straô, a horse event that is only held in a number of Schouwse villages. The riders take their horses to the sea to have their feet washed. This used to be done by farmers when the horses had been stabled for a whole winter. It was good for dirt and possible wounds on the legs and it would chase away the evil spirits. Look for more events in Scharendijke on the event calendar.