Brazilian sail training ship Cisne Branco arrives in London

Staff Writer Navy, News, Tall Ships

THE BRAZILIAN navy’s sail training ship Cisne Branco sailed up the River Thames yesterday afternoon for a port visit to London. The ship was dressed overall, bringing some much needed colour to the Thames on a dull day as she made her way up the river to arrive at West India Docks at about 2.30pm. Built in Amsterdam, the 74 …

Tanker runs aground near Swanscombe peninsula

Staff Writer Incidents, News

A 144 metre long oil & chemical tanker ran aground in the River Thames on Wednesday night. Arsland had departed Purfleet and was rounding Swancombe Peninsula at Broadness when she went aground. Svizter tugs Madeline, Bootle and London assisted with pulling the Hamburg-bound vessel clear. The incident was also attended by the oil cleanup vessel Recover and the PLA’s Southwark. …

Dunkirk hero ship Ena pictured decaying at Hoo

Staff Writer News, Sailing Barges

WHILE the new Dunkirk movie rides high at the box office, one of the ships from Operation Dynamo is lying rotting in Kent. 111 year old Sailing Barge Ena is currently decaying in a barge graveyard in the River Medway at Hoo. The historic vessel was sailed out to Dunkirk on 31st May 1940 to help with the evacuation but …

Thames Clippers to run trials of commuter service from Gravesend to London

Staff Writer Passenger Vessels

GRAVESEND commuters will get the chance to try travelling to London and back by boat in a four day trial next month. MBNA Thames Clippers will be running the trial service from Gravesend town pier into central London, stopping at Canary Wharf, Tower Pier, Blackfriars and Embankment. The service will get passengers from Gravesend to Canary Wharf in just 48 minutes and …

Royal Nore to leave the Thames for Royal Yacht Britannia Trust Collection

Staff Writer News

ROYAL Barge ‘Royal Nore’ is to leave the River Thames and join the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust Collection in Leith. The historic vessel has been owned by the Port of London Authority since 1971 and has been the Queen’s mode of transport at several important river events including the official openings of London Bridge, the Thames Barrier, Millennium Dome and the Millennium …

New operator takes over the Tilbury Ferry service

Rob Powell News, Passenger Vessels

A NEW operator has taken over the historic Tilbury Ferry service today. The river crossing between Tilbury and Gravesend is now operated by Jetstream Tours using the Thames Swift trimaran vessel. It’s a return to the service after a 15 year absence for Thames Swift, having originally been built in Gravesend by a previous ferry operator – White Horse Ferries …

Gloriana leads Tudor Pull from Hampton Court to the Tower of London

Staff Writer Events

The Queen’s Row Barge Gloriana once again provided a dose of colourful and regal pagentry on the River Thames on Sunday as she led a flotilla of traditional Thames cutters up the river in the “Tudor Pull”. While runners pounded the streets of the capital in the London Marathon, the Royal Watermen took on a St George’s Day marathon challenge …

Beautiful sunrise pictured behind the Thames Barrer

Staff Writer News, Weather

A BEAUTIFUL sunrise appeared behind the iconic piers of the Thames Barrier last weekend. On the last day of Greenwich Mean Time before the clocks went forward for the summer, OnTheThames.net photographed the rising sun as seen from the Thames Path on the Greenwich Peninsula. Intense hues of red and yellow filled the sky as the rising sun appeared to …