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Stayed in an actual hotel in Cobh, seven road miles from Ringaskiddy, where the ferry port was actually located across the bay, it was either that or find a quiet spot in the woods and I wanted to have my act together when crossing into France (turns out I needn't have worried).

It was a 15 hour crossing, due to arrive at sunrise. The ferry was a big boat, like a mini-cruise ship, with restaurants, a pool and a movie theater. Even without a cabin there was floor space to sleep, outlets to plug in the electronics, and accessible showers. The boat was so big up close I couldn't get all of it in a photo.



About a 90 minute wait, bikes had to queue with vehicles, no searches, no dogs (France and Ireland are both EU), just checking documents and boarding passes. I was concerned that since Ireland didn't offically know I was there (there is no border crossing of any sort between Ulster and the Republic) there might be a glitch. Likewise when I returned to the UK after Ireland and France without having officially left the country across a formal border, but again no worries, no search, in my case just passport stamps each arrival. Not even that for most folks on board.





A sailboat (25-30 ft?), somewhere off the coast of France, turning I think in anticipation of our prob'ly quite considerable wake. Every ferry crossing (Isle of Man, Ireland, France and England) I'd see a couple of actual sailors like this, out there in small sailboats, sometimes out of sight of land. My sense of it is there exists a hardcore sailing fraternity out there, and my hat is off to 'em



Next morning, dawn at sea, just surreal....