Going up the Thames Tomorrow

[Jim Batty]

In my 30 years on the Thames at Richmond I have never seen anyone try to moor up like that, midstream to one buoy, two breasted boats. Even in summertime with no fluvial flow you would be taking risks, the base tidal flow is very powerful. I was going to come alongside and warn you but the PLA launch got there before me! You were lucky that they did move you on.

 

Years ago, in an inflatable kayak, I pulled up to a small floating wooden platform just below Richmond Bridge for a rest. I was side-on to the outgoing tidal flow and it was extremely swift.

 

Unbelievably, I dropped my paddles on the upstream side of my kayak and it immediately disappeared beneath the boat. I had one of those hair-raising insights that I would never be able to get to shore by hand-paddling -- the current would simply take me away and I'd be completely out of control.

 

Well, I reached under the kayak ... and just as astonishingly, there was the paddle lodged underneath against the small rubber keel! I couldn't believe my luck.

 

It does seem slightly mad to tie-up mid-stream there.

 

Glad you made it to calmer waters.

[WJM]

 

Years ago, in an inflatable kayak, I pulled up to a small floating wooden platform just below Richmond Bridge

The small wooden platform is actually above Richmond Bridge. But this just shows how powerful the tidal flow is. It can be had to know which is up and which is down!

[chazzy]

 

Ditto - Lambeth Bridge (so you get Big Ben in the background). Tim takes better photographs, though.

And Tim, I intend to be setting off from Limehouse on the 3rd May, I have an experienced crew to accompany me. We will be making an early start but if the timing works out ok it would be great to have a land based photo of us travelling up the Thames. I will contact you both nearer the time, a massive thank you in advance

[Scholar Gypsy]

And Tim, I intend to be setting off from Limehouse on the 3rd May, I have an experienced crew to accompany me. We will be making an early start but if the timing works out ok it would be great to have a land based photo of us travelling up the Thames. I will contact you both nearer the time, a massive thank you in advance

 

OK, in the diary. HW London Bridge is 1130 (BST) that day, so if you lock out (ie leave the lock) a bit before 8 I should be able to get some photos ...

Edited April 5, 2016 by Scholar Gypsy

[Martin Megson]

If it's during the working day drop me a line and I may be able to photograph you going past my office by Westminster Bridge

 

Tim

 

Thanks Tim. I'm currently planning on Monday 18 April. Probably leaving Limehouse around 8:30. I'll pm you nearer the date to confirm.

[Terryb]

Windsor is O.K.,I keep my boat there.

 

Terry,how is your Facebook page Titled?

 

CT

Just search Alfie Narrowboat

[Paringa]

Thanks Tim. I'm currently planning on Monday 18 April. Probably leaving Limehouse around 8:30. I'll pm you nearer the date to confirm.

Presuming you are on your way up to Teddington I will be interested to see if you get to Richmond and the curtains are down... I tend to go two hours before HT London Bridge, but I may make quicker progress. It doesn't matter if you do, it won't be far off and it will be pretty slack there so you can just hover about if needs be. Channel 80 if memory serves for call "Richmond Lock"...

 

Or you go through straight to Teddiington on your timings... Just be interested to know... Ta

[Paringa]

Sorry it was he previous poster who mentioned 8 and 3 hours before...

[Martin Megson]

Sorry it was he previous poster who mentioned 8 and 3 hours before...

Thanks. It's my first time so I'm not sure on timings but I've read the tide way guide and the St Pancras club guide. Planning on leaving about 3hrs before HT at London Bridge which should work ok.

[adam1uk]

Thanks. It's my first time so I'm not sure on timings but I've read the tide way guide and the St Pancras club guide. Planning on leaving about 3hrs before HT at London Bridge which should work ok.

 

I'm sure the Tideway Guide advice is 3.5 hours before, if you're going to Teddington. It doesn't really matter if you get to Richmond early, because you can just wait for the barrier to go up, which is quite interesting in itself. Make sure you've taken account of GMT/BST though -- the Limehouse lock keepers were thoroughly confused by this when we did it.

[Leo No2]

Tideway passage calculator attached.

 

 

[Scholar Gypsy]

Just to add that - for at least six reasons - I prefer going at the boat's normal canal cruising speed.

[OldGoat]

If going on to the non-tidal bit, bear in mind that there is still a helluva lot of water coning down.

Yellow boards are illusory, they indicate how much of a given weir is shut in and the actual flow rates vary widely between what ever limits apply.

Even if you've got a boat with a lot of power progress will be slow and at some times, tedious

[Mike Todd]

As often - generalisation can be dangerous.

Most / many river / tidal river lock keepers are a lot more aware of boaters / needs / types than folks realise.

Being Thames based - I can only speak for my local lock resident keepers (and some reliefs as well)

Canal lockies are a different species and you don't often get to speak to them or lengthsmen - but they do exist. There are some left on CaRT waters....

 

As others have said they can only advise and 'herein lies the rub' - not only do they have to be careful, but if seen to be OTOH then they're on a 'fizzer' and can affect their job. I have certain knowledge of a solid,sound, knowledgeable lockie on my patch who got a 'disclipinary' because some bolshie boater made an unjustified complaint.

 

So the policy now is to keep Schtum (sp? - what a lovely expression). Everybody's a loser through this....

 

I trust my Thames lockies - 'cos they know what's what. Sometimes - even in these days of me-me-me it pays to listen.

But it is possible to distinguish between being told not to do something (advice best taken!) and being told it is OK (still need to use your own judgement)

[Bunny]

Having just come off the K and A on a falling red board. I can honestly say the river Thames is very ' chunky' at the moment . Made Iffley in two days from Burghfield on about 1800 / 2200 revs to maintain steering and control , now waiting for Osney to fall to yellow, we could try and push through but husband now working till Tuesday so not really any point but wanted to make oxford and didn't want to get stuck further downstream. Would have spoken to more local lockie but very few about . Wanted to take advice about Osney from the Iffley lockie but the Sandford lockie said that Osney , Iffley and Godstow were under the care of only one lockie ( so we didn't see him . ) no lockie at Whitchurch ( lunchtime ) no lockie at Goring , Cleeve or Benson and one looking after Days , Clifton And Culham

so limited information . Bunny

[Paringa]

Thanks. It's my first time so I'm not sure on timings but I've read the tide way guide and the St Pancras club guide. Planning on leaving about 3hrs before HT at London Bridge which should work ok.

It will work...let me know when you get to the half tide and if the curtains are up. Ta. Enjoy.

[Paringa]

Having just come off the K and A on a falling red board. I can honestly say the river Thames is very ' chunky' at the moment . Made Iffley in two days from Burghfield on about 1800 / 2200 revs to maintain steering and control , now waiting for Osney to fall to yellow, we could try and push through but husband now working till Tuesday so not really any point but wanted to make oxford and didn't want to get stuck further downstream. Would have spoken to more local lockie but very few about . Wanted to take advice about Osney from the Iffley lockie but the Sandford lockie said that Osney , Iffley and Godstow were under the care of only one lockie ( so we didn't see him . ) no lockie at Whitchurch ( lunchtime ) no lockie at Goring , Cleeve or Benson and one looking after Days , Clifton And Culham

so limited information . Bunny

They are all double or even triple manning at the moment and mainly doing weir moves. Only saw Richard at Abingdon and Tony from Culham on his bike to do the next weir down ...

[kremmen]

Apparently the summer reliefs won't start for another month so expect double and triple manning for a while longer.

 

Paul

[Paringa]

Oh just enough time to employ another manager to organise not enough people doing the groundwork then...

[OldGoat]

Paringa, on 08 Apr 2016 - 08:34 AM, said:

Oh just enough time to employ another manager to organise not enough people doing the groundwork then...

 

Who had you in mind? Or what do you know?

[lesanne]

We have just come down from Lechlade to Eynesham, and some of the river was a bit challenging.

[OldGoat]

lesanne, on 08 Apr 2016 - 6:30 PM, said:

We have just come down from Lechlade to Eynesham, and some of the river was a bit challenging.

Coming downstream is a bit like poo-off-a-gardening-instrument; fun round the corners...

For anyone watching the Thames, there's still a lot of water coming down. Mostly on high end yellows, with no real sign of any abatement.

Bit of a bummer as I'll have to flog upstream next week.

 

No more serious rain please.....

[Bunny]

Still waitng at Iffley ( want to go up onto the Oxford via the sheep wash ) . A pair went up this morning then another narrow boat . So I had a bit of a walk , caught 2 buses and made my way to Osney Lock to have a chat with the lockie . A singularly irritated gentlemen who proceeded to treat me like p##t . I had a lecture on red boards , the reasons they are there, flow strengths, and how a narrow boat only has one engine , and if that fails in a current , (which narrow boats are not designed for ), it their lives we are putting at risk when we get stuck on the weir , and our insurance would be null and void ( knew that anyway) . Any idea , I asked when the reach may be on yellow " gods will " . So all.very usefull . I did mention at the end of the lecture that I'm not a p##t , if I was, I would not have made an effort to see him and ask questions , I would have just turned up on the lock mooring . So I'm feeling more that a bit patronised , wonder if he would have spoken to a man like he spoke to me . Will find out tomorrow , I asked my husband to go up there and see if he can glean a bit more info. We are fairly experinenced boaters with river and tidal experience and appreciate that accidents / mistakes happen and we can only prepare for a difficult trip to a certain extent . Bunny

[Scholar Gypsy]

That is a bit frustrating, especially as you turned up on foot for a general chat.

 

I am not making excuses, but I suspect they may be a little spooked by the incident in February

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=82320

[spadefoot]

I think you should give the guy a break Bunny. He might well be run ragged dealing with locks & weirs & sluices & whatever.

On top of that he's probably having to answer unanswerable questions from frustrated boaters about river flows. I'm sure you know very well that the boards will fall to yellow when the flow lessens. That's it.

You'd do just as well to look at the Thames conditions website rather than 'bothering' an overworked lockie.

You're well aware that the Kennet has been up & down the reds & yellows since January, the Thames similar. Who's decision was it to leave Froud's? Not that lockie.

So yeah, give him a break, enjoy the view and wait.