THAMES PADDLE TAKE 2

8th August 2010

It was Sunday morning and all the seeds hade been laid for the Thames Paddle take 2. E mails had been sent that week, tidetables had been carefully scrutinised and the plan was to meet at the BP garage on the A13 into London at 8.30 am (an early start for SCC).

Steve, Ray and I waited at the garage for the others only to find Phil the new member there already very keen.

Ben, Jim and Frosty weren’t too far behind. But Willem and his daughter were some way behind due to Willem treating a patient early the same morning, he looks after his patients, good old NHS.

We decided to leave the garage and talk Willem in to the get in point, as he had no map, no sat nav, but good instructions from me. We arrived at Bevington road just off Bermondsey at around 9am, after a look at the beach get in site, we started to kit up. Willem and his daughter soon arrived and we got settled on the beach together. Photos were taken of Tower Bridge in the distance, it wasn’t too long before the antics started, Frosty decided to seal launch down the steps into the Thames whilst being filmed of course.

We got under way at 10 am and headed up stream with the tide to Tower Bridge, water traffic was quiet at this time of day. We had to keep to the right as per the rules but like normal had to paddle in the centre of Tower Bridge, not quite the Otz. Soon we were paddling past London’s most famous land mark the Tower with traitor’s gate in the side of the river wall. Passing Custom house where the boats had to declare their goods before docking. The old Billingsgate fish market with their ornate fish weather vanes which opened in 1877 and closed in 1982 and is now sited at canary wharf. Cleopatra’s needle on the embankment the right hand sphinx has damage from a world war II bomb still on it, this sits on reclaimed land, The Houses of Parliament with St Stephens clock tower housing Big Ben (the bell itself).

The tide soon became a little less powerful and we had to paddle a little harder, the sun was out a good day for paddling. Our lunch spot was just past Battersea Bridge by the 18th century church of St Mary Battersea. The ramp where we got out was rubbish strewn but hey, we all got out and didn’t have to climb anything!

Steve and Ray made a beeline for the greenest patch of grass in London to have lunch on, it was now 11.30am. Jim and Ben decided it was beer and pizza o‘clock and ordered a take away pizza for £26 was it? As we were sitting on the grass watching all the runners and cyclist come past and a few fall over “must have been the sight of us on their lawn” SSC does it again.

High tide was 12.08 add on 1 hour for BST so 13.08.We sat in the sun and took a well earned rest. As we waited for the tide to turn, we decided to move off at 13.30. Across the water we could see the old building of Lots road power station at Chelsea (sorry all, found out later it’s not the flour mill like I was told so don’t believe everyone).

We headed back with the out going tide passing Battersea Park and the Peace Pagoda with its four niches portraying birth, enlightenment, first sermon and the passing away. The empty shell of Battersea power station, the MI6 building, and the old fire headquarters at Lambeth.

The detail on the street lamps by the side of the Thames was amazing as we had time to look outside St Thomas’ hospital, moving on under Westminster Bridge to the old County Hall building that housed the Greater London Council then the London Eye and negotiating past the Thames Clippers as the jetty for these extends some way from the waters edge. Once past the Eye the waters became choppy and very interesting, not for the nervous types, we saw some street entertainers on the steps outside the Royal National Theatre leading down to the waters edge doing some act with a coffin, that someone was knocking inside (wonder if that was not an act?).Passing Gabriel’s Wharf with what looked like a sand castle competition going on the small beach there. Past the Tate Modern, Millennium Foot Bridge (dubbed the wobbly bridge) and Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. We soon came to HMS Belfast and the usual pictures of towing this great ship had to be taken with tourist taking pictures of us as well again fame for SSC. Then Passing City Hall, the new Greater London Authority Headquarters.

Then back under Tower Bridge then a last look back till we got out by our beach just past St Saviour's dock at 15.30.

Photos and smiles all round before packing up, a quick drink in the hostelry by the cars until it was time to depart. The usual London traffic was heavy manly due to a triathlon happening on the Embankment/Excel I believe Toby was in that. Any way soon we were on the way home and another trip down the Thames completed not nearly as tiring as the last.

Thank you to all that came along and to Ray to pre scout the get in and get off points.

Report by Lee Emmett Southend Canoe Club London Correspondent