…….. and then a meal and a great deal of fun afterwards – here’s Craig (new boating friend) Andrew, Jeremy, (emeritus Limehouse lock keeper!)Frances and Doug obviously having a hard time of it!
On Saturday morning (Olympic Park cruise day) there were a sea of boats in Limehouse basin ready and waiting to depart – a rather dank looking start but the weather was to improve dramatically.
We won’t go into terrific detail about the whole day as friends Adam (nb ‘Briar Rose’) and Adrian joined us for the cruise and Adam’s blog gives full and correct details that we can only aspire to. (Click here) It was a very special event – the first time boats have been officially allowed to cruise around the Olympic Park waterways. This is the Aquatic Centre looking down on our 40 boat flotilla …………
…….. and, on the other side of the waterway, the iconic viewing platform.
It must have been quite a sight – our endless flotilla of narrow boats chugging along through the sunshine with waves from people in the park who had never seen boats here before.
The stadium is in the process of being drastically modified before it can be opened again.
There were a few tight corners to negotiate but the flowers were nice to look at in the process!
After the cruise all boats arrived safely at Three Mills, having been counted in and out by the numerous security boats, and moored up for a bit of R and R before the evening’s BBQ. The sunshine was still with us and Adam and Adrian look as pleased as the rest of us with the day’s events.
The evening saw the weather change for the worse (probably because James took his waterproof trousers off which he’d been wearing all day to stave off the Law of Sod!). Still, us Brits can always manage to enjoy a BBQ and manhandle umbrellas at the same time ……….
…… but the rain didn’t last long and the evening carried on in full St Pancras style – we were privileged to be part of the day.
On Sunday, the planned journey onto the tideway at from Bow Creek – up round the Isle of Dogs – into Deptford Creek for an exploration, then up river and into Limehouse again. Instead Craig temporarily left his boat ‘Nimrod’ at Three Mills and joined us on’ Chance’ for a little trip down Bow Creek ……………
…………...where we punched the tide until we reached the Thames (and the great view of the O2 Arena which we get at this point). After a quick turn on the river it was back up Bow Creek and into Three Mills again where we all said our ‘good byes’. We then made the short trip down to Limehouse basin for another over night stay. We’ve had a real good week and unique end and a big thanks to Andrew and Frances again for all their terrific organisation.
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