Going up the Thames Tomorrow

[Terryb]

I'm leaving Limehouse tomorrow, heading up to Richmand, any tips and help would be appreciated. I am nervous as hell.

[Loafer]

Have you read any of the stuff online about it?

 

Do you have tidal awareness about your person?

[nipper]

Just do it, you'll be fine.

 

Get your camera ready and relax.

 

Enjoy and just keep a lookout behind you now and then!

 

The Thames dustbin boat and its barges will be using the same tide and it is a lot faster than you are!!

 

Nipper

Edited March 29, 2016 by nipper

[RLWP]

Have fun, take pictures, report back

 

Richard

[Martin Megson]

Richmond is still on the tidal stretch, have you planned a mooring?

[The Lockie]

Lot of fresh on the NON tidal atm ....most of it on red boards and a good few weirs fully open

Edited March 29, 2016 by The Lockie

[kremmen]

I would echo The Lockie ..... Red boards mostly.

 

I wouldn't move if you have a choice. The normal summer flow is between 5 and 10 cu meters per second. I moved last week when the flow was around 50. It was "interesting " and tonight it is around over 160 and not suitable for a narrowboat.

 

Paul

[peterboat]

^^^^^^^^^^MMM some of those pubs in and around Limehouse are very interesting for a few days I would take interest in them

[Loafer]

Have you read any of the stuff online about it?

 

Do you have tidal awareness about your person?

 

I hate quoting my own posts, but what about the above questions? If you're as 'nervous as hell', then I'm a bit worried about a 'gung-ho' spirit coming to a sticky end.

 

When I did the tidal Thames for the first time, I was not nervous at all, because I had researched it for 6 months prior to my trip, and picked the lowest neaps of that year for the trip. There can be dragons.

[peterboat]

 

I hate quoting my own posts, but what about the above questions? If you're as 'nervous as hell', then I'm a bit worried about a 'gung-ho' spirit coming to a sticky end.

 

When I did the tidal Thames for the first time, I was not nervous at all, because I had researched it for 6 months prior to my trip, and picked the lowest neaps of that year for the trip. There can be dragons.

And aegirs on the Trent very scary ones as I have experienced. When I went on the Thames it was with 6/7 other narrowboats great experience felt safe and thats how boating should be

[I Spartacus]

The pub sounds better to me at the moment, take you time and enjoy the Thames better be safe than sorry.

 

Mark

[Guest]

I'm leaving Limehouse tomorrow, heading up to Richmand, any tips and help would be appreciated. I am nervous as hell.

I would have thought the best time to tackle a run on the Thames that makes you 'nervous as hell' was not less than 24/48 hours after a named storm has just passed over the South of the country.

[Loafer]

The wind plays an important part too. Above 12-15kts, it can whip up a nasty 'wind over tide' arrangement of waves, that does not suit those of a nervous disposition!

[NB Lola]

The tube is less stressful. Don't forget your boat if you go over land, I am jealous too!

[Mike on the Wey]

I'm leaving Limehouse tomorrow, heading up to Richmand, any tips and help would be appreciated. I am nervous as hell.

Check prop is totally clear before leaving Limehouse. If you're single-handing forget your camera. Lifejacket,anchor, VHF radio unless exempt by virtue of shortish boat. Take the centre of your chosen bridge arch. Be aware of being shunted sideways in certain places, especially approaching the huge mooring buoys. Hold your nerve when passed by fast boats, turning your bow into the wake. If you're not confident then think about postponement.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

When I did the Tidal Thames back in about 1998 it was on a hire boat and, to be honest, I just went with it not knowing any different. We travelled with 6 other boats us as the tail-end charlie and got to Brentford safely in one piece. These days I'd tend to be a bit more circumspect (being a bit older and wiser now ).

 

From what I can see of the tide (approaching neaps)I would think they will probably send you out about 12 - 1pm since High Water is about 5pm and you've got 24 miles to do to get to Richmond. The main concern that I would have it that you are going to have to reach Richmond before the tide turns because there is a lot of river flow coming down and if you haven't reached Richmond when the tide does turn, unless you've got a pretty good engine, you may not get there .

[saltysplash]

EA issued another flood warning today at 3pm

 

A Flood Alert has been issued for the River Thames from Hampton and Thames Ditton to Teddington.

A Flood Alert has been issued by the Environment Agency for the River Thames from Hampton and Thames Ditton to Teddington.

Flooding is possible for the River Thames from Hampton and Thames Ditton to Teddington including Hampton Wick and Kingston-upon-Thames .

Low lying land and roads will be affected first.



The River and Flooding forecast is as follows: Property flooding is not currently expected. However, levels on the River Thames have been rising steadily throughout the day in response to recent rainfall. Levels are expected to continue to rise throughout the day and this evening and flooding of low lying land and roads is expected, especially in the Hampton and Thames Ditton areas.
The weather prospects are for a mainly dry day today with the possibility of showers this afternoon.

[The Lockie]

 

Would suggest anyone using the upper Thames checks the link below. Whatever the weather .... Makes sense to be prepared...

 

 

 

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/

[Scholar Gypsy]

Not a lot to add to comments above - but if you do go ...

 

1) at Hammersmith Bridge make sure you take a centre course (the "B" of "HAMMERSMITH BRIDGE" will do) and then leave the buoy (green cone) well to starboard. Otherwise this might happen to you: http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/London-lifeboat-crew-rescue-four-people-after-narrow-boat-collides-with-a-houseb.aspx

 

2) Check out http://www.thamescruising.co.uk/wordpress/

 

3) Watch out for the flashing white lights on the central bridge arches - they will be triggered by the rubbish boats and other large craft. You should see them on the arches behind you first, then in front of you as the tug gets closer. Don't go through that arch, the two NBs just visible in this shot are doing the right thing.

 

[matty40s]

Terry with the forecast as unsettled as it is along with the weekend and yesterday's rain, I would go the long way up to Brentford and round the GU/Oxford as it could be weeks before the Thames comes down again.

[Mike on the Wey]

When I did the Tidal Thames back in about 1998 it was on a hire boat and, to be honest, I just went with it not knowing any different. We travelled with 6 other boats us as the tail-end charlie and got to Brentford safely in one piece. These days I'd tend to be a bit more circumspect (being a bit older and wiser now ).

 

From what I can see of the tide (approaching neaps)I would think they will probably send you out about 12 - 1pm since High Water is about 5pm and you've got 24 miles to do to get to Richmond. The main concern that I would have it that you are going to have to reach Richmond before the tide turns because there is a lot of river flow coming down and if you haven't reached Richmond when the tide does turn, unless you've got a pretty good engine, you may not get there .

It's 15 miles from Limehouse to Brentford, and 20 miles from Limehouse to Teddington.

 

Edit: typo.

Edited March 30, 2016 by Mike on the Wey

[monkeyhanger]

I'm leaving Limehouse tomorrow, heading up to Richmand, any tips and help would be appreciated. I am nervous as hell.

When you're actually on the tideway, keep looking over your shoulder. Some of the river traffic moves very quickly and can catch you unawares. This is VERY IMPORTANT between Limehouse and Westminster Bridge. Upstream of Westminster it's much quieter and you can relax a bit, but keep checking.

 

Have you read the "St. Pancras Cruising Club" guide to navigating the Thames? If you haven't, it's something you should do. It's downloadable.

[Bricksh]

The stretch of water outside Limehouse can be extremely choppy with the wash created by clippers and the fast RIBs (and at busy times of the day it never gets the chance to settle), but it will calm down up river. If I were going out on a narrowboat I would aim to time it for a tide earlier in the morning before the RIBs in particular start operating. I came out of limehouse last October and did a trip the other way down the estuary and up the coast (on a barge). The stretch outside Limehouse and down as far as the O2 was the most uncomfortable of the whole trip (we left at 4pm).

[Scholar Gypsy]

When you're actually on the tideway, keep looking over your shoulder. Some of the river traffic moves very quickly and can catch you unawares. This is VERY IMPORTANT between Limehouse and Westminster Bridge. Upstream of Westminster it's much quieter and you can relax a bit, but keep checking.

 

Have you read the "St. Pancras Cruising Club" guide to navigating the Thames? If you haven't, it's something you should do. It's downloadable.

 

 

.. downloadable via the link I posted above, with a load of other useful resources.

 

If you are lucky you can get overtaken by the same tug twice, eg if they stop to drop one barge at Nine Elms and then carry on with the other two to Wandsworth.

[Bee]

The stretch of water outside Limehouse can be extremely choppy with the wash created by clippers and the fast RIBs (and at busy times of the day it never gets the chance to settle), but it will calm down up river. If I were going out on a narrowboat I would aim to time it for a tide earlier in the morning before the RIBs in particular start operating. I came out of limehouse last October and did a trip the other way down the estuary and up the coast (on a barge). The stretch outside Limehouse and down as far as the O2 was the most uncomfortable of the whole trip (we left at 4pm).

The above is good advice, I have done this trip a few times in both directions in narrowboats and other more 'suitable' craft and have always aimed to be out of the Limehouse section before all the trip boats wake up. If you can choose an early tide to go up with it is absolutely fine and it is a really interesting and safe trip. If you have to share the river with all the other stuff tearing about then you will not like it.