Free sloop ride to Lancaster Monument The Swallow Harbor

5 May 12:00 - 16:00

Free sloop ride to Lancaster Monument The Swallow Harbor

Sail for free on Sunday afternoon, May 5, in a sloop with skipper to the war memorial ‘De Zwaluwhaven’ in National Park the Alde Feanen

The route takes about an hour and leads through the sheltered area of De Alde Feanen National Park. Halfway along the route you pass “De Zwaluwhaven” in the Neare Saiter. On the night of Sept. 4-5, 1944, Lancaster R5682 crashed near the Neare Saiter. Of the 7 crew members, 3 did not survive the crash. As a tribute, the monument “The Swallow Harbor” was unveiled. ‘The Swallow Harbor’ symbolizes: the swallow as a symbol of coming home, the swallow as a predictor of weather, a 32-meter long wall, that’s how wide the plane was, 251 nest holes, 251 planes left that night, 12 nest holes are closed, 12 planes did not return that night.

If you want to know more about this monument, you can visit the freely accessible exhibition ‘Geraakt! The last flight of Lancaster R5682’ in the Visitor Center NP De Alde Feanen.

Date: Sunday, May 5, 2023

Start: One departure every 15 minutes between noon – 4 p.m. (each departure lasts approximately one hour)

Location: Sign up at Earnewâld Tourist Office.

Participation is free.

The cruise will take you past De Zwaluwhaven: CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

The monument has beautiful details. For example, the monument is constructed of English bricks, which fits perfectly into the natural environment of National Park de Alde Feanen. The nest holes are filled with metal capsules provided with a message. And the material of the capsules consists of the remelted parts of the exhumed aircraft. Even the size of the English Lancaster was of inspiration to Nynke Rixt Jukema. The 32-meter-wide swale has the same wingspan as the crashed bomber.

This activity is part of the summer activities organized in Earnewâld under the banner “Eltse snein wat by d’ein!”. Every Sunday afternoon from May through September, the middle class and local associations organize an activity that takes place in and around the center of Earnewâld.