....must be be my third Clipper start and it was as good as ever.. hard not to be affected by a race that starts on the Thames, in the sun, and all those enthusiastic crews.. let's hope they're still enjoying it as much when they get to Punta del Este in 4000 miles time...
First thing first though, beer... the Dean Swift is still one of my favourite London pubs and fulfilled that wish in spades... a walk across Tower bridge to St Katherine's dock (the official race start) and after a small wait we were on a spectator boat.. a day of firsts today, and this was the first time I remember going under the bridge... a stupidly fast tide running (springs - see yesterday) so we went under backwards..
..once they all exited the docks, they headed up river before coming down river in a procession of sail through the raised arms of Tower bridge... stunning..
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| Punta del Este sponsored for this race by the port of the same name.. |
Lovely day to be on the river and we settled down for a gentle stroll down river to admire the boats and the sights...
...I never fail to be amazed by how many channels, dock gates, and water entrances there still are on this stretch of the Thames.. most of them gentrified and turned into flats and developments now, but this must have been an amazing site back in the day when all the wharf buildings were warehouses rather than plush apartments..
...Greenwich looking stunning in the sun...
Passing the O2 with Canary Wharf and the banks in the distance..
...and then my second "first" of the day.. waving goodbye to the boats at the Thames barrier we actually went through before turning to come back up river...
Brilliant day.. fair winds to the crews, safe returns for all, and good racing!
Brilliant! wish I had been there.
ReplyDeleteAlden - spectacle from beginning to end... best backdrop in the world for a race start, but only in my humble opinion of course.. :o))
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