ATYC Rally to WEST INDIA DOCK 2024

ATYC Rally to WEST INDIA DOCK - ​Friday 23 Aug to Tuesday 27 Aug 2024

3 boats were joining the ATYC rally this year from Albany.
Enterprise lll
Laird Tommy XX
Blue Dimension

​Thursday 22 Aug
​Enterprise was the first to leave PH at about 8:30 and headed to Teddington. Laird Tommy left PH at 9:45

Once both moored up at Teddington, afternoon drinks were consumed on Enterprise. The evening meal was enjoyed at the Tide End pub.

​Friday 23 Aug
​Blue Dimension joined us at Teddington mid afternoon and this time drinks were consumed at the Bankside.

Something very strange happened at about 18:30 all went quiet and you couldn’t hear the weir. When we looked over the level of water on the weir side had risen to the same level as the river which allowed about 4 canoes to ride straight over from the river onto the weir side. After a short period then the weir side level fell and the noise of the weir running started again.

Evening meal was left to each boat to organise and Russ & Mary and their 2 guests had a meal at the Anglers pub. John & Geraldine joined them later on for a drink.

​Early to bed for early start the next day.

Saturday 24 Aug
At 04:30 lock in had been booked so the 3 boats duly lined up and entered the lock in the pitch black. Enterprise led the way with Blue Dimension in the middle and Laird Tommy bringing up the rear. While we were in the lock we saw a large seal swimming in the water beside our boats.

It took until about 5:45 to 6:00 before you could start to see anything as the darkness faded.

All was going fine till we approached Hammersmith bridge and then Enterprise and Blue Dimension realised that due to the very high spring tide they didn’t have enough air draught, so had to wait.

Laird Tommy decided to carry on and managed to get under Hammersmith bridge with only about 2 to 3 inches of space, duly watched by the crew as we went really slowly through.

As we were early going through London there was very little traffic on the river.

Laird Tommy arrived at West India Dock first at 8:30 followed a little while later by Enterprise and Blue Dimension and we all rafted against each other while the lock filled up with all the other boats on the rally.

The lock was closed at 09:45 as the tide was falling very fast but fortunately all the boats had arrived.

Each boat club were given 1 or 2 spaces on the Bankside in the dock, so Blue Dimension moored first and Enterprise rafted alongside and Laird Tommy moored Bankside behind them.

Then just for a change, we had some drinks and nibbles on Enterprise.

​At 3pm we had the opportunity to go and see Massey Shaw fire boat which was used in 1940 to assist with the Dunkirk evacuation. Unfortunately one of the engines is completely stripped down for repairs but we were allowed to walk round the fire boat and go inside the engine room.

The 6 of us brushed up into our posh attire to attend the drinks reception at the nearby hotel followed by a 3 course meal and dancing late into the evening.

Sunday 25 Aug
In the morning Geraldine, John & Russ returned to the hotel for a full English breakfast.

ATYC had organised a couple of displays for us in the morning. How to rescue a stricken boat by rafting out while afloat on the water. Showing us that the boat under power should have its stern further back than the stricken boat by about a mitre to allow for steerage and control.

​ Also throwing a rescue line to someone in the water.

In the afternoon a session on boat handling and rowing with about 6 people on a KataKanu, 2 canoes joined together.

Along with a couple of races, which I think was won by PHYC. Also the Canal Project staff showed us some knots and slicing along with some rope throwing.

Then there was tea, coffee and cake on the pontoon. Followed by a glass of wine.

​ The evening was spent aboard Blue Dimension and food was pooled together from the 3 boats along with some alcohol (of course).

---

Monday 26 Aug
9:30am  7 PHYC boats plus 1 prepared to leave in the morning as they were heading out on an East Coast Cruise.

The rest of the rally fleet were leaving in the afternoon at about 3pm

Some of us took this time to go for a little walk round the dock and found a small area selling some street food, which we had for lunch.

The fleet of about 30 boats were arranged into 2 groups of 15 boats, so we didn’t all leave the dock at the same time and cause problems in London with the busy ferry traffic.

This had been requested by the PLA/VTS along with a few other restrictions at late notice, and they advised that they would be watching our behaviour (as there had been a few boats speeding during the 2019 rally). Once we were out of the busy London section Andrew (joint chair of ATYC) phoned the PLA/VTS and they congratulated us on our behaviour. A couple of boats were spoken too on the route into WID as they were cutting the corner and on the wrong side of the channel.

​ Albany boats were in the first group to leave the lock in the afternoon.

The speed of our return was controlled by the lead boat, so the taller boats could navigate under Hammersmith bridge and then time our arrival at Richmond Weir as the sluices were raised.

We had a slight wait at Teddington to enter the lock as a couple of boats were already using it.

Laird Tommy and Enterprise were in the first lock in and we were able to moor at Teddington and then Blue Dimension in the second lock in was also able to moor behind us.

Enterprise and Laird Tommy pooled their food for the evening meal on Enterprise and Blue Dimension decided to eat out at the Tide End. Then we all had a night cap on Enterprise.

Tuesday 27 Aug
We departed Teddington in the morning and made our way back to PH marina.