Thames Locks

Back to Sunday's trip up the Thames on Indigo Dream.  Above Brentford, we encountered traffic of varying sizes, from apparent paddle steamers to little sailing boats.

Soon we arrived at Teddington Lock, the end of the tidal Thames.  As there were lots of boats, partly because of the SPCC convoy and partly because of all the people heading for the IWA National Festival at Beale Park, we were directed to the huge barge lock.  We were the last boat in, of seventeen.  Even so, there was plenty of room.

At Kingston, there were three unusual, huge boats moored up.  I'm assuming they don't actually go anywhere.

The next lock, Molesey Lock, is just past Hampton Court.  There was a bit of a scrum to get in, with a large white plastic cruiser particularly keen to make sure he wasn't left out.  The lock keeper didn't seem that concerned about packing the boats in, so we ended up waiting for the next locking.  We shared with a number of narrow boats, a cruiser, a day boat with a birthday party on board, and a rowing eight.

At Sunbury Lock, the lock keeper was determined to get as many boats as possible in.  We were packed in like sardines, with the 70ft narrow boat next to use quite close to the bottom gates.

After Sunbury, our next destination was Weybridge, where we were due to turn off the Thames onto the River Wey.