The road to Terschelling leads over the Wadden Sea, an area with a unique landscape and exceptional nature. Salty seawater flows in from the North Sea twice a day, and just as often large parts of the Wad dry up completely during low water. In this way sandbanks are created, which are separated by more or less deep channels. The word mudflat comes from the Latin word vadum, which means 'ford'. The shallow and relatively warm water of the Wadden Sea is an ideal habitat for many plants and animals. Seals have their young there, fish spawn and birds prepare for their annual migration. Due to the special character of this area, Unesco placed the Wadden Sea on the World Heritage List in June 2009.