We left Dunkerque while it was still pitch black outside. The light tower was throwing its light in the misty night which gave a cool, but also somewhat spooky atmosphere. We had watched the entrance well when navigating into port which made our exit easy. Just off the harbour mouth we hoisted our sails and started our journey along the well lit channel: following the buoys.
The journey in itself was rather uneventful: a mix of sailing, motoring and motorsailing (Lisa was again right with the fact that there would be too little winds). As the sun was rising, the skipper went for a little nap leaving the boat to the XO (and by that also killing 1,5h of time).
The landscape suddenly changed when we were nearing the cape Gris Nez: green hill tops with a light house and chalk rocks. The currents did some weird things here too and hence waves were breaking in the middle of what appeared to be nowhere. However, once we had rounded the cape: the annoying swell went away, the wind picked up and we could sail again for the last 2-3h into Boulogne sur Mer.
Recommend by a lot of fellow sailors, we were at first a little disappointed: an industry harbour, with fishing, swell and waves coming into the marina, and of course 1960s architecture characterised by high rising flat buildings. That said, we should be wrong.
At first, Lisa navigated us to a fish restaurant in the industrial area of the port where you would have never expect one. Behind sheds and industrial buildings having seen their prime days long time ago, we enjoyed delightful local seafood. Tired from the journey and the Crémant, we went to bed early to catch up on some sleep.
The next day, we started to explore Boulogne and walked up the hilltop to find small shopping streets an old castle like fortress with the cathedral and its basilica inside of it. Here we enjoyed some croissants, our first flat white with oat milk (André’s research for third wave coffee places again paid off), and an IPA.
We were surprised about the 2000 year history of the town and how it was shaped and with it the cathedral in later years. After that, we did some grocery shopping and rushed back, because today it was cold with only 13-15 degrees, a chilly breeze and clouded skies.
Tomorrow, we will journey towards Dieppe further down the French coast. Stay tuned!
