Transiting The Busy English Channel? No Problem. We’re sailing from Rotterdam, Netherlands, bound for Cherbourg, France, navigating the westbound lane of the English Channel. To reach Cherbourg, we had to veer south on reaching a waypoint as per passage plan, crossing the eastbound lane and entering the northern waters of France. The conditions were nearly perfect—calm winds and smooth seas made crossing the TSS effortless, even amid heavy traffic.
We arrived Cherbourg at 8AM and with bright sunshine, the kind that makes you wonder if you somehow ended up in the South of France. A quick glance at the GPS confirmed it: still firmly in the North. Guess the weather had a sense of humor.
Leaving port at 8 p.m., I planned to visit the submarine museum, just a short walk from our dock after my shift. But then I realized my crew card was missing, likely misplaced somewhere. Too late to request replacement, instead of exploring history, I stayed onboard and took a different kind of deep dive: Netflix. Not the adventure I planned, but a good one nonetheless.
Now, we’re back at sea, heading toward Southampton. Fingers crossed for another smooth Channel crossing ahead!
“You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails to always reach your destination.”
–Jimmy Dean
Seafarer and Family Man
I'm Dexter— a seafarer by profession, a traveler by passion, and a homebody by choice.
