PaulGooch
Well-Known Member
Coming up to the weekend of the 18th/19th Sept and the forecast was looking good. The fishing off the East coast had been nothing to write home about, so we decided if the weather held, we'd make a trip up The Thames. We'd planned this for East bank holiday and a couple of other weekends during the Summer, but the weather always let us down. I kept a careful eye on the forecasts and checked the tides. Unfortunately, we'd have to push the tide all the way there and possibly back again too.
I checked the St Katherine dock website and found that their was no late afternoon/evening lock in window. I called South Dock, the nice lady said that due to the tide, the earliest we could get in was 21:00, i told her this would be fine and she pointed out that they closed at 19:00, useful. She suggested the morning lock in, yes, very useful, we'll motor through the night, then spend the day asleep in the marina, spent the night there too, as we can't lock out Doh!
I called the marina on Gallions Point and they said we should be able to get in at around 17:15 and they were open until 19:00. Bit of a small window, but i figured if we were sitting outside the lock waiting for some water, they wouldn't lock up and go home.
Saturday 18th 08:45 we locked out of Shotley marina, myself, SWMBO, and a couple of friends. Plenty of provisions for 12 people to stay aboard for a month, including a small amount of alcohol
Obviously if we'd been visiting Wales, we'd have left most of the food at home, to make room for more alcohol 
Oh, full tank of diesel (235 ltrs) and 100 ltrs in cans in the lazarette, as a reserve.
The sea was surprisingly lumpy with a mere 8 knots of wind coming off the shore, but nothing too uncomfortable. As we crossed the windfarm at Gunfleet Sands we noticed quite a few angling boats dotted around. As we were pushing the ebb tide straight on the bow, we were cruising at 14 knots, no big deal, we weren't in a race.
Very uneventful trip along the East Coast, not seeing another boat at all, apart from the fishing boats at Gunfleet. As we passed Foulness Island, we passed a sailboat going the other way. As we rounded Maplin Sands we could see a few small fishing charter boats anchored up and a couple of smallish commercial ships. I expected things to get pretty busy soon, really didn't know just how busy, but this is The Thames.
Sarfend off the Stb side :
A wreck just off the beach :
The Dutch registered Artemis, heading for Sarfend pier :
Sarfend pier :
The Shell refinery at Canvey, couldn't help but wonder about security issues :
Getting a few miles inland now, not seen any boats since Artemis at Southend.
The Queen Elizabeth II bridge at Dartford (Dartford Crossing). Not being a lover of heights, this isn't my favourite bridge, was OK from down here though. Hundreds of cars and lorries, all stationary :
Getting a real feeling of getting into the city now, as we reach the Woolwich ferry. Since Southend, we've only passed two small sailing boats, where is everyone ?
One of the Woolwich ferries :
Some pics of the Thames Barrier, we had to radio London VTS for permission to pass through the barrier and instructions for which span to use.
More to follow shortly.....
I checked the St Katherine dock website and found that their was no late afternoon/evening lock in window. I called South Dock, the nice lady said that due to the tide, the earliest we could get in was 21:00, i told her this would be fine and she pointed out that they closed at 19:00, useful. She suggested the morning lock in, yes, very useful, we'll motor through the night, then spend the day asleep in the marina, spent the night there too, as we can't lock out Doh!
I called the marina on Gallions Point and they said we should be able to get in at around 17:15 and they were open until 19:00. Bit of a small window, but i figured if we were sitting outside the lock waiting for some water, they wouldn't lock up and go home.
Saturday 18th 08:45 we locked out of Shotley marina, myself, SWMBO, and a couple of friends. Plenty of provisions for 12 people to stay aboard for a month, including a small amount of alcohol
Obviously if we'd been visiting Wales, we'd have left most of the food at home, to make room for more alcohol Oh, full tank of diesel (235 ltrs) and 100 ltrs in cans in the lazarette, as a reserve. The sea was surprisingly lumpy with a mere 8 knots of wind coming off the shore, but nothing too uncomfortable. As we crossed the windfarm at Gunfleet Sands we noticed quite a few angling boats dotted around. As we were pushing the ebb tide straight on the bow, we were cruising at 14 knots, no big deal, we weren't in a race.
Very uneventful trip along the East Coast, not seeing another boat at all, apart from the fishing boats at Gunfleet. As we passed Foulness Island, we passed a sailboat going the other way. As we rounded Maplin Sands we could see a few small fishing charter boats anchored up and a couple of smallish commercial ships. I expected things to get pretty busy soon, really didn't know just how busy, but this is The Thames.
Sarfend off the Stb side :
A wreck just off the beach :
The Dutch registered Artemis, heading for Sarfend pier :
Sarfend pier :
The Shell refinery at Canvey, couldn't help but wonder about security issues :
Getting a few miles inland now, not seen any boats since Artemis at Southend.
The Queen Elizabeth II bridge at Dartford (Dartford Crossing). Not being a lover of heights, this isn't my favourite bridge, was OK from down here though. Hundreds of cars and lorries, all stationary :
Getting a real feeling of getting into the city now, as we reach the Woolwich ferry. Since Southend, we've only passed two small sailing boats, where is everyone ?
One of the Woolwich ferries :
Some pics of the Thames Barrier, we had to radio London VTS for permission to pass through the barrier and instructions for which span to use.
More to follow shortly.....
