History
Since centuries Rotterdammers swim in the Nieuwe Maas. Most people older then 60 year has even got their swimming lessons under school time at the Nieuwe Maas or it branches. Those swimming lessons are supported by the government and that's also one of the reason why Dutch swimmers belong to the world top in almost each swimming discipline.
At the photo below from 1950 you see some children swimming near the Prinsenhead at the west side of the Noordereiland.
By the way, the Noordereiland thanks its name to the Noorderhaven (nowadays Koningshaven) which was dug out between 1868 and 1876. By digging the Koningshaven, the Noordereiland broke away from the Island Feijenoord in the south (see also this Dutch.pdf)
Up until the last ten years of the twentieth century, the island was characterized by heavy activity. Ships docked on both the New Meuse quay, on the North side of the island and on Prince Hendrikkade on the south side. Sometimes the ships were five to six deep at the ports. On the island you have still a big population of skippers and since February 2008 the Noordereiland became a protected neighborhood.
The River
The New Meuse (Dutch: Nieuwe Maas) is a river branch of the Rhine-Meuse delta in the Netherlands. It runs from the confluence of the rivers Noord and Lek, and flows west through Rotterdam. It ends west of the city where it meets the Old Meuse (Dutch: Oude Maas). The total length is approximately 24 kilometers. The Nieuwe Maas flows through some of the most densely populated and developed areas in the Netherlands. Along its shores are numerous harbours and industries.
