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Thursday 29 September 2016

RETURN TO THE DEBEN - Part 2

I took a day off cruising. Went to take the photos of that strange superyacht and then down to Greenwich which is now mainly the University along with a Greenwich visitors' centre.


And, of course, the Cutty Sark.

 I used the catamaran riverbuses. Very impressive service. Lovely smooth ride. Pity about the wake they inevitably leave behind, not so much big but powerful and very persistant. They leave all that part of the Thames in a permanent state of agitation.

Next day, sun shining and bright blue skies, off to Gillingham Marina






passing Greenwich














the O2














the Thames Barrier





Tate & Lyle






the Woolwich Ferry






the QE2 bridge, accompanied by serious industrial traffic.









 As I was about to turn around the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery into the Medway I saw a sail on the horizon. Ever a sucker for a classic sailing boat I held an intercepting course... 







...which proved to be...





...well worth the effort. 




As I entered a pretty little gaffer was leaving.





And so in to a very welcoming Gillingham Marina complete with gym and pool at preferential rates (in the building behind).










Next day the tide was ideal for an early start...






 ...in to a spectacularly beautiful morning. The sea was flat calm. The pics say it all.






A flock of gulls found some freely available prey.





And so out in to the open sea ...





... and buoy hopping for 50nm up to ...





...the lovely River Deben. Here showing Ramsholt.




It was getting dark so I moored up to a free buoy for the night before arriving on the tide Tuesday morning at The Granary Yacht Harbour.

HOME SWEET HOME!




Monday 26 September 2016

RETURN TO THE DEBEN - Part 1

I had vaguely thought I might get as far as the Folly Bridge, Oxford where the bridge is too low for Lady Cate to pass. However I was told the water gets too shallow by Abingdon. Then the bad news - no lock keepers. It's a great chore getting through locks on your own, even if they are powered. Then the good news - a fine weather window combined with good tide timing was coming up. So, as they say, no brainer. The main objects of my journey being completed I decided to return.





 So back under the M25.




Passing this lovely little classic near Chertsey Lock - which was not manned but I had caught up with a small convoy who were happy enough doing the work. 





From Chertsey to Shepperton:





 

there are some splendidly eccentric house boats on the Thames.














This is Sunbury Weir where we would play as children, with St Mary's Church in the background.




Between Sunbury amd Molesey Locks is the School's Boathouse together with that of Lady Eleanor School.  








Plenty of activity -


Don't know when the girls started rowing. Sadly, in my day, the girls' school was wholly out of bounds. We even had boys playing the women in plays rather than work on joint productions. Thank goodness that'a all changed. 





Hampton's yellow blades.





Hampton Church where the school started in 1556.









Garrick's Villa. The actor David Garrick was a patron.












Nearby a fantastic old houseboat in fine condition.








Another houseboat with a flower laden floating patio.






Molesey Boat Club which the school shared when I rowed.

And so to Teddington to stay overnight.



And then on ...





Passing The Star and Garter which used to be a home for retired world war vets run by the Poppy Fund people but is now a hotel and apartments ...




and the new residential developments between the river and the town. Prince Charles got quite worked up about the original designs and these are the result of his concerns. Nicely classical.











Through the Victorian Richmond Lock as the sluices were in action. Had to wait an hour here. Half an hour for the water to be enough for us to get out and then half an hour for a late tour boat.

That half hour mattered as you will see.








The river was very busy and full of the usual tourist attractions and then this! An extraordinary contraption straight out of a Bond movie moored alongside HMS Belfast.













I couldn't photo it from the boat as I was too busy so I caught the riverbus to the Tower the next day and took these.







Apparently it belongs to Andrey Melnichenko.


The problem with leaving Richmond Lock half an hour late meant I was 10 minutes late at South Dock. The staff had gone, not willing to wait to open the lock for me. So be it.










So I had to moor on Greenland Pier where the huge riverbus catamarans come in for passengers.














They make a huge swell, especially by the piers as they accelerate away.











 So the mooring was like being on a permanently bouncing trampoline. I put a bow line out to port to hold Lady Cate off the pier and we spent the night sort of suspended off the pier in the bouncy water. I slept in the wheelhouse clothed and lifejacketed!

The photos don't show the waves very well although they are sometimes 3ft high. I've got a .mov file showing Lady Cate bouncing around but it was too much for this bloggging software to take!





I got in to the marina first thing the next morning.

Tuesday 6 September 2016

PENTON HOOK



Penton Hook claims to be the largest inland marina in Britain. It is enormous. A great sea of plastic. Friendly staff.

This is as far as I go. Not the plan but the upstream locks will be unmanned. Having to work the locks on my own it would become tedious.




Anyway, I'm keen to get on with Tread Lightly. The fire is warming. It would be far easier to get back to the lovely Granary Marina where my new friends are all around and all you want is readily to hand.

I had to cycle in to Chertsey yesterday, some three miles, to get my shopping.





Bye for now.




Friday 2 September 2016

UP THE THAMES - A sentimental journey.

Today to Teddington on the rising tide. The weather was very windy but bright. The water very choppy with wind over tide combined with commuter and pleasure traffic. The river is tremendously busy. Having to concentrate I had little chance to take pics but here are those I got on the way.





Liveaboards by the fuel berth outside St Katherine's Dock.





You know what!






This one too!





HMS Belfast. Not a good shot but the ride was very bumpy and the traffic non-stop.




The wooden model of Medieval London that will be ceremonially burned to commemorate the 350th anniversary of The Great Fire of London.









And so by winding river ways including the Boat Race course (which I rowed in reverse in the Schools Head of the River Race) to Teddington (Tide End Town) and the peace of non-tidal waters.


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I decided to stay overnight after all that excitement and popped over the famous old suspension bridge to look around.





 





And there was this towering former church - a dramatic piece of architecture - now used as a Lanmark Arts Centre. Note the huge spider crawling up the wall.




 Inside was a lady on stage bashing out a tricky Chopin piece on a rackety old piano to an audience of mothers and babies! Starting them young these days it appears.




 




This is the wide weir at Teddington Lock viewed from the suspension bridge.







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And so on a sentimental journey up river to Weybridge.






Passing Hampton Court ...




... to think that monarchs were rowed here all the way from London.




Passing Hampton School's budding oarsmen with their bright yellow blades. That really took me back. I loved my school rowing.
 
There were lots of young rowers out, surely before term time. Something was afoot. A sampler day for those rising to the third year and so being able to join the Boat Club I guess.
 
We used to share with Molesey Boat Club. Now the School has its own wonderful boathouse. I couldn't get a pic as there were so many oarsmen out. Must try to get one on the return trip.





Classic Sunbury-on-Thames riverside properties.










In Sunbury Lock where I used to 'help' when a boy.






The upstream weir down to the side stream where my brother Nick and I played as boys.








Weybridge. Moored within 50 yards of my first home, a houseboat in Dunton's Boatyard.
I told you it was a sentimental journey.