So, we were up at 5am and set off up the Limehouse Cut to Bow Lock. Instead of turning right into the lock we went straight on to Cooks Bridge and past the Three Mills.
At Cooks Bridge we had wait for the Olympic security barrier to be removed. Unfortunately, no one had the key so we had to wait for about 1/2 hr or so.
Then, very slowly, we then moved on to City Mills
Lock which was in "free flow" (both top and bottom gates are open, so
we can sail straight through). Then it was back down the back of the three mills
to Bow Locks were the rest of the boats joined us.
Then, in convoy again, we slowly, very, very, slowly, moved on down the
River Lea to the Thames were it was a right turn a short trip up the river and into West
India Dock Lock.
We got all the 39 boats into the lock, along with some plastics
and an odd assortment of boats at the rear. The nice men on the boat in
the picture were worried about their boat banging on the lock side, so
they kept their engine running all the time, refusing all appeals for
them to switch it off (which you are supposed to do in a lock anyway).
Sod the people behind who were asphyxiated with their fumes. They may
not have been Stirred, but we were definitely Shaken.
There is every sort of boat in the docks here. This is one of my favourites.
And
so, 7 1/2 hours after we started and travelling for 7 1/2 miles we
moored up outside the Hilton Hotel. If we had taken the shorter route
through Limehouse Lock it was probably less than 3 miles. By crow
flight only 1/2 mile!
Still, this is the view from the side window. Millennium Dome on the left in the distance.
Tenacious on the right (all the masts). She was one of the reasons we had to take so long. She had to get berthed before we could get into the lock.
The scrutineer came on board and we PASSED!!!!! The relief is
palpable. There was enough anchor chain and enough warp. The Generic
Passage Plan had enough personal annotations, the engine room was clean
enough, we have enough life jackets and a 1st aid kit etc, etc, etc.
Suddenly we weren't tired any more. Just one more hoop to jump through
tomorrow when we get to the start of the Pageant and get our flag.
And then the final briefing, which didn't seem as horrific as the
one last night. God, was it only last night! Seems like a lifetime
away.
An old card; I must have made it about 6 years ago.
I
used a cream card blank and made a pink panel with a silver panel
inside. A bunch of blue silk flowers was stuck down with glue dots and a
blue ribbon likewise.
The butterfly was taken from a hair ornament and was also stuck down with a glue dot
I
made printed out the sentiment and name on the computer using a fancy
font and cut it out with scalloped scissors and matted it onto silver
and pink card.
