The Island of FOHR
Modified 6/30/08A dike protects the
north, east and west part of the island
from storm surges. Sheep graze on the dike
to keep the
grass down and to help pack the soil.
grass down and to help pack the soil.
Nearly every
house has some roses in the garden.
The island has many
reminders of its history and culture
including the many windmills.
including the many windmills.
Many of the
homes have thatched roofs and their gardens are gorgeous.
Here, Ellen, Chris and
Pat pedal across the marsh on our way to Utersum.
Pat and I rented bicycles
and rode every day, often in the face of strong winds.
This woman was training
her border collie in the marshland near Oevenum.
The island is very flat
and the steady, strong, westerly
winds put a definite lean in the trees, but the cows
don't seem to mind.
winds put a definite lean in the trees, but the cows
don't seem to mind.
This is a view from the
trap of a vogelkoja
(bird trap) that was used to trap wild ducks for market.
(bird trap) that was used to trap wild ducks for market.
The trapper would have
tame ducks in the pond which would decoy the wild
ducks to land in the pond. He would then throw feed
near the entrance to the trap to attract the ducks. Once
they passed the entrance, he would jump out and flush them into
the funneling wire trap where a cohort would grab them. When in
operation, the 6 traps on the island caught 30 - 40,000 ducks
in a season. Today, only a few ducks are trapped this
way each season for tradition sake.
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