Neuwerk is a 3 km2 (1.2 sq mi) tidal island in the Wadden Sea on the German North Sea coast, with a population of 32. Neuwerk is located 13 km (8 mi) northwest of Cuxhaven, between the Weser and Elbe estuaries. The distance to the centre of Hamburg is about 120 km (70 mi).
At low tide one can reach the island on foot or on a "Wattwagen", a horse-drawn mud flat coach, from Cuxhaven. A row of poles on the mud flats marks the way. The path includes some elevated cages. These are rescue pods. Should high tide catch a walker far from shore, the walker can climb into the pod and wait for the tide to recede, or trigger a flare. Triggering the flare summons a rescue boat; rescue involves a fee and non-negligible fine.
During the summer the vessel MS Flipper (as seen in the cancellation) makes a daily trip at high tide from the "Alte Liebe" port in Cuxhaven to the island. Because departure times depend on the tides, the times are variable. The trip takes about an hour and a half one-way.
Stamp:
Birth Centenary of Heinz Sielmann (1917-2006) - Issued: 08-06-2017 with Ship Postmark of MS Flipper
