Our sailing guru, the great Tom Cunliffe talks about Channel Fever. It's the sudden onset during a sea passage of thinking only about the destination and what you'll do when you get there.
In a small way that's happened to us. As we are crossing the Channel today, normal life is waiting for us and our minds are already ticking away about our complex schedule for September.
It's a perfect sunny day with little swell and yet it's as cold as charity. Several layers needed, hats and gloves too. What a shock after the sweaty excesses of Dutch heatwaves!
We left unlovely Dunkerque at sparrowfart and it took an age to escape the foul chemical smells emanating from the industrial zone. (See pic)
Crossing the 'motorway' went pretty well. We only had to change course for one juggernaut of the sea. Our AIS system on the chartplotter showed us the others would pass safely.
We passed very close to the famous Sandettie Light Vessel which you Radio Four listeners hear about on the shipping forecast. (Pictured)
Now we are heading past the Goodwin Sands towards Ramsgate and hopefully a drink at the Royal Temple yacht club with fantastic views over the sea. Back to Blighty. We've had a splendid time but the mind keeps switching feverishly to what comes next.
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