Oeral thús, portret fan in skippersfamilje

The Friesian family Visser has been living on the water for generations. One son is active in inland shipping, the other at sea. While grandpa and grandma are reluctantly winding up their activities, their grandson is just starting his on his own ship. Bidding farewell to a life of freedom; that is what the grandparents think of living in a house. With the neighbours' quarrels from the TV programme De rijdende rechter as their spectre. The grandson opts for a seafaring life, fully aware of the fact that it will be solitary - he presumes that modern women do not fancy it anymore. It is true, this kind of life is lonesome; for their education, the children go to a boarding school and the stay-behinds' social interactions are limited to a wave to a passing boat and a brief exchange of words while loading and unloading or over the marine telephone. But now and then, the whole family comes together, for the skûtsjesilen competition (sailing race in special shallow-draught boats). Their ancestors sailed on these boats and grandpa was even born on one. Devotedly, the family carries on the tradition.