Sleepless in the English Channel

We knew the passage between the North Sea and the English Channel would be a challenge: we got our money worth.

We left IJmuiden and set sail towards Cherbourg, knowing that the narrowest and shallowest part of the passage would be done by night. We planned to make a straight sail down to Europort, and then get closer to the shoreline to take the coastal route between Zeebrugge and Calais.

Passing Europort felt a little nervous, as we had to cross some heavy traffic. Trouble started as we approached Zeebrugge, and a straight downwind got us bouncing and rolling up and down big waves.Ryan was a lot more comfortable than I was, and we discussed options: taking a break in Dunkerque or Calais, and wait for better conditions.

That night, we simply couldn't sleep. At 11PM, I try to get a little rest but I couldn't close my eyes. I got back in the cockpit at 12AM, and Ryan and I helped each others with the navigation.

Reaching Dunkerque felt like arriving in the Mordor, with the big chimnies lit on fire. The waters were still choppy and the wind blowing a solid 25 knots right at our stern, but we pushed through.

Ryan went down in the cabin, and threw himself on the settee in his foulie, lifejacket and wellies to get a couple of hours of sleep.

Eventually, at 5AM, it was my turn to get a little rest. That didn't last long, as we got a little wake-up radio call from the French customs, who approached us from the stern to ask a few questions in some of the most perfect French accents I've ever encountered.

The day that followed was a perfect sailing day, followed by a calm night and a beautiful sunrise over Barlfleur. We reached Cherbourg in the morning, a couple of days before France won the World Cup!