La Hirondelle

 By sunrise, Stargazer is midway across the west bound shipping lane. Locking out of Eastbourne before daybreak. Beachy Head merely a more substantial blur of grey, within the shadows of twilight, as we reached south, to clear of the Royal Sovereign shoals.

Before easing sheets, steering south south east. Skipping lightly across the swell. Making seven knots, under full main and jib. Sixteen knots of north west breeze on the starboard quarter.

The shipping lanes seem busy today. Perhaps there is a maritime Monday morning rush hour effect, in the Straits of Dover?

Stargazer crosses astern of a cluster of ships bound down Channel. All passing a mile clear. (The closest one wants to pass one of these, none too maneuverable, juggernauts of the deep). Or perhaps their watch officers made it easy for us. For, crossing this lane, Stargazer is 'stand on vessel,' with right of way. Although this is not something a recreational sailing yacht may presume upon, when in the presence of large commercial craft.

 Ahead, the traffic headed up Channel musters, three abreast. In this lane Stargazer is 'give way' vessel. One ship (foreground, with the green slash forward) is in a hurry. Pulling out to overtake two others. Putting her on a constant bearing (collision course) with Stargazer. I harden up, letting the west going tide carry us astern of her, by the regulation mile. Before resuming Stargazer's course.

On the horizon I sight, what I take to be, a very large tanker a long way off (as opposed to a regular sized tanker too close for comfort). It is difficult to decide whether it is safe to cross ahead of her. But the AIS software, on our new B&G Zeus plotter, calculates that the Closest Point of Approach (CPA) will be the magical mile. Indicating that the watch officer has already minutely adjusted course to go astern of us. 

It is an anxious half hour, never the less, as Stargazer crosses the leviathan's bow. The view, in my binoculars, is filled by the bulbous bow 'ram.' Both sides of the ship equally visible.The ship's angle never seeming to change. Coming for us, head on.

Slowly but surely, though, more and more of her starboard side is revealed. I celebrate with a pot of coffee, when it becomes clear that Stargazer has safely crossed ahead.

Stargazer romps south. Reveling in the conditions. Surfing on the building swell, as the breeze rises, backing west. A sluicing east going tide adding further to our speed.

Stargazer carves a foaming white wake across a sparkling blue seas. Through the morning and on into the afternoon. In a joyous carefree sleigh ride.

The French coast becomes a smudge on the skyline. Our courtesy, and customs pratique, flags are hoisted ready for landfall.

Like the first migratory Swallow (in French: Hirondelle) of summer, Stargazer has followed the fair breeze and sunshine south. To alight in Dieppe. Her shakedown excursion now become the cruise proper.