Cities in the Netherlands
North Sea Region
The Story of Ouddorp
The village is part of the municipality of Goedereede, but independent until 1965. Originally it was known as Diepenhorst, referring to - once - a dense wood. Located on the former island Goeree (which later was joined to Overflakkee), it has neighbouring communities such as Oude Nieuwland, Oostdijk, Havenhoofd and Stellendam. There are nature reserves west of the village with such names as De Punt (the Point) where the island indeed makes an elongated point into the sea, and De Kwade Hoek (Rough Spot) indicating an area of the sea likely to have been perilous. At the southwestern tip of De Punt is the onramp to the Brouwersdam, a major part of the Delta Works. The closing of the Grevelingen sea arm created an inland sea and watersports mecca between Goeree-Overflakkee and its southern neigbour island Schouwen Duiveland.