The day began like so many of my mornings along the Zeeland coast: early, dark, and with the sound of wind already moving between the dikes. In Vlissingen, along the Western Scheldt on Walcheren, I knew what to expect. At force seven winds, this place reveals something raw and unfiltered.
The wooden pier, a familiar element in my work for years, stood as it always does. Unmoving, yet never the same. While the sky was still deep blue, small openings slowly began to appear. Rain drifted across Zeeland, giving the horizon that rough, almost tangible atmosphere so typical of these waters.
Even before the sun revealed itself, the first idea for this image took shape.
A continuation of earlier mornings
In earlier vlogs and photographs, I’ve shown how this place comes alive in stormy weather. Waves crashing against the pier, clouds layering over one another in quick succession, and that brief moment of stillness between two gusts of wind.
This image continues that story, yet feels different at the same time. The force of the water remained, but the light shifted. Sunrise didn’t break through brightly, but came filtered through rain and clouds. It gave the sea a more restrained character, while the wind continued to drive the waves forward.
That’s where the moment appeared: where the waters rise. Not only in force, but in form. A wave lifting itself alongside the pier, captured in a single, fleeting instant.
The road back
As the light changed and the rain began to move in again, the morning felt complete. I walked back to the car with a sense of quiet fulfilment.
The drive back to the Alblasserwaard felt different from the journey out. Calmer. With a small smile. Along the way, I was already thinking about the routine waiting at home: cleaning the gear, removing the salt, transferring the files and creating backups. And then the first selection — that moment when the morning reveals itself again, this time on screen.
Bringing the sea home
The images from this morning are available as fine art prints or as digital files. For those who feel connected to the atmosphere of this place, they can be a way to give that moment a place of their own.
View more photos via the link, which, like this one, are part of my portfolio ‘Coast’.