The story takes place on Terschelling, which is closed off from the rest of the Netherlands at the end of the 19th century. Sil Droeviger, a farmer in Oosterend, supplements his income for his family, consisting of his wife Jaakje and sons Jelle and Wietse, with beachcombing. One day a strong storm arises and Sil rescues a girl from a sunken Swedish dinghy, while the mother drowns. Sil takes the girl home and raises her as his own daughter. He calls her Lobke, just like their daughter who died shortly after birth.