We worked at the school yesterday and were supposed to work again today but when we got back to the boat we were told that the seal on the lock gate was broken and the lock was going to be taken out of action for 4 – 6 weeks so if we wanted to do the tidal Thames we had to leave at 6.30am today or go all the way back round the Regents Park Canal to get to Brentford. A quick call to John at the school, up at 5.45am and ready to embark on our adventure. We arranged to travel with Rob on Weston Lady and Chris and Elaine on Jophina II as we didn’t have a VHF radio but they both did so we travelled in the middle. Rob also kindly lent me a life jacket as I had bought a buoyancy aid rather than a life jacket! Unfortunately the weather conditions were not on our side – it was very overcast and very windy! We left Limehouse lock at 7.20am on the turning tide and had to head for St Katherine’s Dock before the tide turned against us. We then had to wait in St Katherine’s Dock until 4.30pm when the tide was back in our favour. Although this wasn’t a planned stop it was lovely – we were moored up opposite the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Barge and were surrounded by millions of pounds worth of boats.
We eventually got to Brentford at 8pm. Rob and Chris and Elaine were travelling onto
Teddington but we needed to go back to the school on Wednesday to finish off
the chairs.
Happy Birthday Fiona for tomorrow! |
| Into the lock at Limehouse |
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| Gates are open! |
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| Out into the big wide Thames!!!! |
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| Don't look so nervous Steve - you're the captain! |
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| Canary Wharf |
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| Chris and Elaine in front of us and the Shard - look at that sky - it's very windy out here. |
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| Rob following on behind |
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| Nestled between the Gerkin and Heron Tower you can just see the top of 99 Bishopsgate where I used to work! |
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| The Prospect of Whitby - supposed to be the oldest pub on the Thames - Phil and Claire do you remember having a drink there when Steve took us on that epic walk to find it!! |
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| Approaching Tower Bridge, St Katherine's is just before on the right hand side. |
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| Moored up in St Katherine's dock - that's the Queen's Jubilee Barge you can just see over the front of The June Rose. |
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| Wow! |
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| Very impressive |
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| Into the Lock at St Katherine's with a lovely old Thames Barge |
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| Bye Bye St Katherine's |
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| Everything looks big from here! |
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| Slow down clipper - you're creating too much wash! |
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| Clarksons - this one is for you Rob and Hilly! |
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| City of London Boy's School - we are usually looking out of the window rather than into it! |
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| The London Eye |
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| The houses of Parliament |
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| Quack Quack! |
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| Concentrating hard! |
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| Let me have a go! |
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| Small Pad by the river |
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| The entrance to The Grand Union at Brentford |
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| Thames Lock at Brentford where the tidal part of the Thames ends |
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| Annie - the Lockkeeper - what a great lady! |
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