Friday Photo: Foggy river at Gravesend

Rob PowellFriday Photo, Weather

GRAVESEND has sounded like last year’s Ships’ Opera over the past few nights, providing an audible reminder that the busy remains active even on dark, foggy nights. This morning the 300-metre-long Hamburg Sud container vessel SANTA ROSA emerged from the fog at Gravesend shortly before reaching her destination at Tilbury. Other traffic on the river included Transfennica’s PAULINE RUSS and …

Friday Photo: Woolwich Whale

Rob PowellFriday Photo

THIS photo of the Woolwich Whale is one of the photos and exhibits that features in a temporary exhibition running until the end of this month. The whale became stranded in the Thames in Woolwich back in 1899 and sadly died. The photo is on show at the Treasure Trove exhibition at Greenwich Heritage Centre. The Greenwich Heritage Centre is …

PLA begins consulting on Bugsby’s Reach name change

Rob PowellNews

THE PORT of London Authority has begun consulting on its plans to change the name of Bugsby’s Reach. Bugsby’s Reach is the stretch of the Thames from the tip of the Greenwich Peninsula down its eastern side to Charlton. In recognition of the 500th anniversary of the Waterman’s Company, the PLA proposes to change the name of Bugsby’s Reach to …

Friday Photo: Olympic rings on the Thames

Rob PowellEvents

IT’s two years today since the Olympic rings for London 2012 arrived on the Thames. The iconic rings were towed by STEVEN B past London locations such as the Tower of London, the Old Royal Naval College and the Thames Barrier. The stunt was timed to mark the 150-days-to-go point as anticipation grew for the London Olympics. Here are some …

French minesweeper Andromede visits London

Rob PowellNavy

THE FRENCH minesweeper FS ANDROMEDE arrived in London in the early hours of Friday morning. The 52-metre vessel reached West India Docks shortly before 4am and the port visit continues until tomorrow (Sunday) evening. After she leaves, she will return to her exercises at sea. The normal duties for the Brest-based ship include finding and destroying mines which date back to …

Free sailing taster sessions ahead of Greenwich Tall Ships Regatta

Staff WriterNews

THE AHOY Centre in Deptford and the Royal Borough of Greenwich are offering free sailing taster session for young people this April. The sailing sessions will give anyone from the Royal Borough of Greenwich aged between 15-25 the chance to get out on the Thames in a sailing boat. The initiative, delivered by Charlton Athletic Community Trust, comes ahead of …

Marco Polo returns to home port of Tilbury

Rob PowellCruise Ships, Incidents, Weather

THE CRUISE liner MARCO POLO returned to London Cruise Terminal at Tilbury late on Saturday night, a day after a passenger was sadly killed on board. The 22,000-tonne vessel arrived back at her home port shortly before ten o’clock on Saturday. The end of her 42-night cruise hit the headlines when a “freak wave” crashed through windows in the Walforf …

Passenger dies on Marco Polo cruise ship

Staff WriterCruise Ships, Incidents, Weather

A FREAK wave has left one passenger dead and others injured on the cruise ship MARCO POLO. The vessel was on her back to her home port of Tilbury when the incident happened today in the English Channel. Reports say that the water crashed through a window, killing an 85-year-old man. Another passenger was air-lifted from the ship. Operator Cruise …

Platform: In defence of “Bugsby’s Reach”

Mary MillsPlatform

Thanks to Dr Mary Mills from the Greenwich Industrial History Society for this article – the first in our new Platform series, where issues relating to the river are raised in essays and opinion pieces. We understand that moves are afoot to change the name of the bit of river which runs from the tip of the Greenwich Peninsula to …

Police piggy-back rescue at Eel Pie Island

Staff WriterIncidents, Weather

Eel Pie Island (File Photo) POLICE officers gave piggy-back rides to members of the public left stranded by flooding at Eel Pie Island on Tuesday. Twenty-five people were cut off from the road at Twickenham because the river had risen up, leaving them unable to leave the island via the footbridge. Six Special Constables from Twickenham MPS waded through the …