What does “Hochseeinsel” mean in German?

Hochsee means the open sea, far from the coast, and Insel is island, so a Hochseeinsel sits out in deep water instead of just off the shore. Helgoland is described as Germany’s only one. The same Hochsee- prefix appears in Hochseefischerei (deep-sea fishing) and Hochseeschiff (ocean-going ship), so one compound unlocks a family of words.

Helgoland lies in the North Sea and is reached by ferry from Cuxhaven, which is the trip in this clip. Its red sandstone stack, the Lange Anna (“Long Anna”), is the island’s best-known landmark. Helgoland also has a special tax status, which is why the video mentions shopping zollfrei (“duty-free”). Note that hoch here does not mean “high”: in Hochsee it works like “high seas.”