What an interesting journey

Well I made it home eventually and thought I would let you know of the trials and tribulations of covering 1200 miles in a 13year old car. When I went to check the car over the sun of Spain had dried out the battery and the engine coolant. No real problem except try getting a battery of certain dimensions and terminals the opposite way round to anything the shops have in stock, so out came the angle grinder and a bigger one put in the opposite way round.

Off we set with the tank full of diesel 1.18euro a litre if bought after 9.30 at night as it's serve yourself and card in the machine and the hire car gets dropped off at Barcelona airport and we continue on to an overnight at Bordeaux. Set off at the usual sedentary pace the next morning (don't go over 60 in the car as it might breakdown being under strain) and arrive at Cherbourg well in time for the boat which closes the gate at 8.30

Now the interesting bit

Join the line for the boat at around half seven and plenty of cars Motorhomes etc all there, and it takes to half eight to get on board as it was late in due to bad weather the previous night.

Got a nice cabin, went and got a bit of food which was ok and went back to the cabin, then came the captains message warning of in his words extremely rough seas and the journey would take longer. Finally the boat sets off at 11pm and as I lay there it started not to rock but feel as though it was imitating every Big Dipper in the world, at one stage during the night I was sliding up and down the bed as well as side to side. To say I was I'll was an understatement, we finally got off at 8pm last night which was earlier than the 10pm he had quoted! That was around 6hours later than planned, I don't think I want to do that route again. Especially with the 4hour journey up the road afterwards.

It's now sitting in the driveway, not a problem with it along the way

I have toned it down from what I experienced! I really will have to give big thoughts but looks like I will take land bridge from here on.

Sounds terrible John.
Which crossing was it?

It was the Irish Ferries Cherbourg to Rosslare. To be fair it wasnt the fault of Irish Ferries and they provided a free meal yesterday evening for everyone on board, but the sheer length of time on board on an extremely rough crossing!!!!

Depends on the time of year, plus chucking your guts up for 24 hours makes the drive a pleasure. I would have been home a lot earlier than the direct sailing.

We had rough weather last June on that route. It really is luck of the draw with weather.

Oh dear fellas, better not tell herself... She hates the ferries... Best get plenty of the antidote, vin rouge... :whistle:

I don't blame you. Booze and rough seas just don't mix.

John, I was nearly sick reading about your crossing!

We were on the same crossing as, Mark! it was fair bad, I was sick for the whole crossing and I had sea sick tablets taken, same story the year before coming back from France with Celtic, I am not looking forward to the longer ld sailing this year.

Now that sounds like a voice of experience


Thanks for the tip

My motto is worry about it if it happens

As far as I know dogs should be fine on the sea,

I honestly have not overstated how bad, but the access to the outside decks was closed during the night and no children were allowed unless accompanied. It was at times a test in your faith, I am not a good boat person but Angela told me that in the day light she never saw so many ill looking and subdued people.

One of the things which happened was when the boat got to the top of a large wave and dropped down when it hit the water apart from the bang and crash noise it bounced in the water, I have never experienced that ever.

We had one previous bad crossing but it was a mild swell compared to this beaut, the strange thing was it was a lovely sunny day in Cherbourg and at home. You just don't know what the weather will be like, it's a large expanse of water to cross so there will be times it will be bad, e main thing to take into account is that the captain will not put people in harms way.

I was on a 14 HOUR Larne to Stranraer crossing about 20 years ago in January or February . We got stuck out in a major storm. They tried to get in at Stranraer but the waves were breaking over the car park sea walls and flooding the entire dock, they headed for Liverpool at a stage, then talked about returning to Belfast, the bar closed because of kegs rolling around inside the bar. The food hall closed because the chip oil had overflowed with the swaying of the boat. All staff appeared to disappear, I went to the cinema because I thought it would be dark and quiet but the curtains drifted across the screen as the boat lolled and listed. I went to a quiet remote mens toilet at a stage because the popular ones were a complete mess with people being sick. One of the cubicle doors opened with the sudden movement of the ship as I entered to expose and elderly lady with her knickers round her ankles on the toilet, false teeth in hand who apologised immediately that she was "going at both ends". Vehicles were damaged on the vehicle decks with some breaking hold down chains.
I have been on the boat at least 30 times since and often would meet staff or lorry drivers on board who recall the crossing and say they thought it was going to go down that night.
I still would rather get on the boat than fly though.

John it must have been a bad experience? I get the feeling you won't be doing it again?

Stuff of nightmares.

Jack, I will be giving it serious consideration as to how to drive to Spain again and at the moment its landbridge all the way for me.

It's was supposed to be a 2 hr crossing Ken

even rowed faster, as growling like a lion wont get you anywhere