I recently watched a travel video about Belgium and Holland, and it showed many happy kids playing in the North Sea. Has anybody tried it? Is it as cold as it looks? <BR>Also, when it rains in that area, does it rain for days upon end like Seattle or in hour-long patches like Denver?

Heh, you can even swim in the Baltic Sea, so why not North Sea. Last summer water in the Baltic reached +25°C.

Yes, We spent some time in Oostende last June & it was actually very nice. It turned out to be an excellent place to unwind prior to our return to the states. Good seafood & some art there as well & not far from Brugges. the hotel provided towels & you could rent anything else you needed & it was very inexpensive. In the summer I would suggest staying there & day-tripping to Brugges instead of staying in Brugges.

Of course you can swim in the North Sea! Why would you doubt that? Sure it's not the Caribbean or the Costa Smeralda but it's fine. Some people swim in it all year round. I've been in Holland during July and August where it's been 90 degrees and half the Dutch population was at the beach. The water is in the 60's I'd say normally and heats up if it's hotter (naturally so). Just don't go in when there is an EAST wind. Only East winds bring Jellyfish.

christine,<BR>Yes you can swim in the north sea, there are sea resort towns in Belgium and holland. The weather is more like seattle, it can rain for days. It is a beautiful place, we have friends who live in Brugges so we vist that area a lot. If you go don't miss Brugges.

<BR>Cristine,<BR><BR>The North Sea is warmed by the Gulf Stream. I find it more pleasant to swim in the ocean off Holland than off Southern California where the ocean currents are somewhat contrary. There are many places to take a dip in the North Sea. My favorite is Zandvoort an Zee, a half hour from Amsterdam. For a few details see my page at<BR>www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap30/melding.htm<BR>

Well, rumor has it that my great-grandfather swam across the North Sea to get out of the Army before immigrating to America, and he lived to tell the tale.

Much further north than belgium and Holland, we were brought up to swim in the North Sea at St Andrews and elsewhere.<BR><BR>Nowadays I thhink twice about it, but it's not because of the temperature

Scottish people (eg my mother) happily swim in the North Sea. At Largs. It would kill me as I have english blood too.

David, my sweet, Largs is on the Atlantic coast, not the North sea. the Atlantic is much better for swimming than the North Sea, other than teh minor matter of Glasgow's sewage.

|It's still bloody cold!<BR><BR>The trauma of Scottish seaside trips has mentally scarred me for life. Largs, Ayr and some other hellholes. I am shivering now as I type.<BR><BR>My mother's family seem to enjoy these places, or perhaps more accurately the pubs in these places. <BR><BR>

Sheila, and I used to swim at Dunbar. I remember we had to time vacations carefully to coincide with the few weeks when the ice flow melted!

Thank you all for your great advice! I'll be sure to visit the seaside towns and give the water a try. If it's too cold for me, I'll just warm up with a good Belgian beer.