The first week at sea. A new rhythm.

Ervaringen verwerken

The first week is over. The experiences are actually hard to describe, to be honest. It's a constant dance with nature: assessing the sea, preparing for currents and wind, and especially: how Zina, as a boat, will react to all of this.

Voorbereiding

We haven't had much time to test her in these conditions yet, so every day is a learning experience. And then the North Sea... man, it changes faster than you'd like. One moment a flat transom you glide smoothly over, the next hour a sloshing mass. And then the puzzle begins: which sail setting suits her best? With or without the engine? Constantly adjusting, feeling, and anticipating.

Butterfly (met motor)

In the meantime, we saw our first porpoises and a seal, and you fall silent for a moment when they pop up next to your boat and swim along with you for a while.

And then there are the harbors. Everyone has their own style. Here too, there's a steep learning curve: not the spacious finger piers we're used to back home, but cramped waterways with very tight spaces between bollards. Weaving our steel lady, Zina, between these requires some concentration, especially when it's busy. Erna has nightmares about it. The fact is, the further north you go, the more expensive...

Bootverhaaltjes 78

But the most beautiful thing is actually immersing yourself in nature's rhythm. It simply doesn't work any other way. The sea and the wind determine your rhythm, and you learn to surrender to it. You live much more in harmony with the elements, and that has something magical.

Ochtendgloren IJmuiden

Leaving at 5 am because that's when the current and wind are at their best, it's part of it and feels very normal.

We're curious, and a little nervous, about the next, very busy stretch around the Wadden Sea. It'll be a completely different adventure! Will you follow along?