The buried photograph at paal 16

Created by Dan Phiffer

This drop spot requires a little bit of preparation. First, of course, you must be on Schiermonnikoog. You will also need a digital camera and a few hours to make a trip out to Paal 16.

1. Take a picture with your camera that you would like to leave for the next person.

2. Before departing for the beach, go to the Spar supermarket in town and print out your photograph using the machine in the front. It accepts many types of digital camera memory cards and each print only costs €0.45.

3. With your photo in hand, bicycle or hike to Paal 16, which is near the eastern-most tip of the island. It should be pretty easy to find with a good map of the island.

4. Once you are standing next to the paal itself, walk southwest about 100-130 paces, depending on the length of your legs. You should find a red plastic knife on the first dune you come to, stuck about halfway into the sand. Dig there, that's where I left my photo. It's about 25cm down, so you may want to use the knife itself as a digging aid.

5. Replace the photo I've left with the one you brought with you. Try to bury it about the same depth and leave the knife partially exposed so the next person can find your photo.

I've included some photos on this page that may help give you a sense for what to expect when you get to the beach.