Here I was, minding my own business, sailing east into the Rade De Brest, with Moulin Blanc visible in the distance when there was an infernal racket and a French naval helicopter swooped down and hovered 50 metres to stbd, with the crewman gesticulating wildly. Resisting the urge to return the favour with a well known anglo-saxon gesticulation of my own, I spoke to them on channel 16 and they told me that a French nuke was on its way out and that I would have to detour to the south and go round its stern.
Naturally I agreed, saying that the Royal Navy would do anything to oblige the French Navy. I don't think they do irony. However I complied, sort of that is, by lurking to the south of the channel just inside the Rade, by some convenient rocks, until the direct route was clear again. The paraffin pigeon kept coming back and eyeballing me.... I mean, come on, 4 tonnes of fibreglass is a real threat to 8000 tonnes of nuclear submarine.... I don't think!