The Markermeer at Volendam

A Sea That Became a Lake

The water in front of Volendam is the Markermeer, a large freshwater lake of roughly 700 square kilometres in the heart of North Holland. It is shallow - mostly just a few metres deep - which is why the wind can whip up a short, choppy swell so quickly, and why the light over it is so flat and wide.

This was not always a lake. Until 1932 the whole basin was the open, brackish Zuiderzee, an arm of the North Sea that fed Volendam's fishing fleet for centuries. The completion of the Afsluitdijk in 1932 sealed off the Zuiderzee, and over the following decades the enclosed water slowly turned fresh, becoming the IJsselmeer. In 1976 the Houtribdijk (the dyke carrying the road between Enkhuizen and Lelystad) split that body in two, separating the Markermeer - Volendam's side - from the larger IJsselmeer to the north-east. That single act of engineering ended the open-sea herring fishery and pushed the village to reinvent itself, which is the short version of how a working fishing port became one of the best-loved day trips in the Netherlands.

Slobbeland: The Local Beach

Most visitors never leave the Dijk, but the locals' summer spot is Slobbeland, the low recreation spit just south of the harbour. It is an easy 10-15 minute walk from the centre, past the marina, and it is where Volendam goes to actually get in the water.

Slobbeland is also the home of Volendam's most famous cold-water tradition: the Nieuwjaarsduik (New Year's Day dive), when crowds run into the freezing Markermeer on 1 January. It is a genuinely local event rather than a staged tourist one - if you are in town over New Year, it is worth braving the cold to watch.

Boats: From Botters to Harbour Tours

Volendam's identity is bound up with its boats. The classic local craft is the botter, the broad, flat-bottomed wooden sailing boat once used to fish the Zuiderzee. A number of restored historic botters are still kept and sailed from the harbour and around the wider region; seeing one under brown sail on the Markermeer is the closest you will get to how the bay looked a century ago.

Fishing & Angling

The Markermeer is still a fishing water, now for sport as much as livelihood. Anglers fish for pike, perch, zander (snoekbaars), bream and eel from the dykes, jetties and from boats. As everywhere in the Netherlands, you need a VISpas (the national fishing licence/permit) to fish legally, and rules on permitted methods and seasons change - check the current VISpas regulations before you cast. Spring and autumn are the productive predator-fishing seasons; summer days can be slow in the warm shallows.

Walking the Dyke & Watching the Sky

You do not need a boat to enjoy the Markermeer. The dyke that protects Volendam doubles as a walking and cycling route with the village on one side and open water on the other. Walking north or south along it for even 20 minutes gets you away from the crowds on the Dijk and into the wide, quiet Waterland landscape.

The lake faces broadly west, so it is one of the great sunset spots in this part of the country - the flat horizon and big Dutch skies do the rest. Late afternoon into the golden hour is the best time for photographs of the harbour, the boats and the water. If you want to keep going on two wheels, the same dyke is the start of several excellent rides.

Safety & Seasonality

The Markermeer is friendly water but it deserves respect. A few practical notes:

• Cold water. Outside high summer the lake is genuinely cold, and even in summer the deeper water stays chilly. Cold-water shock is real - enter gradually and do not swim far from shore alone.
• Wind and chop. Because the lake is shallow and open, wind builds a short, steep wave fast. What looks calm in the morning can be choppy by mid-afternoon - one reason it is good for windsurfing and a reason to watch conditions if you are in a small boat.
• No lifeguards. Slobbeland and the dykes are informal recreation areas, not patrolled beaches. Keep an eye on children and weaker swimmers.
• Season. Swimming and water sports are really a May-to-September affair; the rest of the year is for walking, photography and watching the botters and the weather come in off the lake.

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