Tidal Thames meet 18-19 Aug 2018

Do we need to warn the PLA given that there's about x10 boats?

I haven't heard of the need to warn.... only the need to inform on channel 14 VTS approaching thames barrier. The nav channel is marked as you know, but they seem to like small craft to let them know if they have VHF.

Olive, thanks for the times again. Looking at them if you were going at 5 knots then you must have been on the back of a 4 knot tidal flow...anyway...you show it's 4 hours from Brentwood to TB and we want to get to TB at around 1400.
High water at Richmond is 0845 so assuming we pass Richmond around 9, we pass brentwood 9:15 then we have 4.75 hours to make TB which is fine.

One of those Amphicars would be useful. Need to get off the Thames somewhere and onto the M25 to get to Brentwood. - (Your spellchecker to blame?)

no.... just brainchecker! We have an office in Brentwood and I have to travel there from time to time. whereas Brentford...never go there!

Right, we're coming too. Brentford lock-keeper will open up at 9am to let us out of the marina.

Pat, great Facebook blog on the tidal thames trip. Loving it. https://m.facebook.com/groups/36807066957?view=permalink&id=10155768511716958&ref=group_header&notif_t=group_activity

If u haven’t looked at the FB page See Dave’s video at 

https://m.facebook.com/groups/36807066957?multi_permalinks=10155773339861958%2C10155773051961958%2C10155772924461958%2C10155772500841958&notif_t=group_activity&notif_id=1534572472508638&ref=group_header

For flavour of yesterday

That's a heck of a rough ride! I should think some first-timers were privately anxious if not queasy. The rest think it a great adventure which it undoubtedly is - from the safety of my desk!

It was awesome. I have owned this boat since April 92 and I have a new found respect for her today due to understanding now what she can handle! I love her to bits and I am thankful to John Freeman and his team of 50 years ago for doing such a good job. There were some waves that I did not think we would come out off but we did. I know now why the PLA call it a category C/D waterway!

Great to have you and be a part of the whole experience.  Still loving it, now moored up above the lock.  Cheers for now. PG II

A totally awesome experience, so glad we did it.

A huge thanks to Chris for the organisation and for making the various contacts with authorities along the way. An even bigger thanks to everyone that came along making it a memorable trip.

We learned a lot, Saturday and Sunday aren’t usually school days, but they certainly were on this trip

Well done and thank you for organising an experience of a life time. It was great yet my life insurance was never in jeopardy.  It was a great undertaking which the organisers should be justly proud.