Virtual Reef

Explore the Amsterdam ferry as you've never seen it before - 20 feet below the water surface.

In an alternate world, the beloved Amsterdam Ferry has sunk into the murky depths of the Het Pontje. After years of submergence, the ship has been claimed by nature – its windows encrusted with scarlet coral, its walls studded with oysters and prickly anemones.

In this VR experience for Oculus Rift, you can now dive among the rare and remarkable species that call this shipwreck their home. Discover hordes of dwarf crabs up close in the engine room and swim among shimmering stickleback. Take a turn down a corridor and you may come face to face with the reef’s top predator, the pike.

Amsterdam is the most watery city in the world, with the Het Pontje and a further 165 canals making up a quarter of its entire area. Yet how many of us really know what lies beneath the water surface? The city’s canals are home to a wealth of native and exotic marine life, many which use these man-made habitats for nurseries and feeding grounds. In fact, 90% of the Netherland’s aquatic species benefit from this biodiversity hotspot, due to the presence of debris which helps the growth of artificial reefs.

The Het Pontje truly is a watery kingdom waiting to be explored. Now, for the first time, you can dive deep and uncover its secrets...

Created by Paul Alistair Collins.

A VR experience from iFox Film Production, in collaboration with De Pont Submarine Channel, Amsterdam Creative Industries Network and Amsterdam Fund For The Arts.