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Gat van de Noorderklip

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The Gat van de Noorderklip is a significant waterway in the Brabantse Biesbosch, part of Europe's largest freshwater tidal area in the Netherlands. Although technically a creek, it is wide enough to resemble a substantial river. Its upper section, which forms the boundary between the Noordwaard and Zuidwaard of the Biesbosch, is known as the Reugt or Ruigt; the name changes to Gat van de Noorderklip a few kilometers downstream. The waterway begins as a broad westward branch of the Steurgat and serves as an important navigable route connecting the Steurgat to the Hollandsch Diep, in addition to its ongoing function in water drainage.

Several creeks feed into the Gat van de Noorderklip and Ruigt. Moving downstream from where the waterway branches off the Steurgat, these include the Gat van Paulus, the Bevert, the Dood, the Buiten-Kooigat, and a recently excavated unnamed connection to the Nieuwe Merwede. After passing the island Rietplaat — located opposite the Petrusplaat reservoir, one of three storage basins in the Brabantse Biesbosch — the waterway changes name again to the Gat van Van Kampen, which eventually transitions into the Gat van de Visschen.

The waterway is well-suited to canoe and kayak touring. Organized canoe trips departing from Jachthaven van Oversteeg use the Gat van de Noorderklip and Ruigt as part of multi-hour routes through the Biesbosch. One route, estimated at approximately 2.5 hours, passes through wide ditches and winding creeks, reaches the Rietplaat island where paddlers can stop on a beach, and then continues across the Gat van de Noorderklip and Ruigt to a campsite. Another route of roughly 2.25 hours incorporates the Buiten-Kooigat and the Bevert, where a pole campsite is available for overnight stays at a modest fee, though it has no sanitary facilities or drinking water and requires advance reservation.

The surrounding landscape is characteristic of the Biesbosch delta environment, featuring willow forests, wetlands, and a network of rivers, islets, and streams. The area supports diverse wildlife. The terrain is flat, and the waterway's position within a protected natural area makes it a notable destination for paddlers seeking an immersive delta experience.


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