March 2026 — Breskens, The Netherlands

The car was packed to the roof. First, a babysitting detour to Kapellen — because life doesn’t pause for boat deliveries — and then straight on to Breskens. A small harbour town on the Zeeland coast, where the sea meets the channel, and where Adriana was coming home.

We had rented a holiday apartment with a front-row view: sea on one side, the harbour mouth on the other. From the balcony, we could watch every vessel that came in. We knew exactly which one we were waiting for.

The Apartment, the App, and the Shrimp Croquette

The apartment was wonderful. The only stumble? The Tapkey smart lock. I had not read the instructions. Classic me. Ten minutes of confusion, one YouTube moment, and then — perfect. Even worked on Piet’s phone.

Friday evening we walked to Ons Dagelijks Kost, a solid brasserie with a no-nonsense menu. Exactly what we needed. The shrimp croquette was everything. The lamb and the stew — excellent. A quiet dinner before the big wait began.

The Longest Night

We did not sleep. Not even close.

Every hour, one of us would reach for the phone. Marine Traffic. Vessel Finder. Where is she? How fast is she moving? She was moving fast.

At 5 o’clock, we gave up pretending. Coffee, a proper breakfast, a quick shower — and then back to the balcony. Scanning the horizon. Looking for a mast, a silhouette, anything.

She was near Cadzand. Close. Very close.

Well before that, actually — we couldn’t stay away.

Coming In

In the dark, we walked down to the jetty. Just the two of us, the harbour lights, and the quiet slap of water against the pontoons.

Then the light began to change. The sky softened. And there, on a flat and glassy sea, she came gliding in — calm, steady, unhurried. As if she’d done it a thousand times.

We tied her up together with the skipper. Firm lines, good knots. She’ll stay here for a while — until the registration clears, or our permanent berth opens up. But she was here. She was finally, actually here.

The Handover

We went aboard and did a thorough inspection, stem to stern. Then we sat down and signed the official transfer documents.

Just like that — she was ours. Our responsibility. Our adventure.

Vinegar, Discovery, and an Excellent Coffee Machine

Armed with vinegar and cloths, I got to work. And what a pleasure it was. Wiping away months of dust and revealing, centimetre by centimetre, everything this boat has to offer. The more we cleaned, the more we found. A boat in good order. Better than good, honestly.

The semi-professional coffee machine deserves its own mention. It works beautifully and delivers the kind of espresso shot you genuinely need when you’ve been awake since 5 AM. I did have to consult YouTube to figure it out. It’s becoming a theme.

The first full day aboard flew past in a blur of cloths, discoveries, and coffee. Exhausted, overwhelmed — but deeply, genuinely happy.

Bubbles, Sunrises, and a Caesar Salad for Peter

Saturday morning, the sunrise was spectacular. One of those skies that feels like a reward. We took it as a sign and got back to work — cleaning, exploring, ticking things off a list that keeps growing every time we look at a new corner of the boat.

Saturday afternoon, Marita and Bert arrived unannounced with cold bubbles and warm smiles. A beautiful interlude. They loved the boat so much they’ve put an option on the guest cabin — they want to come sailing with us. We’ll hold them to that.

Sunday morning: a stop at the Plus Market in Breskens, which is going to become our home supermarket for the foreseeable future. We stocked the fridge — and, very deliberately, we bought a Caesar salad. Peter’s Caesar salad. A small, quiet tribute to the man who was Adriana’s rock. We ate it on board, thinking of him.

Sunday night, for the first time, we slept on the boat. The harbour sounds. The gentle movement. The creak of lines. And a hundred ideas and plans keeping our minds buzzing long after the lights went out.

Official — Almost

Monday, we drove to Rotterdam. The official registration in the Dutch boat registry is now in motion. In roughly a month, Adriana will be a small, official piece of the Netherlands — registered, documented, and irrevocably ours.

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She came in on a flat sea, just as the sky turned light. She is in good shape, in good hands, and ready for whatever comes next.

The stories are just beginning.

Piet & Ilse