Cheers,
Remember the story of Dick Whittington and his cat? We passed his home today although the plaque read Richard Whittington, the 4 times Mayor of London. There’s history everywhere you look. Our friend John arrived late this afternoon. He’s raring to go so tomorrow we’ll start off to see London. I’ll probably take a billion photos while we’re here! I also found the directions to the John Harvard Library, our closest branch so will go check it out this week. Yippee, a library!
Ru
Before we left Queenborough this is what we had to know and do all of these things…..
Be aware that low tide in Queenborough is at 4:50 AM
Monitor Channel 68 at 000’.44.3 E onwards (normally you monitor Channel 16.)
Monitor Channel 14 at 000’12.6 E onwards
Use starboard side of channel beginning at Mucking Flats 000’27.7 E
At 000’05.50 E call “London VTS” (Vessel Transit Service) on Channel 14 to ask permission to cross the Thames Barrier.
Go through the Barrier to the starboard gate “G”
High Tide at Tower Bridge is 12:17 PM
Lock times at SKD are between 10:40 AM and 2:10 PM Noon would be slack tide, best for entering the lock from the river.
Call SKD on Channel 80 (British 80 so thankfully Randal figured out how to switch our USA 80 to UK 80)
Phone SKD 020 7264 5312
Moorings before entrance on starboard (in case you get there and have to wait a long time before entering the lock into SKD
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My going to London ssssoooooocccccckkkkkkssssss! which I bought in Gosport to wear under my gray rubber boots in the winter. Fun!! |
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I think we’re finally on the Thames! Pronounced TEMZ. |
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A working river for sure. |
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Rat stoppers on the huge cargo ships. |
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Loading cargo |
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Following the chart to know the obstructions and shallows. |
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Climbing the rigging… |
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Instead of a bridge; this ferry carried people and vehicles across the river |
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Thames River Barrier Gate G I think for smaller craft |
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About to go through as we had the Green Arrows and not the Red X |
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Looking back to the Thames River Barrier and the different gates |
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Reminder to monitor Channel 14 on your VHF radio |
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Barclay, HSBC and Citi Banks |
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Randal checking the chart We drove in sitting on the flybridge for better visibility. And it was fun since it had warmed up and the boat wasn’t rocking around. |
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A factory that looks like a church, sort of like the Brookline Waterworks and probably built the same time period. |
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We have just passed Greenwich and changed from East to West on our Longitude as we cross the Prime Meridian, not quite the BIG DEAL as crossing the Equator…which we have done. |
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Part of the Greenwich complex |
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Approaching SKD which is just before the Tower Bridge on the right side of the photo |
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Pulled into the lock facing the marina
The back end of the lock, the Thames from whence we entered, and the Tower Bridge visible behind the tree. |
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Tied up at the dock in West Marina at SKD |
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Getting our London map and London Tube map just outside the entrance to the Tower of London a 5 minute walk from Doramac |
