Westerland flood bank

Sea levels are rising. To ensure you don't get wet feet in the future, we've installed a symbolic high-water bench here, where you can enjoy the fantastic view for decades to come. You can see how high the water would rise during storm surges on the island without coastal protection measures by looking at markers in Westerland, Hörnum, Morsum, and List.

Storm surges occur when storms push North Sea waters onto the coast, causing the water level to rise briefly. Small storm surges occur every year, but occasionally extreme events occur where water levels can reach several meters above normal high tide. While the Sylt dikes and the Westerland seawall effectively protect against flooding, we sometimes forget how close the water actually is to us.