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Cruise on the River Thames

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Hal1026
Hal1026
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Cruise on the River Thames

  • April 10, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by dina4 from los angeles, California
After exploring the Tower of London, our family of four needed to get back to the Westminster Bridge area. Next on our agenda was seeing Big Ben and the Parliament Buildings, and walking down Whitehall. We could have taken another cab or hopped on the tube, but instead we opted for a lovely cruise along the Thames. We bought tickets and boarded at the dock right in front of the Tower of London.

The ride was so serene and so beautiful! We enjoyed a great narration of the sights on either side of us with interesting historical backgrounds (as well as corny humor!). And... we got to sit and REST after a lot of sightseeing. It truly was an extremely pleasant experience. We got off at Westminster Bridge, rejuvenated, and were ready for more exploring!

From journal Short but Sweet in London

Editor Pick

The River Thames

  • April 8, 2002
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Amanda from London, United Kingdom
The River Thames is central to London’s history and development. London was a major port for its whole life – starting with the Romans who established the city of Londinium. When the Romans settled in the area in about 20BC, the Thames was a wide, shallow, marshy river, far from the deep, neatly channelled beast that flows fast through the city today. They laid out their city on the north side of the Thames, and built a bridge across the river (near to the current London Bridge), which led to a large, relatively solid and high island, the centre of modern-day Southwark.

The river continued as an important port for medieval England, and the City grew rich on the proceeds of ships from all over the world up until the late 20th century. Many of the roads along the river are named after the parts of the world ships came from to dock there, or after the produce they brought with them. Jamaica Road, East Indies Docks, and Sugar Wharf are just a few examples of this. From the 1960s onwards, though, container shipping developed and these vessels were much too large to enter the River Thames and its docks, and the shipping industry moved downstream, leaving the docks derelict. From the 1980s onwards, many of these became housing and leisure areas, close to the centre of town and filled with Georgian and Victorian warehouses ripe for conversion.

The river today is used more than a few decades ago, for transport and for leisure. The tourist might take a boat trip upstream to Greenwich, or downstream to Kew or Richmond, or go sailing in the docks. The river is also cleaner – having failed to support life for many decades (before the sewage system was built in the 1860s onwards the river was one big sewer that forced London life to a halt in hot summers; the sewers were built after the "Big Stink" forced Parliament out of town in the 1850s), fish and other animals are returning to the river.

From journal Government, Greenery and Glory - Public London

Editor Pick

Watersports on the Thames

  • March 27, 2001
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Hal1026 from Scottsdale, Arizona
Watersports on the Thames

Docklands Sailing & Watersports Centre: located on the Isle of Dogs, DSWC is based in a modern, purpose built facility at the west end of Millwall Dock. The first floor has a glass wall providing an excellent view of the dock that lets you watch what's happening out on the water while relaxing in the bar with a drink or snack. There's free parking and easy access to Docklands Light Railway.

The watersports here has the advantage of direct access to both the Millwall Dock and the River Thames. The Dock is 25 acres of sheltered water that creates an ideal environment for beginners to safely learn a new watersport. The slipway allows the Centre direct access out onto the Thames so activities can be extended out onto a more challenging surface of water. The Centre is open year-round for sailing, dragon boat racing, traditional rowing and canoeing. Summertime is when they offer individual or group tuition though. The Thames and its docks are London's historic arteries that gave it life over the centuries; being out on the water here puts you in touch with the city's present but also its amazing past.

Docklands Sailing & Watersports Centre, 235a Westferry Rd., Isle of Dogs, London E14; Tel: 020 7537 2626

Others in the area:

Facilities and lessons for jet ski riders at every level:

Docklands Watersports Club, Gate 14, King George V Dock, Woolwich Manor Way, London E16; Tel: 0171 511 7000

From journal Docklands: London's Bridge to Past and Future

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