Ghost islands of the Wadden Sea (14 photos)
Right on the border between Germany and Denmark, in the choppy waters of the North Sea, exist ghost lands—the Halligen. 
These aren't ordinary islands, but flat areas that appear to be part of the mainland for most of the year. But when a winter storm hits, they vanish without a trace beneath the rolling waves, as if they had never existed. 
The Wadden Sea is a discontinuous series of shallow seas off the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, part of the North Sea.
People here live on artificial hills called warfts. These mounds, built over many generations, are the only protection from the elements. 
When the Landunter, or complete flooding, occurs, each such hill turns into a small fortress, cut off from the world by the raging waters. 
Halligen Habel
The smallest of the Halligen, Habel, is so small and vulnerable that it has become the kingdom of birds. People don't live here permanently; only researchers visit in the summer to study the birds. 
Multifunctional hall with a radio station in the house
Other halligen, such as Hooge or Langenes, are more like villages, where life follows the rhythm of the tides. 
A supply of tools at the ornithological station
To reach some of these isolated worlds, narrow-gauge railways have been built. They carry not trains in the traditional sense, but small freight cars carrying mail, supplies, and sometimes even the inhabitants themselves. It's like a separate universe with its own rules. 
Ornithologists live on the island in the summer.
The locals' main livelihoods are sheep farming on the lush floodplains and tourists attracted by the unique nature of the Wadden Sea. 
Walking along the exposed seabed at low tide is a signature activity of the region. 
Today, part of the Halligen is officially part of a national park, which has received UNESCO status. This is both a recognition of their uniqueness and a guarantee that these fragile worlds, balanced between land and sea, will be preserved. 
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