On wednesday, another field trip led us to the Baltic Sea coast east of Kiel, giving us the opportunity to visit a number of interesting spots between Kieler Förde and Ostholstein. The on-site presentations by Karl Stattegger, professor for geology at Kiel University, gave insight in sea level-dynamics, sediment transport and coastal protection measures in the southwestern Baltic Sea area. We started in Stein near the exit of the Kieler Förde, went on to Bottsand coastal spit and after a few more stops ended at the easternmost place of our trip in Heiligenhafen, near the island of Fehmarn. Here, Karl Stattegger presented an overview of the geological history of the Baltic Sea since the last glacial maximum. He explained the origin of the sediment in the area and its specific location at the border of an up-lifting and down-lifting area due to the ice sheet melting. He also explained us why dikes are much
more massive at the Baltic Sea coast – since they have to withstand much more pressure during a longer time period of a storm event.

Beach at Heiligenhafen (Photo: Camille Traini)