We’ve crossed a lot of ocean, and generally, once we leave the shore, that’s when the stress begins to fade. The ocean can feel like a wide-open playground.
But zoom out on the charts over the English Channel and it looks like utter chaos.
Ferries running on schedules. Cargo ships holding their lanes. Fishing boats, sailboats, shallow banks, commercial traffic, and shifting current all funneling through the same narrow stretch of water.
More than 400 vessels pass through here every day.
There are no traffic lights or painted lines, but there are lanes, rules, radio channels, and traffic control. It is, in reality, remarkably organized.
That did not make it any less intimidating.
Luckily, my First Mate, Chief Engineer, Purser, and resident over-planner happens to be exceptionally good at this sort of thing. And this was one of those passages where most of the real work happened before we ever left the dock.
Sure, we have crossed much bigger stretches of water before. But this was our first true crossing aboard UNDRA.
After months of commissioning, refit work, troubleshooting, and preparation, we were finally pointing her toward open water.
And somewhere between the shipping lanes and the white cliffs, it began to feel like the journey had finally started.
