We made it !

I confess to having been a bit apprehensive of our trip down the tidal River Thames (or part of it anyway). The run down to Teddington Lock from Weybridge before the tidal section was pretty straight forward, apart from the pouring rain.  We had to be at Teddington by 1:00 pm to catch the high tide, however you’re allowed through the lock half an hour beforehand so as to make the most of the ‘slack water’. 

It stopped raining and we were off, passing Hampton Court Palace on the way.

 

The tidal Thames is like the rest (whilst at high tide !)

Nice old barge on the way

 

….and a floating waterside home

The trip was only down to Brentford where we would turn up into the River Brent, then join the Grand Union Canal. Trouble is the turning into the River Brent almost doubles back from the direction we were travelling down the Thames, and with Brutus’ reluctance to turn when going down stream, I was hoping to get there before the tidal ebb started. However half way there we went under Richmond Bridge, and I noticed the ebb starting to run at about 2 knots or so.

Richmond Bridge

Others had told us that the Brentford turn should be done in a big sweep round. I knew that Brutus may well struggle to make it round, and had premonitions of us speeding sideways off down through central London. So as an alternative I decided to try a technique we used to use when running rivers and rapids in our canoe – an ‘eddy turn’. It would only work if the river we were turning into was running very slowly compared to the Thames. However it might not work as well on a 20 tonne boat !

We sped on down to the turn, and …… horray, the River Brent was almost still, so with the bow pointed right at the concrete wall at the narrow entrance the boat ‘eddied’ out just as we’d hoped ! The ‘Welcome to Thames Lock’ sign at Brentford really was welcome. Never thought I’d say that about the place !  My only other visit to Brentford was years ago on business, and all I can recollect was derelict factory buildings. Of course I’m sure some of you might recall bedsheets and pyjamas back in the ’70s made by ‘Brentford Nylons’.

Thames Lock – first on the River Brent (Grand Union Canal)

We moored in an area part derelict factory and part new apartment blocks, and the afternoon walk with the dogs took us under the western end of the Chiswick Flyover – lovely !