of our 33ed Wedding anniversary on the 22nd July my wonderful wife bought us tickets to sail on one of the tall ships sailing on the Thames I posted about recently. We went down to the Woolwich Arsenal pier this Sunday afternoon, and boarded the Dutch Lugger Gallant.
The weather was far from ideal.....
Looking behind me I saw this building...
Which rapidly spread over to this...
The rain started to fall really hard as we left the jetty and turned upstream heading towards the famous Thames flood Barrier passing one of the other tall ships on the way..
I'm getting completely soaked..
My perch in the bow quickly became too wet to be tenable and I headed amidships to an awning rigged there...
Thames Barrier through the rain
One of the sections was closed
Spotted this boat right out of the water. Found out later it's The Royal Iris one of the famous Mersey Ferries (as in Ferry cross the Mersey) Being restored.
I probably traveled on it as a kid I'm from that area originally... used to love the ferries.
Approaching the Barrier. Still raining but it's looking a lot better ahead.
From a distance you don't notice that they're curved
Thames Barrier again
Approaching the O2 Dome
The new cable-car across the Thames
It's pretty high... my wife doesn't want to try it... but I'm game!
On the North bank spotted these two Lightships and a lighthouse
They appear to be laid up. Certainly both are beached
The rather stubby little lighthouse
Dome with Dramatic Sky
One of the Thames Catamarans... designed as commuter boats... they're fairly speedy
Certainly a lot quicker than our Lugger... even though we were on engines not sail travelling against the current at this point.
Approaching Greenwich
Getting closer
The masts of the tea Clipper Cutty Sark coming into view
Not sure what this building is. There's a Latin inscription over the door which seems to indicate it was a hospital.
HMS Ocean. An amphibious assault ship / Helicopter landing platform. On duty to provide security for the Olympics
In the background is the Olympic equestrian arena. Zooming into the crowd it looks pretty full. In the far background The Royal Greenwich Observatory at the top of the hill. Home of the Greenwich Meridian.
The Royal Naval College. Under the dome to the Right, the famous Painted Hall. Under that to the left the equally spectacular Chapel
The newly restored Cutty Sark.
Great to see it looking so good after the terrible fire that nearly destroyed it.
In the Distance - The London Shard. This is where the boat turned around and the Foresail raised (with help from my wife) for the journey back.
HMS Ocean again
Another view of the Naval College
Oostesrchelde, another in the tall ships flotilla, passes us on its way upstream.
Catamaran at Greenwich pier
The Canary Wharf complex
West India Dock. At least two large vessels in there.
Back past the Dome under sail
We were very near London City Airport
Christine took this snap of me sporting my new/old beard.
(for my newer friends, I had a beard for nearly 30 years but shaved it off about 6 years ago)
Oosterschelde running very near the Dome, it appears!
Back to the rain again... fortunately quite light this time.
Oosterschelde nearing the Barrier
Twister at moorings
Arrival back at Woolwich
Oosterschelde caught us up
The very beautiful J R Tolkein
And her sister ship Loth Lorien
Hope you liked my tour!
Ray
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