A closer look
Scheduling a boat ride is usually a straightforward affair, unless the ocean decides to temporarily remove all the water. The ferries serving the Dutch Wadden Sea islands operate in a fiercely tidal mudflat where the water depth changes by meters in a matter of hours. Ferry captains cannot rely on fixed timetables or straight lines; they must constantly adapt to dynamic schedules dictated by lunar gravity. They meticulously weave through shifting underwater sand dunes, timing their crossings to ride the incoming tidal surge just enough to avoid getting their massive hulls embarrassingly stuck in the mud.
