50:43.5N 01:36.0E

We set off to the Hamble on May 21 with and objective of visiting Guernsey to pick up some kit.  The weather forecast was SW 4 or 5. We had a gentle day on Saturday, motoring most of the time, but as we approached Dover the forecast was deteriorating.  With the Channel Islands our destination, we decided to head south across the shipping lanes, the idea being that if the weather deteriorated further we could abort to Boulogne if necessary.  As if on cue, as we crossed the shipping lane, HM Coastguard cheerily called up to advise that there was a SW gale F8 or severe gale F9 due within 12 hours – (forecast that included forecasts of violent storms in many sea areas!) – well before we were going to get to St Peter Port  - - so guess what?  Boulogne it was … and ashore for a meal.

Now – Boulogne used to be a busy ferry port but that business is now gone. The old ferry terminal dominates the port entrance  and has been annexed by just about every herring gull in N France as far as we could tell. They made a tremendous noise and had turned the various nooks , crannies and ledges of the ferry terminal (and not a few boats moored beneath) white with their guano.

The weather didn’t moderate  on Sunday so the crew went ashore to watch the football (the league deciders). I stayed behind to do a few things.  

What little I have heard about the French Customs has not led me to expect a  visit from them to be a particularly enjoyable experience at any time – rule bound, sticklers for paperwork, spot fines for discrepancies etc.. Being a brand new yacht on a delivery to Hamble, I had no intention of visiting France and I knew that consequently we did not have all the paperwork on board that they would require. So when the peremptory “rat-a-tat-tat” resounded through the hull, I confess that my morale dropped somewhat.

I was boarded by five officers. Two were deployed to search the yacht – one to the chart table to view the log – and the other two did a good cop/bad cop interview of the owner. I produced what paperwork I had and printed off copies of some of the required documents that I did have scans of.   To cut a long story short, I had the presence of mind to keep repeating that we were there because of stress of weather, that our destination was not France.  “Good Cop” appeared to have some understanding of the UK VAT regime and the Sailaway Yacht Scheme. “Bad Cop” seemed to have a single minded intent to impound the boat and her owner.  All five of them had a heated debate (in French  - the gist of which I gleaned only the faintest inkling) and gradually scowls turned to smiles as they decided they had easier fish to fry.  They stepped off the yacht politely, bid me adieu and to enjoy Boulogne and  then went over to torment the owner of a motor cruiser alongside.

At dawn the following day, we set off in a SW4/5 forecast for a long daysail to Brighton and again the  following day to the Hamble. Mission accomplished.