The Getswerdersyl, where we are standing now, was the northernmost lock of the Slachtedyk. This lock facilitated the drainage of water from Oostergo to the Wadden Sea near Roptazijl. It was the only lock in this dike equipped with doors.
In 1982, the lock was demolished, and in its place stands a memorial monument incorporating the original memorial stones from 1841. In that year, a completely new lock was constructed.
The Slachtedyk, famous for the Slachtemarathon held every four years since 2000, is a 42-kilometer-long sleeper dike cutting through the Westergo region of Friesland, from the Wadden coast at Oosterbierum to Rauwerd. The dike is a composition of various connections and expansions of polder dikes. While the exact origin of the dike is unknown, it is estimated to date back to the tenth to thirteenth century.
The first official mention of the dike dates back to 1506. Since 1825, the dike no longer serves as a sea defense and has become a so-called sleeper dike – a reserve dike behind the new seawall.
The demolition of this lock in 1982 meant that the Eleven Cities Tour (Elfstedentocht) could no longer pass this location on skates, requiring the establishment of a walking section.
Tjerk was not a fan of walking, let alone a marathon; he was more of a seafaring person! If all goes well, he should be waiting for us in Sexbierum to share something about his hometown.
