Try the books by David and Joan Hay, particularly 'Cruising in Strange Waters'. They wrote several books such as 'The Solent From the Sea' and 'The Downs from the Sea' all about sailing in these areas with their wooden boat 'Kala Sona'. The vessel (mine now) is mentioned in all of the books I have seen and some have photographs of her. They did not try a circumnavigation but did cruise through the French canals and to Holland and Denmark. Your local library should help.