Den Hoorn - Klifhanger - 2025 - 2 x 2 m. - Acrylic Paint on plywood

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Dutch trade fleets sailed the world's oceans, and a new source of income arose in Den Hoorn on the island of Texel: piloting ships. The Loodsmansduin (Piloting Dune), with its height of 24.3 meters, is the tallest dune on the island of Texel. The dune is named after the pilots who, from the 17th century to the mid-19th century, used it as a vantage point to spot ships and guide them across the Marsdiep. The significance of this piloting work for Texel is evident from the fact that in 1781, There were 266 active pilots. In 1783, 1,805 ships were piloted near Texel.

​

This source of income came to an abrupt end after the construction of the Noordhollandsch Kanaal (1819–1824) and the Noordzeekanaal (1865–1875). Additionally, in the mid-19th century, a national piloting service was established for the Texel sea channel. Today, only the name "Loodsmansduin" and a few pilot houses on Herenstraat remain as reminders of this once-important profession for Den Hoorn.

Several decades after private piloting ceased, some residents of Den Hoorn found a new source of livelihood in flower bulb cultivation. Initially, due to suboptimal water management at the time, only the higher-lying grounds along the dunes near Den Hoorn were suitable for this cultivation. Even today, in spring, dozens of hectares bloom with brightly colored flowers, particularly yellow daffodils, a crop for which Texel’s conditions are especially favorable.

​