Crescent Island
In 2024 Belgian officials confirmed the rumours of a man-made island floating off the coast of Bredene beach. Initially Belgium accused the Dutch. Den Haag has since denied any involvement in its construction. The boomerang-shaped island of over three thousand kilometres across has tiered gardens of lawn grass on the lower levels, tomato vines on the middle and apple trees above. What might be described as rounded mud huts cluster in the centre, arched window holes on the upper levels of the huts give the structure the look of a sculpture of Swiss cheese in sagging iron-rich clay. No inhabitants have been spotted apart from a pair of cormorants nesting in the entrance of one of the huts. On the inside there are imprints of bears and wolves in vertical bands, appearing as something between a comic strip and hieroglyphics. The UK government has recommended demolition of the island, due to concerns for the shipping lanes it risks disrupting. Satellite data shows the island having drifted from the top of Norway but loses the track from beyond that point. Experts linguists speculate the most complete example of letters found on the island appears to be love letters.