Interesting Facts About Texel
Texel is pronounced Tessel.
Nearly one third of the island is a protected nature reserve.
Texel is home to the biggest Catarmaran race in the world, with over 600 entrants competing annually.
Land-wise Texel is only 16,328Ha but the total area is 58, 704ha, of which most consists of water.
The 'Orphan's Wells' were owned by the local orphanage and they sold the water to the ships leaving Texel. This particular water was popular amongst the ships captains as it had a high iron content, making it possible to keep the water for longer. Obviously they didn't mind the murky brown colour of it!
Texel is home to the Dutch Texel Sheep. You will find them grazing along the polders. These stumpy creatures with stick legs, love to just stare at you.
There is an amphibian training camp, the Mok, situated on Texel.
Texel is the biggest and most populated of the Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea.
On April 30th every year the locals light huge bonfires known as meierblissen.
It is believed the ship, Duyfken ("Little Dove"), was built on the island of Texel in 1595, for the Dutch East India Company.
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