Ditch-crawler meets some tall ships on the Thames…

Underway again… Grand!

After leaving the comfortable confines of Limehouse Basin we pottered up river to turn below Tower Bridge – a kind of rite of passage. Sail was set as we approached Limehouse Reach sail was set and we were off, homeward bound with a planned stop at Greenhithe for our penultimate evening away.

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The Dar Mlodziezy.

Reaching Greenwich, apart from the carbuncle up on the land, we saw a real sailing ship moored out n the river, clearly an early arrival… She was the Polish beauty Dar Mlodziezy. Apart from short periods we seemed to be tacking down and round all the reaches … it’s the way the cookie crumbles – the mate hadn’t even mentioned the engine!

The engine had a brief run as we transited the flood barrier and upon exiting a whole mass of vessels were seen down in Woolwich Bight.

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Group of tall ships alongside Woolwich Pier…

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The Oosterchelte – a particular beauty…

It then went quiet – no rushing twin hulled water taxis and few coasters and tugs to disturb our sailing serenity…

Approaching the QE2 bridge a sail, well a mass of creamy canvas, was seen … this was the first of a parade that is still going on as I bash my keys swinging to a buoy off Greenhithe’s town hard… As I speak the Sea Cadet training ship has sailed under the bridge followed by two ‘smack’ types, big gaff cutters anyway!

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The Gulden Leeuw, wow what a ship…

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The Tenacious, pity they’d furled sails…

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The Pelican of London…

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A Fifer on the London River…

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The Starvos S Niarchos

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Two further vessels …

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The Lady of Avenel – which as east coasters know is based in Maldon.

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A couple of the smaller ‘tall’ ships…

Well that’s all I’m uploading … there were many more and a three-master has just motored under the bridge … following several gaffers.

 

 

 

 

 

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