Honfleur Harbour Master radar tower near the Seine River, monitoring ship traffic.
Every time we sail past Honfleur, whether going down the river to Rouen or heading back out to sea, one structure always catches my eye—the Harbour Master’s Radar Tower. It stands tall and proud near the entrance of the Seine River, and it never fails to spark my curiosity.
I often find myself wondering what it’s like to be inside that tower, watching over vessel traffic coming in and out of the river. Is it similar to an air traffic control tower at an airport? Or maybe like a guard tower at Alcatraz? (Haha, just kidding!)
But today was different. Our ship was docked just a few meters away from the radar tower. Being so close made me think even more—what if I could go inside and visit? What if the people working there let me take over for a moment? Imagine me calling ships from the tower instead of being on a ship reporting to it. That would be amazing!
Of course, I know that’s just my imagination running wild. Still, I made sure to take a good photo of the tower during my watch this morning. And just to satisfy my curiosity a little more, I asked the pilot who boarded our ship today about it.
He gave me a simple but interesting bit of information about the tower, which I’m happy to share here: the radar tower is mainly used to monitor and guide ship traffic in and out of the Seine River. It helps ensure safe navigation, especially in busy or foggy conditions. Just like I imagined—it’s a kind of control center, though for ships instead of planes.
So, while I might never get the chance to work inside the tower, it’s still fun to dream. And at least now, I know a little more about the building that has always fascinated me.
Seafarer and Family Man
I'm Dexter— a seafarer by profession, a traveler by passion, and a homebody by choice.
