When we set the alarms last night we knew the van clocks were on French time but hadn't realised it was French summertime. Also didn't realise Nick's Nokia alarm phone was stll on BST. Nokia rings at 06:00, van clock says 07:00, time to get up.

Washed, dressed, thought it was going to be a quiet sailing as no-one around then got into cab to check in. Cab clock says 06:00. And is right. We've got up a whole hour too early!

At check in we go through the 3m height barrier but the tip of the TV aerial touches it and is noticed by the check in lady. She warns us that on a busy sailing we might be refused travel on m.v. Barfleur as the decks are sometimes configured with a fixed 3m headroom. We'll remove the aerial twig before that happens.

Customs wave us straight through and we are parked in the 'last on' queue, which gives us a grand view of an impatient German who, when the lane cone is removed, takes off and turns against the barrier, leaving half his rear door paint behind and reshaping the door as well.

We have a cooked breakfast then go to our cabin to catch up the lost sleep. It's a smooth crossing with weather improving as we head south but as we approach Cherbourg there is an announcement.

Due to a technical problem with No.2 terminal's ramp we have to go to No.6 and disembarkation will be slower. Once all the vehicles on the lower deck have disembarked, two sections of portable deck are raised to reveal a large drop to deck 3. Then the deck 3 lift is deployed, lowering 6-8 cars at a time from deck 5 to deck 3, from where it's a level drive off the ship.

We have a short, damp drive through autumn colours, to St Vast la Hougue, stopping breifly at Intermarche, to the aire with views of the fort.

We reset all clocks to the correct local time, have a warming bowl of tagliatelli bolognese and a couple of glasses of wine before turning in early.