Sunday 1st September 2013 - Lime House to Hampton Court

We were all up at 6.30am.  After breakfast we all set to preparing the boat - Annie fastening down anything that might fall and break, Mark rigging up a bilge pump and I running around (someone said like a headless chicken) exchanging phone numbers with the other boats and checking in with London VTS.  Our three boats were all in the lock at 8am and moving out onto the Thames at 8.10.  What a beautiful day!  The water was flat calm although there was a chilly wind.  Our worries of fast boat movements were unfounded - there aren't any at that time on a Sunday.

Annie helmed through the busy bit - from Lime House we passed under Tower Bridge (sadly not the main span) HMS Belfast close up was imposing.  Next it was London Bridge...Cannon Street...Southwark bridge etc etc 30 bridges in total.  Highlights obviously were the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, and such a drop dead brilliant view of so much of London from a very different view point.  I navigated, with Mark the official photographer, although we all swapped roles during the trip.

Nb R.J. left us at Brentford and at 12.30 we arrived at Teddington and locked through onto the none-tidal Thames.  Mooring up, we arranged out Thames licence and had lunch.  Mark decided to stay with us a while longer so we continued to Hampton Court - finding a brilliant mooring right outside Hampton Court Palace.  Walked with Mark to the station then returned to the boat for tea. What a fantastic day!