Netherlands seafarers have a long and colorfull history, especially the internationally known East Indian sailors of the "VOC" and other trade ships of the Dutch "Golden Age" when the Netherlanders carried on a world wide spice trade.
But sailing within the netherlands itself also has a long tradition and history. In an archaiological excavation in Drenthe, researchers found a pre-historic boat fashioned from a hollowed tree trunk. Proof that fishing and hunting existed 6,000 years before Christ and fishermen and hunters were using boats at the moerass areas and the lakes. Then as today, the long and twisting coastline with a multitude of rivers and lakes made boats a natural and practical transportation method.
As early as the Bronze Age, an active and ongoing trade with Ireland and Great Britain existed that would have been impossible by overland methods.
In a country plagued with floods and other water catastrophies since pre-historic times, reclaiming land from the ocean began early on. In 500 BC, in Nordfriesland und Groningen, the first man-made "Terpen" ­ plateaus large enough to be farmed and high enough to offer safety against flooding ­ were built. Later, many such "Terpen" were built and then connected with each other.
The area around Terschelling and Vlieland was, at this time, a populated and still part of the mainland.About 1.000 AD, dikes were built. Drainage canals were built to provide dry land and to dig turf.These canals soon became important transport waterways as well, especially for the digged turf.
An extensive network quickly developed reaching all cities, villages and many farms via water. Almost everything was transported via water including, of course, freight to the outlying islands off the mainland.

In 1323 a permanent lighthouse was built on Terschelling. In 1593, this tower fell due to constant undercurrents and a new tower was built. Known as the "Brandaris" it is still in use today.