Over time, the sea gained more influence and holes were punched in the shoreline. Due to the tides, the creek channels were carved out so that the seawater could enter further and further into the land. The peat layers broke off and slid into the deep channels or were covered with a layer of clay. The Scheldt, forced by the formation of the beach walls and the elevated salt marshes, flowed further north into the sea than in the current situation, probably near the current Haringvliet and the Nieuwe Waterweg . From about 5,000 years ago, a tidal channel gradually emerged that eventually reached as far as the Scheldt. As a result, the course of the river changed to where the Oosterschelde is now locatedis located and emptied into the sea between the current Domburg and Burghsluis. Initially, the Oosterschelde was a river that meanded through the flat land of a few hundred meters wide, but between 300 and 700 the Oosterschelde became a real tidal current that eroded channels and became increasingly wider. In the early Middle Ages more tidal channels were created and Zeeland became an area of islands. The southern ‘Honte’ was one of those tidal channels that, just like the Eastern Scheldt, between the 9th and the 12th century, was connected to the Scheldt and thus became the second mouth of the river. It was not until the end of the 17th century that the Western Scheldt took over and the connection (creekrak) between the Eastern Scheldt and the Western Scheldt became silent .In the 6th century the first inhabitants of Zeeland lived on the higher situated old creek beds, the so-called vliedbergen or yards. Place names such as Kerkwerve are a reminder of this. These old creek beds contain more sand than the peat, so they settled less in and over time protruded as a former creek bed above the surrounding landscape. The first dikes in Zeeland were built around the 10th century. Initially creeks were dammed to protect the land, later the higher parts were provided with ring-shaped, primitive dikes, the so-called Oudland. After 1200 a start was made on damming the salt marshes with new sea clay that had been deposited in the 2,000 years before, the Nieuwland. The first dikes were about three meters high and were built of clay, sea grass and wooden posts. When the poleworm (a worm-shaped clam, spread by increasing shipping) in 1732 the wood started to eat en masse, natural stone and later concrete was used. Due to the embankment of new land, the wide Oosterschelde became somewhat narrower than before. However, the water was not easy to contain and many dikes collapsed into the deep channels. At least 117 villages, built on the by now settled soil, disappeared into the water. These ‘dike traps’ can still be found underwater in many places in the Oosterschelde and have become popular diving places because of the rock formations with rich flora and fauna. After the flood disaster in 1953, it was initially decided to completely close off the Oosterschelde by means of a dam. Due to the embankment of new land, the wide Oosterschelde became somewhat narrower than before. However, the water could not simply be contained and many dikes collapsed into the deep channels. At least 117 villages, built on the by now settled soil, disappeared into the water. These ‘dike traps’ can still be found underwater in many places in the Eastern Scheldt and have become popular dive sites because of the rock formations with rich flora and fauna. After the flood disaster in 1953, it was initially decided to completely close off the Oosterschelde by means of a dam. Due to the embankment of new land, the wide Oosterschelde became somewhat narrower than before. However, the water was not easy to contain and many dikes collapsed into the deep channels. At least 117 villages, built on the now settled soil, disappeared into the water. These ‘dike traps’ can still be found underwater in many places in the Oosterschelde and have become popular diving sites because of the rock formations with rich flora and fauna. After the flood disaster in 1953, it was initially decided to completely close off the Oosterschelde by means of a dam. disappeared into the water. These ‘dike traps’ can still be found underwater in many places in the Oosterschelde and have become popular diving sites because of the rock formations with rich flora and fauna. After the flood disaster in 1953, it was initially decided to completely close off the Oosterschelde by means of a dam. disappeared into the water. These ‘dike traps’ can still be found underwater in many places in the Oosterschelde and have become popular diving places because of the rock formations with rich flora and fauna. After the flood disaster in 1953, it was initially decided to completely close off the Eastern Scheldt by means of a dam.North Sea . Thanks to a small group of people with their action group ‘Oosterschelde Open’, construction was halted and the government decided in 1976 to build the storm surge barrier between the remaining four kilometers in order to preserve the rich saltwater environment of the Oosterschelde.