Cantata
Well-Known Member
But they are shown on the charts. (And in good pilot books).
Off to London
- Thread starter CliveG
- Start date
CPD
Well-Known Member
Great photos Clive, the trip is pencilled in for next year.
CliveG
Well-Known Member
St. Kats Dock VHF
Had a chat with the Lock Keeper about this.
They has noe got a hand held that allows them to call boats in when they are working the lock.
They hope to continue working that way as long a OFCOM don't tell then off for using the handheld from shore they will work that way from now on.
Had a chat with the Lock Keeper about this.
They has noe got a hand held that allows them to call boats in when they are working the lock.
They hope to continue working that way as long a OFCOM don't tell then off for using the handheld from shore they will work that way from now on.
Cantata
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that. I talked to them 2 maybe 3 years ago about this and the reason then was that they didn't have a hand-held they could use!
CliveG
Well-Known Member
Fruther Update
We walked our legs off around London looking for a chandlery to buy a Winch handle pocket as part of Sirenia's on-going re-fit.
We found one under Blackfriars bridge. Some chandlery, no pocket but loads of diving and water skiing kit.
There is a Nauticalia in Convent Garden but it is only a gift shop.
There is Arthur Beale's in Shaftesbury Avenue but they only seem to stock blocks, rope, screws etc.
We then visited HMS Belfast.
That was most interesting.
The trip home started on Thursday morning, High Tide London Bridge was at 05:54.
St. Kats Lock is not maned before 06:00 but they opened the bridges in the dock to allow those that had booked to leave access to the lock at 05:55.
We left the lock at 06:35 behind a large Thames Barge.
Heading off down river pass all the sights again we where puzzled by this ship section by the O2 arena.
We had contacted the Thames Barrier by VHF after leaving St. Kats and were instructed to call again when we had the barrier in sight.
This we did and they allocated span Bravo to us.
This is the narrower opening at the south end of the barrier.
The Gate in Span Charley was raised.
There was a lot of disturbed water down stream of the barrier.
Under the QEII bridge again.
We managed to get as far as off Southend before the tide turned against us.
It was decided to have a try for Havengore so we went along the north side of the estuary waiting for enough water to cross the sands.
I think that we may have tried the wrong route, it was a bit to bumpy and a bit to early.
We started hitting the bottom quite soon after leaving the deep water and gave up in the plan.
We went bach to Queenborough and spend a rolly and noisy night on one of the buoys by the all tied landing.
High water Sheerness was 05:04 yesterday morning and we left at 06:15.
the wind was NE to NNE and around 15 to 18kts.
We motorsailed into it tacking to get a good angle on the waves.
The exit from Sheerness was very unpleasant with steep waves.
We had the tide with us until we crossed the spitway into the Wallet at 11:11
We then spent wet hours punching wind and tide to get to the Naze.
Now back at Shotly.
We brought a Winch handle pocket here.
We walked our legs off around London looking for a chandlery to buy a Winch handle pocket as part of Sirenia's on-going re-fit.
We found one under Blackfriars bridge. Some chandlery, no pocket but loads of diving and water skiing kit.
There is a Nauticalia in Convent Garden but it is only a gift shop.
There is Arthur Beale's in Shaftesbury Avenue but they only seem to stock blocks, rope, screws etc.
We then visited HMS Belfast.
That was most interesting.
The trip home started on Thursday morning, High Tide London Bridge was at 05:54.
St. Kats Lock is not maned before 06:00 but they opened the bridges in the dock to allow those that had booked to leave access to the lock at 05:55.
We left the lock at 06:35 behind a large Thames Barge.
Heading off down river pass all the sights again we where puzzled by this ship section by the O2 arena.
We had contacted the Thames Barrier by VHF after leaving St. Kats and were instructed to call again when we had the barrier in sight.
This we did and they allocated span Bravo to us.
This is the narrower opening at the south end of the barrier.
The Gate in Span Charley was raised.
There was a lot of disturbed water down stream of the barrier.
Under the QEII bridge again.
We managed to get as far as off Southend before the tide turned against us.
It was decided to have a try for Havengore so we went along the north side of the estuary waiting for enough water to cross the sands.
I think that we may have tried the wrong route, it was a bit to bumpy and a bit to early.
We started hitting the bottom quite soon after leaving the deep water and gave up in the plan.
We went bach to Queenborough and spend a rolly and noisy night on one of the buoys by the all tied landing.
High water Sheerness was 05:04 yesterday morning and we left at 06:15.
the wind was NE to NNE and around 15 to 18kts.
We motorsailed into it tacking to get a good angle on the waves.
The exit from Sheerness was very unpleasant with steep waves.
We had the tide with us until we crossed the spitway into the Wallet at 11:11
We then spent wet hours punching wind and tide to get to the Naze.
Now back at Shotly.
We brought a Winch handle pocket here.
MoodySabre
Well-Known Member
Thanks Clive - good stuff.
I know from my days of having a boat at Westcliff-on-Sea that Q'boro is no place to be if there is any North in the wind and wind over tide coming out of the Medway is orrible with a capital O.
Must try the trip one day.
I know from my days of having a boat at Westcliff-on-Sea that Q'boro is no place to be if there is any North in the wind and wind over tide coming out of the Medway is orrible with a capital O.
Must try the trip one day.
AndyAndKatie
Well-Known Member
Well done Clive. Looks like you had a Great trip. We have been up to St.Kats twice now. First time was back at Easter, and then we went up there the first week of Aug and spent the week there, using the boat as a very cheap hotel for Sight-seeing London.
I've only just read this thread but one thing I will mention for anyone else thinking of doing this trip is that the flood tide Up river is more or less 1 hour longer that usual because of the difference in HW sheerness and HW London Bridge.. But that also means its 1 hour LESS on the ebb back down. It also gets very very shallow on the soutern shore near the O2 (Dome), just passed the section of ship thats been cut up for desplay.
Also, one thing that I thought was Great.. was watching the GPS change from East to West at 00 deg 00.00 as you turn to port and go round the Isle of Dogs!!...
Its a great trip that we will def do again. There is just so much to see enroute that you cant possibly see it all on one trip..
I've only just read this thread but one thing I will mention for anyone else thinking of doing this trip is that the flood tide Up river is more or less 1 hour longer that usual because of the difference in HW sheerness and HW London Bridge.. But that also means its 1 hour LESS on the ebb back down. It also gets very very shallow on the soutern shore near the O2 (Dome), just passed the section of ship thats been cut up for desplay.
Also, one thing that I thought was Great.. was watching the GPS change from East to West at 00 deg 00.00 as you turn to port and go round the Isle of Dogs!!...
Its a great trip that we will def do again. There is just so much to see enroute that you cant possibly see it all on one trip..
CliveG
Well-Known Member
London Next year
There is a sort of outline plan to make St Kats a follow on from next years Oostend trip for any that are intrested.
Assuming that Oostend is 29th to 31st May the tides should work well for a trip up the Thames from the Medway during the week.
There is a sort of outline plan to make St Kats a follow on from next years Oostend trip for any that are intrested.
Assuming that Oostend is 29th to 31st May the tides should work well for a trip up the Thames from the Medway during the week.