Re: Thames source to sea - Erith to Gravesend
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2008, 12:13:58 AM »
Chris, Hilary, Bridget, Janine, Stephen and Richard Szc. managed to get on the water at Erith only half an hour after the planned time which was counted a great success. The ebb tide, three days off springs, was well underway making 2-3 knots and we covered the 10 miles between Erith and Gravesend in less than 2 hours. The water was flat for the most part and there was no wind and very little river traffic. The river is wide here and the banks are dominated by massive industrial and utility installations, factories, bulk freight terminals, power stations, wharves with large ships alongside and landfill sites. In a number of places new residential developments have been sited surprisingly close to the industrial sites. The QE II bridge presented an impressive and towering spectacle and on a much smaller scale Gravesend showed some attractive and interesting riverside architecture, particularly the recently refurbished Town Pier dating from 1834. The very friendly folk at Gravesend Rowing Club allowed us to park next to their club house and kindly invited Janine inside while she was waiting for the cars to arrive.
