Geert looks back on a rich period. He spent almost ninety nights this year in his house. “Every day is different,” he says, overseing the sea. “It’s a living painting. Sometimes a ship sails along, then there is a seal, or you see dozens of surfers. You will never get used to it.”
Logistics and safety
But behind the romance of the sea and horizon also lies the sober reality of logistics and safety. While residents say goodbye, transporters are busy. This year they are driving for the first time with a guidance car, says beach operator Johan Feyen.
“People are shocked when a beach house suddenly comes on the road,” explains an employee. “They are sometimes wide, sometimes long, and there are plenty of obstacles. With that car we make sure it goes safe.”
The weather plays a major role. Last week, wind and rain caused extra work: first the beach had to be made flat again in order to be able to drive the houses properly. “Safety goes beyond speed,” he emphasizes. “So far everything has gone well, and we want to keep it that way.”