Popped round to London Day 1

[powerskipper]

Well almost took 3 days
She was a Nelson 42 with a cruising speed of 11 knots ish.
Leaving the Solent we had to have a look at a fort.

we had planned to over night in Brighton, but due to a later than planned start , we arrived near LW and were told we had to wait a couple of hours before we could enter.
So we headed for Eastbourne, which is about 2 hours at our cruising speed.
we saw this and could not make out what it was so went for a closer look.

headland number one

as you can guess the sun started to set.

Arrived at Eastbourne and had to anchor for an hour for enough water to get in.

Got in the Lock finally

Now food and bed was called for. 75 miles at 10ish knots punching tide a lot.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

we had planned to over night in Brighton, but due to a later than planned start , we arrived near LW and were told we had to wait a couple of hours before we could enter.

Why wouldn't they let you in? I thought Brighton was supposed to be accessible at all states of the tide? (It's been a couple of years since I last took a boat into Brighton, so I'm interested to hear what's changed - have they stopped dredging the entrance or something?)

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

75 miles at 10ish knots punching tide a lot.

PS in a 10kt boat, why would you choose to do such a long passage mostly against the tide? Better to sit tight on the berth for a bit, and wait for fair tide, no? Proportionately, 10kts + tide is massively greater than 10kts - tide. Or was there some other imperative to get going?

 

[powerskipper]

mm

PS in a 10kt boat, why would you choose to do such a long passage mostly against the tide? Better to sit tight on the berth for a bit, and wait for fair tide, no? Proportionately, 10kts + tide is massively greater than 10kts - tide. Or was there some other imperative to get going?

had planned to but got delayed leaving. long story......
Brighton and eastbourne have silt in entrance after storms so check with harbors master before entry.

 

[powerskipper]

Day 2
Left Eastbourn at first availble time and got tide going with us. had SOG of 16.5 knots for some of the way with a water speed of 11 knots

then it got a bit foggy,

cleared a bit off Dungeness.

I thought I like taking pic but I was beated on this trip.

Dover

arrived in Ramsgate in daylight and an hour quicker due to tide.

Time to walk the ships dog trev

 

[z1ppy]

trev. great name for a dog that! keep em coming!!

 

[powerskipper]

Day 3

Left Ramsgate at 6.50 am to catch the tide and get to Limehouse when it opened, it was planned to arrive around first opening so if delayed we still had time and if on time we could do the tourist bit.

not much to see of North foreland.

Does not get interesting until Half way along Princess channel.

wind farms, vis still not great.

then shivering towers

Once up the Thames a bit we came across these guys and they used there sound signals to tell us they were turning. So we stopped and watched.

then QE 2 Bridge

Thames Barrier

Dome and chair lift thing.

Went up past Limehouse for a nosy,

we made good time had tide with us up river too,

then back to Limehouse and tied up.
the sun was shining and the boys started to get to know there neighbors.

 

[andy59]

Thanks for posting Powerskipper , allways interesting .

 

[KevB]

Ahhh. The old Woolwich ferry. I was born and bred in Woolwich and spent many a Sunday afternoon on them, doing nothing in particular. Just back and forth across the Thames. occasionally getting off at Silvertown and play in the park before coming back to Woolwich. btw it's after the qe2 bridge heading upstream.

 

[Firefly625]

nice report PS

Nelson 42.... Proper boat

 

[powerskipper]

great boat, does all asked of her with time to think.

 

[AndieMac]

Thanks for the interesting posting PS. The Nelson even had a back-up radar fitted

 

[Fantasie 19]

we saw this and could not make out what it was so went for a closer look.

What is it?? Weather station of some sort?

 

[powerskipper]

Not sure, it was on some kind of grid and tethered to a buoy. Been there for a while to ,
by the growth.

 

[Firefly625]

great boat, does all asked of her with time to think.

indeed... proper old school

.......however, according to some on here, worth just £10k...

 

[burgundyben]

Underway with the forehatch open?

 

[lisilou]

Chomping at the bit to do this Juls!!! Great post hon.
L

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Chomping at the bit to do this Juls!!! Great post hon.
L

Yep, agreed, have always wanted to take my own boat up the Thames, one day...

Julie - did you have to get radio clearance for Dover and the Thames barrier?

 

[oldgit]

Def. needed for barrier or they call will you.

 

[Greg2]

Great report. Gotta love central London on a boat