Wednesday 8 October 2008

The Biggest Hobo

(Sorry this post has taken so long to put up, we're having endless nightmares with the internet. Normal service will hopefully be resumed shortly...)


"There's a voice, that keeps on calling me. Down the river, is where i'll always be..."

So, we did it! We finally moved from our temporary home up the Thames near Staines to our long hoped for dream location jut downstream from Tower Bridge. Ever since we bought the boat, nearly a year ago, we’ve been waiting for a spot here, and so when it finally came up we couldn’t wait to cast off the lines and set sail.

First of all there were preparations to be made. We tidied the wheelhouse and engine room up, which easily become dumping grounds for clutter.

Filled up the diesel tank and tested the engine


And prepared some tire fenders, putting lengths of hose through the holes drilled in tires so that the steel mesh inside didn’t shred the ropes.

Then, surprisingly soon, it was time to go. It was strange to leave our berth, from which we hadn’t moved since last year, but great to be moving, to feel the ‘boatiness’ of our home which had sometimes felt just like a flat, so calm was the water where we were.


The first hurdle, and the thing we had been warned about with grisly relish by several people, was Chertsey Bridge. It is tricky to get through with a large barge as you have to exit the lock just upstream and then quickly cut across the current in order to line up with the low and narrow arch of the bridge, without getting pushed over sideways by the current and ending up pinned sideways against the bridge.



It was a nerve wracking few minutes, but Stefan our skipper handled it with ease and soon we were through and making stately progress down the Thames.

Our friend Steve had come down for the ride and did a great job on tea and biscuits duty

And we made our way through several locks and round the winding bends of the river as the sun slowly set behind us.







Eventually, just as darkness fell, we got to Hampton Court and moored up, and Steve and Stefan went home for the night

but Lorna arrived, having been at work all day and missed the adventure. In order to save the batteries we lit dozens of candles and had a fun night camping out, ready for the second leg the next day.

In the morning I had a new shipmate, Matt, who got up unfeasibly early in order to join us at 7am, and Lorna abandoned ship once again, to go to work.


With Matt aboard we set off down towards the tidal Thames, which is everything below Teddington lock.


Driving the boat through central London was great fun,



and in no time we were down past Tower Bridge and in sight of our new home.


We had to moor up in a temporary spot on the edge of the mooring and wait for high tide in order to get onto our spot, so with some nifty manouvering in windy conditions Stefan brought us in and we moored up.



Once high tide came we then came round to the downstream end of the mooring and with lots of effort, ropes, shouted instructions and no time to take pictures we shouldered our way into a space between two other boats, dropped lots of fenders down, took a deep breath, and relaxed.

So, we are now in our new, VERY central spot, with Tower Bridge in front of us,

and Canary Wharf behind,

and the boat snug between one of the collar barges that form the mooring, and a huge Spitz very similar to the one we were moored next to on our old mooring.

It’s been a long time coming, but we’re very happy to be here.

11 comments:

Gretel said...

Talk about prime location! It looks amazing, and how grand to go down the central Thames.

flatplane8 said...

Great pictures! Its the best thing, being out on your boat when its moving. :)

Good luck with the new mooring!

rob said...

Great pictures thankyou! Dear old Shepperton Lock, at the weekend the "old dears" sit on the seats at the side with their knitting (just like those who used to watch the guillatine executions in the french revolution)waiting for some poor boat handler to end up broadside or woese across the lock :o)) good that you are both finally settled on your London mooring

IsmilebecauseIhavenoideawhatsgoingon said...

Hey up.. Brilliant news, and what a great experience getting there! Well done and congratulations on safe passage.

Anonymous said...

Great news

It's great to hear of such a journey in your home.

It takes some getting used to being somewhere different with everything the same.

Paul said...

I am crippled with envy! I've been following you blog for quite a few months... Fantastic!

cyberangel said...

I too have been following your blog for quite awhile.I was in England two years ago and spent alot of time down where you are moored now.What an awesome location, your so lucky to be in the heart of London.Im very impressed by how much work you have done to your boat, Its looking totally awesome.Wish mine was looking as good. Happy Homecoming!

bowiechick said...

Yippee! Congrats on the new digs!

steve said...

Thanks everyone! It's certainly good to finally be settled. And yes, it'd weird to be living in a new area, but in the same 'house'. Good though.

We've been busy since we got here too, so lots more blog posts as soon as we can sort the internet out...

Andrew Tognola said...

Well done ,Great location

Andrew

Dave said...

I'll be looking forward to spotting Serenity when hanging out at the Design Museum Cafe on a Sunday afternoon - it's a great location you have chosen - and a great choice of local restaurants