Gravesend to London - Day 94

Gravesend to London - Saturday 13th August 2011 - Day 94

Tilbury Container Terminal

We waited for the tide to turn and it began  flooding at 08.45 and we slipped the mooring buoy at Gravesend sailing club and moved to the other side of this very busy river.  During my sea-going career I have been many times up and down the River Thames, in fact, more times than any other river in the world.  Of course, my first time navigating up here in my own yacht.  Round the first bend and you are passing the container terminal at Tilbury.  This is followed by a long sweeping bend into Long Reach.

Queen Elizabeth 2 Bridge

From here you pass under the bridge at Dartford this takes the M25 traffic south bound while the tunnel takes the traffic north.  Just beyond the bridge is Purfleet deep water berth and I have spent many hours there. When I served on ro/ro ships bringing in newsprint from Finland for   London's Fleet Street newspapers.
The river continues into Erith Reach and Halfway Reach where at Dagenham is the Ford motor car factory. Unfortunately no longer makes cars but makes the engines for them.  Next is Barking Reach and Gallions Reach where the lock entrance is to the Royal Docks. They are no longer used expect for the Excel exhibition centre and the City of London Airport.

Thames Barrier

Prior to Gallions Reach at the bend in the river at Margaret Ness you have to call on the VHF radio,  London VTS (vessel traffic scheme), for permission to pass through the Thames barrier. We were directed to go through Echo span.  The photo shows the up river transit span while the one on the left has the gate up in the closed position and the down river span open on the right.  The flood tide really rips through here and you have to be careful are you will carry along sideways.  The barrier is in Woolwich Reach which takes you onto Bugsby Reach.

Millenium Dome

Here you get your first view of the Dome and everyone has their own opinion of this structure and its use.  Seen in front of it, one of the many fast catameran ferries which ply the river between Woolwich and the many landing stages up to Westminster.  Round another sweeping bend into Blackwall Reach with the massive buildings of Canary Wharf situated on the Millwall Isle of Dogs. 

Greenwich Naval College

Blackwall Reach takes you onto Greenwich Reach and on the bend is situated what used to be the Royal Navy's major training college but now turned into a University with the Navy still using part of the facility.  On the hill behind this fine buiding is the Greenwich Observatory and while passing here you go over the longitudinal meridian and travel from east to west.  You cannot see much of the Cutty sark as her masts have been removed and the work continues after the devasting fire.  Up into Limehouse Reach and on the south side you pass what used to be the entrance into Surrey Docks but like most of the river now, it is surrounded by yuppie flats.

The City

Round the next small bend and into Lower Pool where you pass the famous Prospect of Whitby pub and here you call St. Katharine's Dock giving your position and asking for permission to lock in.  The last bend and into the Upper Pool and this gives you this magnificent view of the City of London.  With the Tower of London bridge as an impressive barrier and to the left can be seen the newest structure known as the shard.   We arrived off the marina at 13.00 and it had takes us four hours to travel the twenty four miles to the centre of the Capital.  We circled in the river off the lock entrance for half an hour and were safely tied up in the marina centre basin by 14.00

At night, we walked ashore along to Wapping and visited the Town of Ramsgate pub for a small meal then into the Captain Kidd with its lovely river views before returning to the pub in the marina, the Dickens Inn for nightcaps which gave a successful end to a remarkable day.