Sailing out of Poole Harbour

The upper decks of a passenger ferry provide a great platform for photography.

The Brittany Ferries' ship Barfleur is following a pilot boat along the narrow dredged channel in Poole Harbour. Brownsea Island (unseen) is to the right, there is then a tight turn to the left to take us past the southern tip of Sandbanks (near left) and the Studland Peninsula (centre of photo, with local car ferry boat), to enter the English Channel.

The Barfleur will then sail westwards to clear the sand spit and subsequent array of limestone cliffs (visible on the horizon), before heading south towards Normandy.

Photograph taken early in the morning, with no other marine traffic (apart from the little car ferry) in sight.