If you boat in the UK, crossing open water – preferably into foreign waters – is the prerequisite ‘coming of age’ journey. It is the voyage one must make to feel properly salty, and perhaps allow you to scratch your initials into the yacht club bar or some such tradition. I’m certain that this competitive urge to head offshore doesn’t exist in other countries. Italian boaters, for instance, are not expected to head straight to Croatia to be accepted by their peers, and clearly French skippers don’t feel any pressure to head north across the English Channel because, well, we would have seen them. But us Brits like to fly the ensign in foreign ports, and that means getting to grips with proper seamanship issues like tides and wind direction.

On a paper chart a passage can look like a mere smattering of miles, but a lot can happen in a few hours at sea. Some of my best and worst memories have come from ‘quick blasts’ across the Channel.

There was that unfortunate occasion when I lost a turbo when crossing the shipping lanes in fog. At the time, with smoke billowing out of the saloon, I thought we were on fire, so on reflection a self-destructing turbo seems like a lucky escape.

Catching a nasty bit of wind over tide when heading through the Little Russell is another memory that sticks in the mind, no matter how much I shell out on therapy to remove it.

Having said that, I’ll never forget one late afternoon arrival into Saint-Malo, and the sight of the old fortified town lit up by the setting sun. Or the sheer nautical glory of arriving into Alderney’s Braye Harbour. OK, this isn’t strictly a foreign port but extra points are awarded for any cruise with the word ‘Alderney’ in it, due to the fact that you have to berth on a swing mooring and stand the chance of being beaten up by a north-easterly wind.

To make sure you experience the more enjoyable aspects of offshore cruising this season we have put together a top-drawer cruising package of guides, passage planning and even an in-depth look at keeping your boat in the Netherlands. I warn you though, if you have recently paid your UK berthing fees this last feature might make you cry (and then cancel that cheque). Happy cruising.

Carl Richardson, Editor