Haynes World - ships, ferries, a laugh on the ocean wave, and other interesting things...

14 July 2016

MINERVA 14th May 2016 Part 11 Tower Bridge London


Tuesday 24th May 2016
I see that this morning I had extra time in bed, until 8 a.m., which was a novelty. We are at sea, travelling towards the River Thames and London, and looking forward to Tower Bridge opening for us at 5 p.m. - what a treat. I have been through Tower Bridge before, on the paddle steamer WAVERLEY, when the Bridge opened up for us then as we left Tower Pier and headed for the open sea.


Orpheus Lounge


Looking ahead in Orpheus


Looking astern in the Orpheus Lounge


After a walk on deck I went for breakfast and then to the 9.30 a.m. Garden Lecture from Christine with advice about visiting the Chelsea Flower Show tomorrow. There was time for coffee before the 11.30 lecture from Ian about Londoners and the Thames. After that I had another chat with Gervase Phinn about London, ships, books and life generally; he enjoys talking with passengers and many of us are happy to sit with him too.


This looked an odd shape


Cymbeline



Out on deck the sun was actually shining and it was hot - about time too. Karina in Reception gave me my book to put on the Library display table, and I felt like a proud mother as I did so. (It now has the proper labels on it, showing it is the ship's property.) Outside we are heading into London waters, and preparations were being made for a deck barbecue which was wonderful in the hot sun.

The Pilot came on board at Margate, various ships went to and fro, we saw Ramsgate, and then Sheerness (on the Isle of Thanet) where my father was born when his father was working there in the shipyards; these are in Kent, with its own River Medway. From the top deck we could see the Thames forts out in the water, and then the RICHARD MONTGOMERIE surrounded by marker buoys. This sunken vessel is so full of unstable explosives that it is considered safer to leave it there rather than try to do anything else.


Thames Forts


Thames Forts


Richard Montgomerie


Wilhelmine


Soon we approached the London Gateway with its huge cranes and ever-growing facilities for unloading cargo, Gravesend, the Woolwich ferries (James Newman, John Burns, Ernest Bevin) the Princess Pocahontus, Tilbury, the Queen Elizabeth II road bridge over the River Thames, the Thames Barrier, the Emirates cable cars overhead with small jet aircraft landing and taking off from London City Airport overhead, West India Dock (Union-Castle ships used to dock there in the 1930s), and the O2 Dome.


London Gateway


Prom Deck funnel


The Pilot boat




Princess Pocahontus


Grande Abidjan


Tilbury


Tug Svitzer London


Tug Svitzer Laceby of Grimsby


Queen Elizabeth II bridge ahead


Cemil Bayulgen, U.N. RO-RO


James Newman ferry


John Burns ferry


Ernest Bevin ferry


Thames Barrier


Thames Barrier close-up


waffles and ice cream


Cable cars overhead


Emirates cable cars


An aircraft for London City Airport overhead, cable cars below that, and us under all of them


Entrance to the West India Docks


The O2 Centre (known as the Dome)


on a bit further round another bend, with another plane and cable cars




The River Thames twists and turns frequently so the views kept changing and soon we were approaching Greenwich and could enjoy seeing the old Royal Naval Hospital from the water; next we could see the CUTTY SARK old preserved tea clipper and nearby that was the entrance to the Foot Tunnel going under the Thames from the Isle of Dogs to there at Greenwich. It's fascinating to walk under through it and realise one is underneath the River Thames, thanks to Victorian Engineering.


Greenwich - what a wonderful sight


Cutty Sark and the Foot Tunnel under the River Thames


A different view as Minerva sailed along the Thames


Canary Wharf


Skyline, with the Shard building on the left


Limehouse


The Mayflower pub, dwarfed by its surroundings


Wapping Pier, and the top of Tower Bridge on the left, and the City buildings on the skyline


The skyline kept changing and soon we could see well-known buildings such as Canary Wharf, Limehouse, the Shard, the Swiss Re bank building in St. Mary Axe (where Cayzer House was located when I first joined Union-Castle Line), Wapping Pier, and clear views of the top of the towers of Tower Bridge.


Tower Bridge ahead


Road traffic being stopped. The Monument for the Great Fire of London in 1666 can be seen on the right side of the picture, amongst the cranes


The bascules starting to rise



The River Thames turned yet again and suddenly Tower Bridge was ahead of us; we passed the Royal Navy's HMS PRESIDENT ship and headquarters on our starboard side, and watched as the two bascules each started lifting and were completely open as we sailed through underneath the fabled Tower Bridge. I looked up and could see the newly-installed two glass floors inserted into the top walkway. I have walked across that top walkway and it is an amazing sensation to stand on the Grade 1 Listed Heritage structure dating from 1894. The whole thing is well worth a visit I think.


Royal Navy HMS President


Tower Bridge is open for us


Going under tower Bridge


The Tower of London


Tower


It was such an extraordinary sensation to be sailing through London's Tower Bridge at 5 o'clock on an early summer's afternoon, and our cheers on board were soon joined by those of hundreds of people on the riverside paths and on Tower Bridge roadway and pavements. Visitors to the nearby Tower of London joined in and we could see lots of camera and phone flashes as people took photographs.


HMS Belfast just ahead



We were soon through the Bridge and heading for HMS BELFAST just ahead on our port side, and there we soon tied up.


Tower Bridge astern



There were a couple of large fenders keeping MINERVA and BELFAST apart, and soon a very short gangway was put in place so we could go ashore if we chose. A small pontoon was beside BELFAST and this is where we could board a little riverboat for the five minute sail across to Tower Millennium Pier. A celebratory drink and dinner was next, followed by an after-dinner talk from Gervase Phinn which amused and entertained us all.


Tower of London at night


Towards All Hallows church


The gap between us and HMS Befast


Night scene



Out on deck later I was so glad of lots of warm clothing, but the sights and sounds all around us were mesmerising. One of the young assistant restaurant waiters standing nearby was so excited as he talked about his plans for the free time he had tomorrow, so we wished him well for the day. We were all excited about our plans!

Ships seen: Cymbeline, Wilhelmine, Princess Pocahontus, Grande Abidjan, tug Svitzer London, Svitzer Laceby of Grimsby, Cemil Bayulgen, James Newman, John Burns, Ernest Bevin, Cutty Sark, HMS President, HMS Belfast, and various River Thames pleasure craft


To be continued...