Hvide Sande is a fishing town in West Jutland with 2,932
inhabitants (2020), located in Holmsland Klit Parish in the middle
of the headland Holmsland Klit. The city is located in
Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality and belongs to the Central Jutland
Region.
Hvide Sande has grown up around the large lock
facility between the North Sea and Ringkøbing Fjord which was built
in 1931. The town now has one of Denmark's largest fishing ports
with more than 200 resident fishing vessels, of which approx. 145 of
more than 5 tons. In Hvide Sande, a fishing auction is held daily.
The fishery from Hvide Sande has undergone a major development
in step with reductions in the cod quota in particular. This
reduction has meant that many of the traditional fishing cutters
have been scrapped. Today, there are about. 30 larger net vessels,
approx. 40 larger trawlers, 7 beam trawlers and 2 spinnaker vessels.
These vessels are all active in fishing, while a small dozen vessels
are moored as so-called "quota vessels". Hvide Sande has always
functioned as a port for foreign fishermen, and in the past a large
number of vessels searched for Hvide Sande around spring. With
spring came the bountiful fishing for tongues. Hvide Sande is today
the base port for many horse shrimp fishermen from other ports, and
the other foreign fishermen are not so prominent anymore.
In
connection with the fishery, there are two shipyards in Hvide Sande:
A / S Hvide Sande Skibs- & Baadebyggeri and Vestværftet. Both
shipyards are known for newbuilding ships. Vestværftet is a
newbuilding shipyard with deliveries to Greenland, Ireland, Norway
etc., and A / S Hvide Sande Skibs- og Baadebygeri is one of
Denmark's most recognized wooden shipyards. In the winter you can
see several large wooden ships, e.g. Fulton, on the yard's large
berth.
The fishery from Hvide Sande has undergone a major development in
line with reductions in the cod quota in particular. This reduction has
meant that many of the traditional fishing cutters have been dismantled.
Today there are approximately. 30 larger net vessels, approx. 40 larger
trawlers, 7 boom trawlers and 2 seine vessels. These vessels are all
active in fishing, while a few dozen vessels are docked as so-called
"quota vessels". Hvide Sande has always functioned as a harbor for
foreign fishermen, and in the past a large number of vessels visited
Hvide Sande around spring. With spring came the fruitful fishing for
soles. Hvide Sande is today the base port for many horse shrimp
fishermen from other ports, and the other foreign fishermen are not so
significant anymore.
In connection with fishing, there are two
shipyards in Hvide Sande: Hvide Sande Shipyard, Steel & Service and
Vestværftet. Both yards are known for building new ships. Vestværftet is
a newly built shipyard with deliveries to Greenland, Ireland, Norway
etc., and Hvide Sande Shipyard, Steel & Service is one of Denmark's most
recognized wooden shipyards. In the winter season, you can see several
large wooden ships, e.g. Fulton, on the large berth of the yard.
Tyskerhavnen is one of Hvide Sande's hallmarks. It is mainly used for
fishing in Ringkøbing Fjord.
The tool sheds at Tyskerhavnen have
for many years been an important part of Tyskerhavnen, as well as the
locals who use them to store yarn or other things. However, they have
recently been demolished by the Tourist Association, who want to build
houses for tourists. However, new ones have been built at the mink farm.
Tourism is also a significant part of the business base for Hvide
Sande. which especially characterizes the cityscape in the summer, when
Hvide Sande is "invaded" by foreign tourists from Germany, the
Netherlands and other European countries. There is also the annual
herring festival, where the town is full of recreational fishermen who
stand by the lock all the way to the harbor to get their hands on the
many herring that come in with the current.
Hvide Sande is also a
highly sought-after area for surfers, and a large surfing festival
(Waterz) is held every year. It is possible to both Kite-Wind- and
SUPsurf on Ringkøbing Fjord, whereas you can surf on the sea side. In
the past, the southern pier was a good place to surf, but after the new
pier was built, conditions have deteriorated significantly.
Previously, the town was located in Hind Herred. Until the municipal
reform in 2007, it was located in Holmsland Municipality, Ringkøbing
County.
By investing in three "huge" wind turbines, Hvide Sande
has worked towards being a more "clean energy" city during 2012 to 2014.
Hvide Sande has also experienced more attention in recent times, as
TV2 has recorded the series Sommerdrømme, which was broadcast in the
spring of 2020, but was recorded during the summer of 2019. The summer
houses are located on Dakotavej 43, which is at the end of
Færgemandsvej.
In May-June 2021, TV2 has shown a crime series
called Hvide Sande, which takes place in the city with actors such as
Bodil Jørgensen and many other great actors.
Hvide Sande is located roughly in the middle of the Holmsland Klit, between the North Sea and the fjord. There is the only connection between the two. The development is distributed north and south of the lock and the port. The entire area is characterized by dunes, which are often overgrown with beach grass and behind them with heather plants.
The place was founded in 1931 in connection with the completion of
the Hvide Sande Canal. After the Ringkøbingfjord's connection to the sea
had shifted further and further south since the 17th century and the
lagoon threatened to become an inland lake, a passage with two sluices,
one sluice and one drainage sluice, was made approximately in the middle
of the dune strip Holmsland Klit . An earlier breakthrough had failed
due to silting caused by the current. The name of the port city can be
traced back to the word "Æ Hwi' Såend", which means "white sand". The
bascule bridge over the fairway failed in spring 2007 and could
temporarily no longer be opened to shipping traffic. The mechanics had
to be completely redone.
Before the municipal reform in 2007, the
town was part of Holmsland Municipality, which was merged with the
municipalities of Ringkøbing, Skjern, Videbæk and Egvad to form
Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality.
In the center of the city is the lock system with a bascule bridge
for road traffic.
The daily fish auction at the port at seven in
the morning is interesting for tourists. The local fishing museum
"Fiskeriets Hus" shows the regional marine fauna on an exhibition area
of around 400 m².
Lyngvig Lighthouse is 6 km north of Nørre
Lyngvig. With a height of 38 m and a fire height of 53 m, it is one of
the tallest lighthouses in Denmark. The lighthouse was automated in
1965.
To the south is the museum Abelines Gaard. The typical
regional farmstead from 1854 gives an impression of the living
conditions on the spit in earlier times. In 1996 the museum was awarded
the Europa Nostra prize for outstanding achievements in the preservation
of cultural heritage.
Haurvig Church is seven kilometers south of
Hvide Sande. Built as a chapel in 1869, it was renovated in 1947 and
also received a church tower. In the cemetery there are graves and
stones of soldiers of the allied forces.