The evert Rebekka of Fanø, is a historic vessel, originally built in 1921, on the northern Wadden Sea island ‘Fanø’. In 1996 she was thoroughly renovated by the present owner, the association or society: Foreningen Everten Rebekka af Fanø. Her basic characteristics are: LOA 14.92 meters, B 4.75 meters, maximum draft fully loaded 1,48 meters and BT 16.1.
The ship type ‘evert’ is one of the types of vessels, which have been in use during the longest period of time, probably for close to 1000 years, until the 1940’ies. It is a small vessel constructed to carry relatively heavy loads in low depth tidal areas, and is closely related to the Thames sailing barge, with a low draft, a flat bottom and leeboards. Like the Thames sailing barge the evert is designed to dry out in the tidal waters on sand banks and mudflats without heeling over, making it approachable for cargo handling directly from shore, thus enabling virtual door to door transport throughout the Wadden Sea and connected rivers, deltas and inland waterways.
The capabilities of the evert was crucial to the population and development of the south-eastern shores of the North Sea. Thus, a city like Hamburg could not have thrived and grown, had it not been for the evert’s unique ability to deliver food, building materials and other necessities to the growing city, from the fertile tidal areas of the vast Elbe delta, and bringing manure back from the city.
The purpose of the association Everten Rebakka af Fanø is to preserve the Rebekka as a sailing and fully functioning vessel, in order to convey this part of our cultural and maritime heritage, by making it possible to experience the vessel in its right environment. At the same time, we provide unique access to the Wadden Sea National Park. Since June 2014 the park has constituted the Danish part of the UNESCO’s Wadden Sea World Heritage Site.
The Wadden Sea National Park is – except for Greenland, by far the largest of Denmark’s national parks and covers the Danish part of the Wadden Sea from Ho Bay to the German border, and includes the islands of Fanø, Mandø and Rømø, as well as Skallingen, the Varde river valley, and many of the coastal marshlands.
The Wadden Sea is internationally known as a resting place for millions of migratory birds, and more than 10 million of them pass through the Wadden Sea twice a year. The Wadden Sea also has large numbers of breeding birds, fish, and invertebrates such as starfish and blue mussels. It provides habitation for more than 500 species of plants and animals.