Spring, like last winter and fall, is also relatively cold and very wet. Never before has so much rain fallen in the Netherlands in the spring 🌧️. That's because last year was an El Niño year which makes the water in the Atlantic Ocean relatively warm. That brings more rain to us.

Despite the bad weather we make nice sailing trips. During the Easter weekend we stay on the Grevelingen with Eline and on Easter Monday we have fun with Inge, Mark, Tess and Merel. Sporty sailing with warm coats on🤭. 
The following weekend we go with the Summertjes to Ox Corner and there we also meet the Poppedien. It is nice sunny weather for a change and we can even BBQ' en (the only time this spring).

 

We replace the old life raft (which is in a bag and lying in the aft port crate) with a new life raft in a case on top of the middle deck. There it lies just fine without being in our view forward. Another item ticked off our preparation list for our departure in March next year. 

The next two weekends are for our family and relatives from both sides. We unfortunately get some bad news about the health of both Inge and Tess and it makes quite an impact. What trouble. Again we realize that being healthy is not to be taken for granted and that your life can suddenly look very different. We have a great need to be with our own family and to visit family together. What a privilege it is to be healthy. This also strengthens us all the more that it was a wise decision to stop working and travel as of November 1 this year. There is no telling how long you will stay healthy to do that ☺️.

The last weekend of April we go for a cozy weekend with the Summertjes and Marinthe to Port Zélande. The way back to Bruinisse is sporty sailing, half wind force 7-8 💨. Good to experience that again; the SeaQuest and also we can handle that just fine!

Suddenly it's a very warm day only on Wednesday, May 1. That's a good opportunity to cozy up our little balcony with artificial grass, a little table and two chairs 😎.

 

The weekend of May 4/5 is our last weekend with the four of us for now. First we visit Joke and on Saturday afternoon we take a nice walk on the Lemelerberg. After that we have a delicious dinner at bistro T-bone in Enter 🥩🍷; always delicious and good memories of the many dinners we have had there with my family. They are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year; we have been coming there for at least 45 years I think. On Sunday we take a short walk near Haarle with beautiful flowering rhododendrons and then visit my sister. Good to be able to see and speak to each other again 🥰.

On May 8, Marinthe will fly to Hong Kong to spend two months traveling around Asia with Sam. We go to the boat for the trip to Chatham and London with 20 other boats of the Hallberg Rassy Connection. It is a nice trip with a good combination of lots of socializing with other boats interspersed with time to ourselves. We also walk by the Bank of England where Marinthe is going to work in September. In the meantime, Eline is going to visit Jonas in Rwanda for a good week. Once again we are spread over three continents with our family ☺️. When Eline comes home, we pick her up in Brussels and bring her to Maastricht. It's great to be able to be there for each other at times like that. 

 

Toine has been keeping an eye on Starlink developments for a while. The Generation 3 antenna just came out and is available discounted in the UK. Then the decision to order one now is quickly made. A week later, the Starlink antenna already installed again 😎. That Sunday we will join Eline again at my sister's house. visiting. We can sit outside and eat delicious pulled pork from the Green Egg. Nice to see them in slightly better shape 💪🥰.

 

All spring I walk every Friday (and sometimes Wednesday). Regularly with Mieke or if that is not convenient alone. Also once in the pouring rain; to test my clothes for the walk in Ireland 💦 😊. I also regularly do strength exercises to train for Ireland. Toine does that his way by regularly spinning and X-co'ing at the gym.

The week Kerry Way hiking in Ireland is fantastic. What a beautiful environment 🏔️🚶‍♀️🇮🇪. We have fine weather all week and hardly any rain. But what a tough hike; the tough first two days put it on the (and sometimes just over my) edge of ability. With one rest day I get through it without damage and of course Toine is again not bothered by anything😎.

 

Meanwhile, we are also at work. Toine is mostly winding down his job at MN and preparing for the transition to PGGM. He has nice farewell dinners with the project team and own MT. I'm back at work full time with well-filled days. 

Spring has already passed. How quickly time goes by ☺️. On the first day of summer, the SeaQuest will be heading to Van Ast in Brouwershaven for a couple of weeks for major underwater hull maintenance and replacement of the mast rigging. More on that later.