Suddenly, out of the stillness, Stargazer is surrounded by a swirling, leaping, pod of dolphins. Come to play.
The air is filled with the sounds of their breathy exhalations and the splashes of their landings.
They leap high, dive below the bow, circle between rudder and keel. Dodging one another. All the while, guiding Stargazer in, toward the harbour entrance.
The day had started with a pyrotechnic thunderstorm.
Ending the week long, early spring, heatwave.
Rain is one thing. Putting to sea, beneath a seventeen metre tall lighting conductor (aluminium mast), in a thunderstorm, is quite another. Stargazer's skipper was having second thoughts, about the day's plan.
But, come the one pm lock gate opening, the thunder had passed. Leaving a useable breeze in its wake.
Stargazer catches the turn of the tide off the Pointe de Barfleur. Taking advantage of the benign conditions, to cut inside the cardinal marks. (Which denote the likely extent of overfalls, as much as the edge of the reefs)
By the time that our dolphin escort greets us, off the Cherbourg eastern entrance, Stargazer is moving more by tide than by wind. Forcing us to resort to a swift burst of engine. To avoid the fast flowing tide sweeping us past the gap in the mole.
Safely inside the outer breakwater, we throttle back. Taking the opportunity to rig lines and fenders, whilst the evening ferry departs.
Stargazer heads in, past the grand Gare Maritime, to find a snug berth. Deep within the harbour and head up, to the easterly gale, which is forecast for tomorrow.
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