White water rafting on the Thames !

normskib

normskib

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Fancy a spot of white water rafting ? no need to go to the Colorado river or Grand Rapids just take a trip to the tidal Thames Twickenham for the white knuckle ride of your life the river here is going like the absolute clappers so why not take your life in in your hands and give it a go ! I estimate it would take about 3 minuets to get from Teddington Lock to Richmond Bridge but it would be undoubtably The most exhilarating and terrifying ride of your life, Or to put it another way when on earth will I be able to get out on my boat this year !!!
 
normskib said:
Fancy a spot of white water rafting ? no need to go to the Colorado river or Grand Rapids just take a trip to the tidal Thames Twickenham for the white knuckle ride of your life the river here is going like the absolute clappers so why not take your life in in your hands and give it a go ! I estimate it would take about 3 minuets to get from Teddington Lock to Richmond Bridge but it would be undoubtably The most exhilarating and terrifying ride of your life, Or to put it another way when on earth will I be able to get out on my boat this year !!!
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"Reds, Reds everywhere, nor any drop to drink"

Sources available to me indicate that the water over a nearby weir is three times the 'normal' for this time of year.

We're all doomed, doomed I tell ye.
Perhaps EA will give 'us' a refund...
 
I received a call from the guy who owns my moorings yesterday, who very kindly rang to tell me to get down there quick before my ropes snapped! I got there in time and went up and down in my wellies adjusting the ropes of other boats and had to cut one fender rope that was caught between the boards of a pontoon and was dragging the owners boat to a point where it was about to take on water.
Flood planes? Yes we've had rain and snow, but it seems like the non tidal Thames can't cope with anything out of the ordinary anymore
 
TrueBlue said:
"Reds, Reds everywhere, nor any drop to drink"

Sources available to me indicate that the water over a nearby weir is three times the 'normal' for this time of year.

We're all doomed, doomed I tell ye.
Perhaps EA will give 'us' a refund...
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It is 3 times normal flows but not unusual now, it's climate change/soggy ground/late winter/trees not in leaf yet/blah blah or brexit or rain or something else wet. Let us know how you get on with the refund claim to the EA :encouragement:
 
boatone said:
The non tidal Thames can cope admirably - but we've rather foolishly built on flood plains and now complain when the river wants to reclaim its space.
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The last time the southeast flooded, there was talk of making the river as deep as is use to be, using the long lost mystical art of dredging. Mr Cameron made all the right noises at the time, I wonder what happened? :D
 
Strawberry said:
Hope it slows down soon - want to spend at least a few days of the Easter hols on the river :-(
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Sadly, that won't happen, it will be red boards for another week and strong stream till end of April, yet, at least. Unless it stops raining for a month.
 
Old Crusty said:
It is 3 times normal flows but not unusual now, it's climate change/soggy ground/late winter/trees not in leaf yet/blah blah or brexit or rain or something else wet. Let us know how you get on with the refund claim to the EA :encouragement:
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Actionmat said:
The last time the southeast flooded, there was talk of making the river as deep as is use to be, using the long lost mystical art of dredging. Mr Cameron made all the right noises at the time, I wonder what happened? :D
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Fat chance of either things happening - however one can dream.....
 
Parabordi said:
Yeah, espeically as Bazzer Russell is up around Bedford having a jolly on the @JohnBunyanBoat - thats how much he cares about us and the Thames.
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Bazza's not a full time waterways manager, he does other stuff too like dressing up in other uniforms when he's not being the face of the EA for the media and furthering his career in the spotlight. But he does get a full time salary for the part time WW job.
 
Old Crusty said:
Bazza's not a full time waterways manager, he does other stuff too like dressing up in other uniforms when he's not being the face of the EA for the media and furthering his career in the spotlight. But he does get a full time salary for the part time WW job.
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That must be why he, or anyone else at the EA, still hasn't responded to my official complaint made last September about moorings at Weybridge, even though the EA claim that they respond within 10 days. I've been too busy to bother about it lately but I think it's time to ramp it up.
 
AuntyRinum said:
That must be why he, or anyone else at the EA, still hasn't responded to my official complaint made last September about moorings at Weybridge, even though the EA claim that they respond within 10 days. I've been too busy to bother about it lately but I think it's time to ramp it up.
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When you complain about your complaint, write to Sir James Bevan, CEO, Environment Agency, Ergon House, Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AL. It will whistle down the food chain with a demand for a response to go back up to CEO level.
 
Should passenger boats be operating when the whole river is on reds?
I watched the Kingston Royale make slow progress(one of the considerate boats)
Shortly followed by the Cockney Sparrow, punching its way up river with a bow wave that was a foot from coming over the top, leaving moored boats bashing up and down in its wake:nonchalance:
 
Actionmat said:
Should passenger boats be operating when the whole river is on reds?
I watched the Kingston Royale make slow progress(one of the considerate boats)
Shortly followed by the Cockney Sparrow, punching its way up river with a bow wave that was a foot from coming over the top, leaving moored boats bashing up and down in its wake:nonchalance:
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Its a matter for the operator - the EA advice not to navigate is just that, advice due to the public right of navigation. Speed and wash complaints about the Cockney Sparrow should go to the EA and theboats@wpsa.co.uk or Westminster Passenger Services Association (Upriver) Limited, Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2JH
 
The Cockney Sparrow is currently approaching Teddington Lock upstream at WOT with a bow wave practically coming over the bow and a lot of bashed around boats in it's wake (fenders lifted onto pontoons in two cases) leaving boats bashing the pontoon unprotected.
 
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