Moving Osprey to Cherbourg Inner Basin

Just after half past eleven at night, I brought Osprey solo into Cherbourg Inner Harbour. This move wasn’t rushed. I’d planned it carefully, spending hours on the dock beforehand, watching traffic patterns, weather windows, and how the harbour actually behaves at night. After a couple of days studying conditions, I shifted the boat from the outer waiting dock into the security of Cherbourg Inner Harbour—a place with a long history as a refuge on the Normandy coast. This year’s weather has been noticeably harsher than usual. I’ve had messages from subscribers reporting damage to boats all along the south coast of the UK, so being here isn’t just convenient, it’s appropriate. Berth One is an honour to be alongside—but doing it alone changes everything. Solo means slow, deliberate, and methodical. Every step has to be thought through. Every failure mode considered in advance. This footage is less about drama and more about process: planning, patience, and respecting the reality of moving a big boat without crew, late at night, in a working harbour. Sometimes the quiet decisions matter most. THE MARINER @ PATREON.COM To support the production of this material please consider heading over to Patreon where for $5 a month you can get access to all the extra content, including the narrated version of this video (concentrating on the seamanship, safety aspects & stories surrounding what is going on in this video), livestream Q&A's, free consultancy PLUS merch, and exclusive sponsor sailing trips with CSM. Sponsored Events with the Mariner. If you would like to join me on board the 80 foot Maxi 'Osprey' for a 5 day voyage north from Antigua to Bernuda early April 2026, or the Newport Bermuda Race in June 2026, (or the return trip!) make contact with me at: CSMtheMariner.com. 10 sponsor berths left for NBR2026! The Mariner's Library Podcast After reading so many sailing books from the past 120 years I am starting to recognize certain authors who I had never heard of before starting the Mariner's Library who were giants within the sailing community a life time ago. One of the most commonly referenced authors from the first half of the 20th century has to be Weston Martyr, and the book everyone compliments is 'The Southseaman'. Available anywhere you stream podcasts: https://Themarinerslibrary.podbean.com/e/255-the-southseaman-weston-martyr-part-3/ #navy #shipping #ships #ocean #sailing #yacht #themariner