Armorique (2009/29,468gt) concluded her stint on the Poole-Cherbourg route on 7 March when Captain Denes took command for the 1230 departure to Cherbourg, which was also the last conventional passenger sailing from the Dorset port.

Following the withdrawal of regular vessel Barfleur (1992/20,133gt) at the end of January, ferry services from Poole are now operated by Brittany Ferries' freight-only Cotentin (2007/22,542gt) to Cherbourg and Santander and seasonally by Condor Ferries' high-speed craft Condor Express and Condor Vitesse to Jersey, Guernsey, St Malo as well as Cherbourg under agreement with Brittany Ferries.

Armorique operated briefly on the Portsmouth-Caen route before moving west to take up normal Plymouth-Roscoff duties on 14 March.

Kevin Mitchell   http://www.maritimeimages.co.uk