Thames Trip to view Tall Ships : Sept 1st

[andy g]

Paddlers,

Paul Winslow and I are organising a trip on the River Thames on Sunday 1st September to coincide with the Tall Ships being berthed in the Pool of London.

It looks as if the ebb tide will be the most favourable for us , so we will be starting late morning in the Putney/Westminster section and travelling downstream on the ebb tide though all the usual sights , but probably spending some extra time around the Tall Ships , trying to get good photos from the waterside.

The finish point will be between Rotherhithe and Greenwich depending upon the get-on chosen.

This trip is suitable for paddlers of 2* standard (you don't have to hold the award, but if not please see Paul or I in advance so we can chat it over)

Andy

Please contact me or Paul here, or at the pool/lake sessions.

Andy

[Brian]

sounds like a great trip
please put me and jane down for the trip i need to swap my work around a bit but 90% we can make it.
i will borrow the club duo
brian/jane

[Tharlow]

Count me in.

There are two Tower Bridge openings on the 1st September.
At 12.45 and 13.15.

http://www.towerbridge.org.uk/TBE/EN/BridgeLiftTimes/

[Tharlow]

Add Kathryn to our happy band.

[Lauren Costelloe]

Please include me and Emily on this trip

Thanks, Lauren

[andy g]

OK Folks

We are now a week away I thought I should give you some final instructions for the Thames Tideway Trip.

We are going to offer 2 options for the trip, one about 6 miles , and the other about 12. Most people with reasonable paddle fitness should be able to make the longer distance, but just in case some do wish to opt for the shorter one , at least we have it in the plans.
We will meet at St Mary's Church Battersea , Battersea Church Road , SW11 3WA. Although a Sunday and therefore parishioners will be around , there should be enough temporary parking in the vicinity to drop off boats.
We aim to meet there at about 10.00, taking about 30 minutes to ensue that everyone expected is there , and all gear unloaded.

The car drivers will make their way to Greenwich , and park either at Greenwich Yacht Club , Peartree Way , Greenwich SE10 0BW if we get permission to use their visitors' car park. If we don't get permission, then the best alternative is the Peninsular retail park , Bugsbys Way , Charlton SE7 7ST.

Hopefully we will be able to get all the drivers into one shuttle car (probably Tim in his taxi?) and return to Battersea, via the earlier get off if needed.

In the case of some paddlers opting for the shorter option , the get off is at where Beatson Walk intersects with Rotherhithe Street SE16 5EF. A restaurant called The Pizza Lounge is on the corner.

The shuttle should get back to Battersea around midday.

High water at Chelsea is at 11.45 and we don't get any help from the tide until about 12.30 when we expect to get on the water.
Low water at Woolwich is at 17.34 , so we are aiming to be off the water by 16.30.
The get off is the public slipway just upstream from Greenwich Yacht Club.

This is a neap tide so there will not be as much help from the flow as normal, so the 12 mile trip will need a degree of paddle fitness.

Please ensure that you book out equipment with Ada/website.

Andy

[Tharlow]

Andy,
should we have a meeting on Saturday at the boathouse (10.30) to finalise cars, boats - maybe collect them to save time on Sunday and answer any questions members may have?

Also as it is a long trip maybe we should bring snacks and a drink and stop and just after Tower Bridge?

Meanwhile found this informative Thames website.
http://thames.me.uk/s00200.htm
It starts at Battersea Railway Bridge just south of where we launch; you can either follow the river to Greenwich Yacht Club or scroll down for other points along the Thames.

[andy g]

Tim
I can't make Saturday as I am on water safety duty of the Gt London Swim (as are many others)
Personally I don't see the need for a formal meeting in preparation , but it would be a tremendous help if everyone who needs boats and equipment could get it on Saturday, otherwise it puts a full hour on my starting time.

I know the club has quite a liberal attitude to changing by the roadside under normal circumstances, but as we are parking right outside a church on a Sunday morning, where it is likely there will be parishioners around, I would like to request that everyone arrives at Battersea either totally or partially changed , and we do not need to strip off.

Although most of us will benefit from some food and drink during the trip, there are precious few places where we can find landing spaces for the party at high tide, so I suggest you keep the nourishment to snacks which can be consumed on the move if necessary.

Andy

[Brian]

hi andy
thanks again for your time getting this trip sorted
jane and myself will probably ( 99.9% sure ) take the option of the short trip.
see you at battersea at 10 ish
thanks for the warning about the peeping parishioners
Brian
ps i am working ( well train driving ) saturday so wont be at the lake

[Brian]

Hi Andy
I think you may have made a typo on the post code for the church i think it should be SW11 3NA.
Not complaining just trying to save people that live by their sat navs ( me being one of them,) not getting stressed on Sunday.
B