Whale Stuck by Richmond Lock.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Showing the importance of checking there is enough water for your draft before navigating a waterway.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57052331

Looks like it is on a slipway? I don't know the area at all, so don't know if this caused a stoppage. If so, it would be a most unusual one.

Fingers crossed for the cetacean concerned.

[peterboat]

10 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Showing the importance of checking there is enough water for your draft before navigating a waterway.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57052331

Looks like it is on a slipway? I don't know the area at all, so don't know if this caused a stoppage. If so, it would be a most unusual one.

Fingers crossed for the cetacean concerned.

It's now escaped Jen, what's it doing here is the question?

[Tam & Di]

I don't know why the reports keep referring to it as having been 'up-river' (well I do really - it is ignorance  ?). If it was seen at Barnes, that is down river. Also, as one would expect, the sea is down river too and that is where whales normally live, and presumably where the rescue people expect to take it.

 

Tam

Edited May 10, 2021 by Tam & Di

[Jen-in-Wellies]

31 minutes ago, peterboat said:

It's now escaped Jen, what's it doing here is the question?

It is definitely a narrow beam whale, so my guess is that it is trying to get to the Oxford Canal.

[Col_T]

Nah, whales - they like a community. It'd be headed for the K & A and Bath!

[David Mack]

51 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

 

Looks like it is on a slipway? 

 

I think it is a set of rollers for small boats. Looks like the whale was trying to swim up the current like fish do in a fish pass.

[Up-Side-Down]

29 minutes ago, Col_T said:

Nah, whales - they like a community. It'd be headed for the K & A and Bath!

Love it ......

[Paul HD]

I thought Hammersmith bridge was closed?

[Waterway2go]

6 minutes ago, Paul HD said:

I thought Hammersmith bridge was closed?

so if a whale can pass Hammersmith so could a submarine.   We'll all live on a narrow submarine . . .

[Scholar Gypsy]

3 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

I think it is a set of rollers for small boats. Looks like the whale was trying to swim up the current like fish do in a fish pass.

Yes, that's right, for people who don't want to pay to go through the lock when the weir is in place. 

Here's a photo taken at low tide, from upstream, you can just see the end of the rollers on the left and the slope on the right. This was taken during the annual "drawdown" when the weir is left in the "up" position for a month each autumn for maintenance.  The river dries out between Richmond and Teddington.

https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2017/11/18/what-happens-if-you-leave-the-paddles-open/

[Tracy D'arth]

Its gone now. They sent it to a whale weigh station.

 

OK, I'm taking my Silk boa and mink.

[Mike Todd]

6 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Showing the importance of checking there is enough water for your draft before navigating a waterway.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57052331

Looks like it is on a slipway? I don't know the area at all, so don't know if this caused a stoppage. If so, it would be a most unusual one.

Fingers crossed for the cetacean concerned.

Richmond lock is the lowest lock on the river and is part of a structure which includes a bridge and half-tide sluices. Most boats (and whales?) time their passage so that they pass under the bridge without stopping. The lock does incur a charge (currently £8 but a same day return is free) but we have never had need to use it. The sluices are normally open two hours either side of high tide.

 

I think (see https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4622872,-0.3177212,3a,75y,257.47h,47.87t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAF1QipM4G1yY6sRdA4yQCLqaesxX3KiE8kpjCcwKnGQ0!2e10!3e11!7i5376!8i2688) that on the opposite bank is where the boat rollers are installed which are used for small boats, skiffs, or canoes, again at times when the sluices are closed. According to PLA website they have recently been refitted.

 

Stretching it a bit to say that the whale was stuck in the lock but one wonders about the mind of the whale that ignored the wide open spaces and chose to try and swim uphill!

[matty40s]

Now going to be put down as badly injured.

[cuthound]

8 hours ago, Waterway2go said:

so if a whale can pass Hammersmith so could a submarine.   We'll all live on a narrow submarine . . .

 

Be careful what you wish for, especially if you bought your boat without having a hull survey! ?

[Tonka]

11 hours ago, Paul HD said:

I thought Hammersmith bridge was closed?

Obviously not according to Facebook dated 21 March 

Richmond Royale (1977) passes Chiswick today en route for Kingston after maintenance in Chatham. A new colour scheme too.

[magnetman]

Emma Smith bridge is Bookable for essential journeys. Turks boat coming back to Kingston after docking at their Chatham yard probably does count as essential to be fair. 

 

What with being the queen's swan keeper or whatever.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2021 by magnetman

[Tonka]

2 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Emma Smith bridge is Bookable for essential journeys. Turks boat coming back to Kingston after docking at their Chatham yard probably does count as essential to be fair. 

 

What with being the queen's swan keeper or whatever.

 

 

 

 

So the bridge knows not to collapse if the journey is essential

[Flyboy]

Sadly now put down.     https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57056008

[Athy]

This even appeared on last night's ten o'clock news - nationwide, not just B.B.C. Whales.

It is a great pity, and also something of a mystery: whales are, after all, designed for swimming long distances, which is what it had done, so I wonder what caused these serious injuries.

[Tonka]

2 minutes ago, Athy said:

This even appeared on last night's ten o'clock news - nationwide, not just B.B.C. Whales.

It is a great pity, and also something of a mystery: whales are, after all, designed for swimming long distances, which is what it had done, so I wonder what caused these serious injuries.

The people when they tried to man handle it back into the water. I assume I am allowed to use the term man handle or is that now banned along with manual work

[Athy]

56 minutes ago, Tonka said:

I assume I am allowed to use the term man handle or is that now banned 

Why should it be? I always thought, though, that "manhandle" was one word.

It's hard to believe that something of that size should be fatally injured by a few people pushing or pulling it.

Edited May 11, 2021 by Athy

[Mike Todd]

22 minutes ago, Athy said:

Why should it be? I always thought, though, that "manhandle" was one word.

It's hard to belive that something of that size should be fatally injured by a few people pushing or pulling it.

Beaching of whales does seem to be related to them being unwell in some way. A report I read did say that the vets' first conclusion was just that.

[Athy]

9 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

Beaching of whales does seem to be related to them being unwell in some way. A report I read did say that the vets' first conclusion was just that.

I think, though I'm not sure, that if one is beached, its frame can't support the weight of its internal organs, which then fail. But from the bits of film I saw, this one didn't appear to be completely out pf the water.

[Tonka]

49 minutes ago, Athy said:

Why should it be? I always thought, though, that "manhandle" was one word.

It's hard to belive that something of that size should be fatally injured by a few people pushing or pulling it.

Didnt know if the woke brigade had replaced man handle with person handle. 

Also when you handle a wet item like a fish your hands should be wet so as to stop damage to the fish. Something most fisherman know nothing about.

[Jerra]

I suspect the problem was a number of things.

 

Navigation error of a young animal putting it about 100 miles away from its normal range and in comparatively shallow water.

 

Pressure on the lungs while stranded allowing toxins to develop and build up in the body.

 

Injuries while being "rescued" the fins and flukes are remarkably easily damaged.

 

Possibly also there was an underlying physical problem which lead to the navigation error etc in the first place.