Onto the tidal River Lea

On Thursday I was up at 0630 getting ready for the Big Day. Richard and Sue of Indigo Dream had very kindly invited me to join them on their first(ish) cruise of 2013, from Limehouse Basin to the Royal Docks. This was a St. Pancras Cruising Club organised cruise under the expert guidance of Andrew Phasey on Doris Katia.

I cycled from David's house in Blackheath down to the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, crossed under the Thames and cycled to Limehouse Basin. Here I met Paul, a work associate of Richard's and also a boater. We were let in to the pontoon to board Indigo Dream and met two more boaters: Sarah and Andy of Greygal fame. Unfortunately Sue was missing as she'd had to dash to Wales to look after her mum.

While Sarah steered along Limehouse Cut Richard prepared a breakfast feast for us all - fantastic!

On the Lee Navigation we turned north a short distance to New Era for a better-safe-than-sorry diesel top-up.

Richard lassos the bollard, we diesel up ...

... finish our butties (this is Paul, Andy (sorry I caught you with your eyes shut) and Sarah) ...

... and turn towards Bow Locks.

In the (right-hand) lock it fell to me to lasso the bollard with the bow rope and stand by while the lock emptied into the tidal Lea.

This connects directly to the Thames, with no more locks to negotiate.

This end of the Lea meanders extravagantly as if never quite wanting to meet the bigger waters of the Thames. Here the Dome is behind us ...

... and, just two minutes later, here it is in front.

In the next instalment we steer onto the Thames itself, and encounter the big Woolwich Ferries.