willdouglas
Active Member
Thanks to all who posted advice in the River Conditions thread about the draw-off at Richmond. Me and my rookie crew left Chiswick Quay at 08h30 yesterday and got to Shepperton marina around 16h00. We made it through Richmond fine - plenty of water. Inconsequential delays at Teddington Lock while I purchased my daily license (many thanks to the keeper there for his friendly advice). Also, realising that our early return this morning would mean that there was unlikely to be keepers at Sunbury and Molesey I got a very useful lesson in lock control panels from the lovely keeper at Molesey. Which was handy beacuse we reached Sunbury at 13h10 when the keeper was on his lunch break so we immediately deployed our newly learned skills with deft and assured aplomb!
Only two other delays were when we lost a fender overboard (thanks to the couple in the speedboat who rescued it) and an hourlong welcome break for some decent pub grub at the Weir pub. Just what we needed to perk us up after our very early start.
Thanks to very helpful marina staff at Shepperton - especially Billie and the chap on the fuel pump and to Russell in the chandlery which seems to me very well stocked. Nearly bought a raymarine chartplotter but ,managed to hold off until next year!
Excellent dinner at the Flower pot in Sunbury. Then back to the boat for some much needed shut-eye. Or so I thought......
One of my crew members snored so much and so loudly I had to leave the boat and check myself in to the Holiday Inn for some proper kip!
Set off at the crack of dawn this morning. Windy!!
We managed Sunbury and Molesey locks on our own.
Only downspot, heading downstream from Shepperton we came across a substantial 15ft piece of drift wood (more like tree trunk) just at the upstream entrance to Sunbury lock. Using a boat hook I managed to get it out of the lock and pulled it towards the south bank. I hauled it out of the water as much as I could. I have since rung the lock keeper and informed them. They will have it removed by one of their tugs.
Made it through Richmond just fine as it was near enough to HW. And then on to our blessed home base at Chiswick Quay.
Saw about 10 other vessels over the two days - most of which were PLA or commercial. The river was beautiful. And oh so quiet. My cousin and his girlfriend couldn't believe it and had no idea it was such a lush stretch out of London. I consider myself very lucky to be able to use it!
Only two other delays were when we lost a fender overboard (thanks to the couple in the speedboat who rescued it) and an hourlong welcome break for some decent pub grub at the Weir pub. Just what we needed to perk us up after our very early start.
Thanks to very helpful marina staff at Shepperton - especially Billie and the chap on the fuel pump and to Russell in the chandlery which seems to me very well stocked. Nearly bought a raymarine chartplotter but ,managed to hold off until next year!
Excellent dinner at the Flower pot in Sunbury. Then back to the boat for some much needed shut-eye. Or so I thought......
One of my crew members snored so much and so loudly I had to leave the boat and check myself in to the Holiday Inn for some proper kip!
Set off at the crack of dawn this morning. Windy!!
We managed Sunbury and Molesey locks on our own.
Only downspot, heading downstream from Shepperton we came across a substantial 15ft piece of drift wood (more like tree trunk) just at the upstream entrance to Sunbury lock. Using a boat hook I managed to get it out of the lock and pulled it towards the south bank. I hauled it out of the water as much as I could. I have since rung the lock keeper and informed them. They will have it removed by one of their tugs.
Made it through Richmond just fine as it was near enough to HW. And then on to our blessed home base at Chiswick Quay.
Saw about 10 other vessels over the two days - most of which were PLA or commercial. The river was beautiful. And oh so quiet. My cousin and his girlfriend couldn't believe it and had no idea it was such a lush stretch out of London. I consider myself very lucky to be able to use it!
