Southend Canoe Club Paddle the Thames

On Sunday 13th July, eight intrepid members of Southend Canoe Club – Pete Frost, Pete Brooks, Richard Moore, Lee Emmett, Paul Duck, Ryan Morley, Jim Allen and Ellie Chilcott – set off to kayak from Putney Bridge to Woolwich, to see the sights of London from a new perspective. With them were the wives and girlfriends (and son) – Linda Duck, Mandy Brooks, Andrew Brooks and Sarah Parish – who were dragged along to provide moral support, wave encouragement from the bank and assist with the shuttle run. After a brief coffee and toilet break, we kitted up and unloaded the boats. Having been supplied with packets of Chewits by Sarah, we were ready to go.

As we set off from the bank, the tide had not yet started to turn, and as most of us had play boats not particularly suited to a long flat paddle, the first twenty minutes or so was a bit of a slog. It was decided that we would take a short break while Pete B. seal launched from some steps on the bank and wait for the tide. We set off again with the tide and were speedily carried along in the current, being passed on the way by numerous pleasure cruisers and catamarans. Although the more considerate of these slowed as they passed us, we were still caught in their wake, where some surfed the waves while others (well, me) regretted last night’s excesses. We passed under many bridges – Wandsworth, Battersea, Albert and Westminster to name a few – always keeping to river right and avoiding the dangerous eddy currents around the bridge supports.

We paddled past all of London’s riverside attractions, first passing Battersea Power Station then the Tate Britain Gallery, and arriving at the Houses of Parliament just as Big Ben sounded for midday – excellent timing by Lee who organised the trip. Once past the MI6 building we were relieved to have escaped being arrested by the river police, who would no doubt have expected us to whip concealed weapons from our paddle shafts and launch an attack. With much waving to small children on the bank and passing cruisers, we went along the South Bank, passing the London Eye and the London Aquarium. On we paddled, under the Waterloo and London Bridges, past the Tate Modern and around HMS Belfast until after about three hours and 13km of paddling we reached Tower Bridge. It was a magnificent and welcome sight as this was where we would take a break and find a pub. We carried the boats up some steps and assembled on the on the bank in front of the bridge. After photos had been taken, Ryan and I (being the youngest) were sent to fetch coffee from a nearby Starbucks; in all a successful venture, despite all the strange looks and the two puddles we left next to the counter. We met up with the Riverbank Crew and went to a nearby pub for a quick toilet stop and pie and/or chips.

After that it was time to get back into the boats for the second half of the trip which took us over the Blackwall Tunnel, past the Millennium Dome and finally through the Thames Barrier – about another 14km. After a long and tiring paddle, we were all pleased to see the Thames Barrier looming out of the distance. Once through the Barrier, Jim, Lee and Paul got out on the South side of the river and went to collect the cars, while the rest of us risked death by marauding ferries and cruise boats and crossed to the North side to the other get-out, some towing the shuttle runners’ boats. With a last burst of energy we carried the boats up to the road and waited…and waited some more. Because of bad traffic we were stranded – cold and wet – for two hours. More chips were eaten (at this point I was appalled to realise that all I had eaten that day was chips, Chewits and coffee), and I squelched off to find a toilet in a nearby park – a successful mission after being pointed in the right direction by an amused looking policewoman. When the others finally arrived, we changed into dry clothes, climbed into warm cars and feeling tired but happy, set off on the journey home.

Thanks to Lee for organising the trip, and a special thanks to Paul, who swapped boats with me about a mile in. If I had stayed in the Kendo, I think I would have still been at Tower Bridge about now.

Report by Ellie Chilcott