We had puzzled for ages over the forthcoming cruise downstream through the tidal Thames. The combination of tide times, bridge heights and depth of water led to a seemingly impossible conundrum. Our first problem was that our passage was going to take place during an extreme spring tide. The upper tidal reach of the Thames ebbs very slowly and floods very quickly and so by the time the tide comes to Richmond its surge is not only difficult to pinpoint because of other climatic influences but, within three to four hours, you have caught up the highest of the tide when proceeding downstream.

The conventional wisdom is either to leave around high water or a little before, in which case you can pass through Richmond without using the lock as the sluices are open for free passage two hours either side of high tide. You then gain the support of the tidal flow all the way downstream which makes for a fast passage but you arrive below London Bridge at just about low water, with no chance of gaining entrance to St Katherines or Limehouse in a normal tide, let alone a spring tide. In addition, on the day of our passage the high tide was at either 1am or 3pm, making for a night passage, or late evening arrival. There seem to be few places convenient and comfortable to wait in the tidal Thames and so this option only really suits passages early in the day when the intention is to cruise on through the tidal section and into the Thames esturary without stopping.

The second recommended option of setting off several hours after high water would still give sufficient water for depth in the upper section whilst giving plenty of headroom under the low Hammersmith bridge and would leave timings for Limehouse which are more convenient, but in our case on this particular day it would have meant leaving in the middle of the night, or far too late in the day to reach Limehouse within working hours.

We therefore worked out a plan of our own which seemed the only realistic option for vessels of reasonable draught and height restrictions that want to make Limehouse on a single tide. This involved getting to Richmond at around low water and waiting for the first trip boats to come upstream with the beginning of the flood. We then used the lock to pass downstream at the first opportunity, without incurring any charge as it turned out. Though punching the tide it was possible to get to Hammersmith an hour and a half before high water, to provide at least a metre more than the minimum bridge height advertised. We got the benefit of the ebb tide for the last part of our passage and locked into Limehouse a couple of hours after high water.

We were lucky to miss most of the rain whilst we had the canopy lowered for the bridges and reassembled our canopy for the last time for a while with some relief. We were glad to relax in the safety of the marina and planned to stay for the weekend to enjoy some rest and relaxation before continuing our passage onto the south coast.

Our technique of setting up a height gauge on the pulpit paid dividends with the numerous bridges on this stretch of the Thames even though we had the excellent photocopied guides provided by the Limehouse lockkeeper which identified each of the bridges, their heights and navigable spans.

Cruising Statistics

Distance:22 nm

Total to date: 385 nm

Avg Speed: 5 knots

Duration: 5 hours

Wind: SW 3

Mooring: £15/night

Electricity: £2.50/night

Locks

Teddington

Richmond

Limehouse

Bridges

Kingston 23'11

Teddington 18'4

Richmond road 19'10

Richmond rail 20'8

Twickenham 22'6

Kew road 20'

Kew railway 20'5

Chiswick 25'

Barnes 20'2

Hammersmith 15'

Putney 20'

Fulham 24'5

Wandsworth 21'

Battersea 22'

Albert 19'11

Chelsea 24'

Victoria 21'5

Vauxhall 20'4

Lambeth 22'6

Westminster 19'6

Charing Cross 24'9

Waterloo 28'6

Blackfriars 24'1

Blackfriars rail 24'6

Southwark 25'6

Canon St 24'11

London 25'6

Tower 30'