I have met people who enjoy a channel crossing; men who can sit calmly in their deck-chairs and, on arrival, wait until the boat is moored, then gather their belongings together without fuss and disembark. Personally, I can never manage this. From the moment I get on board I feel that the time is too short to settle down to anything.

I move my suitcases from one spot to another, and if I go down to the saloon for a meal. I bolt my food with an uneasy feeling that the boat may arrive unexpectedly whilst I am below…