Thursday 25 August
An early start ensured a favourable tide to cross the English Channel to Boulogne, a passage of 37 nautical miles that I completed in seven hours in perfect winds and calm seas. My crew were on the lookout for huge numbers of commercial vessels in these ‘busiest shipping lanes in the world’; their final tally was three ferries and three ships. Far more entertaining was the seal that came to say hello when we’d settled at anchor behind the sea wall in Boulogne’s outer harbour, and bobbed around me all evening. 
After a dramatic sunset, a little breeze blew up overnight, disturbing the Mate’s sleep.