Mixed feelings as we say goodbye to the Thames

You are here: \ Our Boat \ Epiphany Blog \ Mixed feelings as we say goodbye to the Thames

Mixed feelings as we say goodbye to the Thames

Sunday, 17 July 2011 16:16

So far we have had a wonderful time on the River Thames. During exactly four months, the weather and the river have been good to us. We had a bit more to do today though, before we said goodbye.

Below Chertsey Bridge

Leaving all this behind we carried on downstream ....

Below our overnight moorings were a selection of "house boats", one of which was for sale. I suppose that life afloat, but without the ability to move, appeals to some.

Two storey house boat

So someone has a cruiser with a familiar name! I don't think the owners are in "retirement" though.

Cruiser No Problem

Another way of living on the water is in this Oxford Barge. It is possibly the Balliol Barge, which was re-hulled in the 1920s and then used by St Catherine's College. It is now a stylish house boat and apparently was sold fairly recently for an amount around one million pounds. Hmm, so we need to win the lottery to buy one - no chance!

Oxford Barge at Chertsey Meads

The river divides at Pharaoh's Island and we took the main channel to the right. The island was presented to Admiral Lord Nelson after the Battle of the Nile.

Pharaoh's Island

Soon we arrived at Shepperton Lock:

Shepperton Lock and weir

This lock has one of the largest weirs on the Thames and in full flow creates a large bowl-shaped, green wave, 40 feet wide by 5 feet high - a challenge for canoeists and apparently one of the best play waves in Europe. I think I will stick to our narrowboat.

We used the rubbish and elsan facilities whilst in the lock, with permission of the Lock Keeper. We kept the Southern Comfort paddle steamer waiting as a result. I noticed it had its "stacks" folded down, because of low bridges I assume.

Southern Comfort at the lock landing

The River yawned ahead of us and as we came out I realised that we would be turning right immediately, leaving the lock landing and "Nauticalia" behind us. A ferry runs from Shepperton to Weybridge from here. Passengers have been ferried across for about 500 years, but the ferry is a modern one with an engine nowadays.