PEJ
Well-Known Member
Thanks to all those on the forum who helped my with my trip. If you were out on the water on Saturday then I waved to you because I waved to everyone, you are a friendly lot you Thames people! I was in a blue 6.5m Ribeye Rib. The only one on the river that day as far as I could see.
For the benefit of anyone else who might like to do the same or similar here is a mini report.
Launched at MDL's Penton Hook. Slipway a bit tricky to back in to but very secure place to leave the trailer. The stretch of river just down from Penton Hook is lovely, I was enjoying myself from the first minute. Into Chertsey Lock (I think) and got my licence from the lock keeper, £16.50.
Nice slow cruise down river. It’s funny how you know where you are when you are there, but looking back now I can’t remember where I came across a load of sailing boats. I travel all that way from the Solent to get away from threading my way around raggies only to find millions of them on the Thames!
All the locks were full with boats except Teddington where I was the only one. I got to Richmond very near low tide and had to go in to the building to find the Locky hoovering up. He wasn’t expecting anyone at that state of tide.
The stretch around kew at low tide looks like a dessert waste land, it was pretty shallow but I got through OK. The RIB spent the night at Chiswick Pier. Very nice chap there, really helpful. Huge tide running through, had to put the engine in idle just to stay put against the pontoon. Stayed in a hotel nearby.
Next day, off to central London, cameras clicking as we passed the touristy bits. Went down as far as the barrier. Lovely day, flat calm down there, whizzing along at 25 mph, breeze in my face – super!. Locked into Limehouse, lunch in a pub nearby. Low tide getting out of the lock but got out fine. Back through central London and up to Chiswick where I drove back to Penton to get the trailer and back to Putney. Took about 90 minutes meanwhile my son took a mate who he had met up with back to Tower Bridge and back, said he was doing 32mph at one point not gaining on another RIB that over took him going even faster.
Recovery was tricky in the tide but I knew it would be. Strapped her up and home by 9.00pm. Fantastic weekend. Such a contrast between the east end docks at one end and the flower laden chalets with swans swanning around at the other end. I hope you Thames boys appreciate how lucky you are.
For the benefit of anyone else who might like to do the same or similar here is a mini report.
Launched at MDL's Penton Hook. Slipway a bit tricky to back in to but very secure place to leave the trailer. The stretch of river just down from Penton Hook is lovely, I was enjoying myself from the first minute. Into Chertsey Lock (I think) and got my licence from the lock keeper, £16.50.
Nice slow cruise down river. It’s funny how you know where you are when you are there, but looking back now I can’t remember where I came across a load of sailing boats. I travel all that way from the Solent to get away from threading my way around raggies only to find millions of them on the Thames!
All the locks were full with boats except Teddington where I was the only one. I got to Richmond very near low tide and had to go in to the building to find the Locky hoovering up. He wasn’t expecting anyone at that state of tide.
The stretch around kew at low tide looks like a dessert waste land, it was pretty shallow but I got through OK. The RIB spent the night at Chiswick Pier. Very nice chap there, really helpful. Huge tide running through, had to put the engine in idle just to stay put against the pontoon. Stayed in a hotel nearby.
Next day, off to central London, cameras clicking as we passed the touristy bits. Went down as far as the barrier. Lovely day, flat calm down there, whizzing along at 25 mph, breeze in my face – super!. Locked into Limehouse, lunch in a pub nearby. Low tide getting out of the lock but got out fine. Back through central London and up to Chiswick where I drove back to Penton to get the trailer and back to Putney. Took about 90 minutes meanwhile my son took a mate who he had met up with back to Tower Bridge and back, said he was doing 32mph at one point not gaining on another RIB that over took him going even faster.
Recovery was tricky in the tide but I knew it would be. Strapped her up and home by 9.00pm. Fantastic weekend. Such a contrast between the east end docks at one end and the flower laden chalets with swans swanning around at the other end. I hope you Thames boys appreciate how lucky you are.
