Thames Trip June 22nd

[Randy Fandango]

Well its sounds like fun and games for everyone then I guess!
I think you made a good decision in not attempting your original itinerary and pushing on through for Greenwich as with the wind against tide (and a force 5 wind at that against a spring tide!) you'd have found sections of your trip where the Thames would have had conditions a little like being out on the open sea in a storm with the added bonus of sharing the tideway with Thames Clippers and moored-up barges. Nice.
Perhaps if faced with the same scenario again (and the weather on the day was very accurately predicted for some days in advance) Plan B should maybe involve shifting the entire trip to somewhere more manageable like the Medway. That way, everyone would get a paddle in and the whole thing would be kept safe.
Admitedly, your parents, carers, guardians, uncle Tom Cobbley and all couldn't have joined you, but then the trip was supposed to be a trip for your DoE group I believe, rather than some sort of large travelling circus.
Giles

[Liz]

What can I say about this trip, only, that I am very glad that you never made it to Greenwich as you would have found it very demanding around there.
I was working on the Thames on Saturday and Sunday and the winds were very strong, the conditions were very sea like and no smaller craft was out and about, so very wise no to come this way. If you had been delayed slightly on your trip up river you would have found yourself confronted by very many clippers as it was a very hot day and they were all in use. The ferry terminal in which you wanted to pass behind, the platform which leads to it was only 0.5m gap from the water and was very unpassable. You would have given yourself a headache.
Having seen the DoE group on your last Thames trip I am glad you had a plan B as this paddle was of a greater distance than the first, I also thought a few struggled on that trip and would have found this journey conditions a challenge.

Cheers
Liz

[Jack_Lamer]

Jack,
I wished you had let me know , I was still expecting you on Sunday morning when someone , I forget who, said you were not coming.

Ahh sorry about that mate, as I only asked if there was space for me rather than saying that I was coming I didn’t think it necessary to let you know that I couldn’t make it.

Sounds like you had a good day though, glad to know everyone had a good safe time.

Jack