After all the frustrations and delays of the last few months we finally start another trip. We leave home at 14:00, way earlier than necessary, for a showery drive to Plymouth.

Today, because we have time, we use the Torpoint ferry instead of the bridge. There is no queuing and we are in Plymouth before the rush hour begins, arriving at the terminal at 16:00. Even this early there are vehicles already here.

Dinner is a reheated stew from home eaten as the rain pelts down. Check in starts early but then it's a long wait to board. In front of us a motorcyclist starts smoking a cigarette through the bottom of his helmet. After a few puffs he opens the visor and it's like a kipper factory, and when he pulls the helmet off there is so much smoke it looks like his head is smouldering. Before he can finish puffing the marshal signals him to board. For us as is often the case we are virtually last on at 21.40

The bars are closed, but self service does 50cl bottles of Cote du Rhone at €5.60 so we enjoy one of those with a plate of hot, salty French fries as mv Bretagne casts off and we really are on our way.

Back in the cabin we are preparing to turn in when there is a knock on the door and a steward tells us there is an alarm from our cabin. We say we made no call and he goes. Twice more in 15 minutes we are called upon, the last time by the safety officer who fiddles with the pull-cords and talks to reception on his radio.

Finally we are left in peace and rocked to sleep as Bretagne digs her way into the strong southwesterly wind.