First published in May 22, I thought this might cheer some of you through our rather dark days. Seals are not frequent visitors along Lambeth Reach but we were treated during a couple of weeks or more, to the sight of a pair of seals that took a fancy to the Palace of Westminster markers on the river…
Ever more popular with seals, the tidal Thames is home to…
…two species of seal: grey seals and harbour seals. Following on from my previous post I am here concentrating on what I’ve been told are harbour seals. During this last month of April, I have been lucky enough to see and photograph a pair of them along Lambeth Reach and around the Palace of Westminster where the yellow, floating markers seem to have been a source of attraction.
InspectionCloser lookWorth the effortThis will do nicelyFurther inspection and testing of the facilitiesFurther testingIs there something to eat?RestingLooking at the cameraOne eye on meThe *look*Rocked by wash wavesSwimming through wavesChecking out the *audience*The pairSeal tag 63275, photographed April 11, 2022
Information kindly supplied by RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre: “63275 – Twerk is a common seal who came into us on 10th July 2021. She weighed 8.75kg. She was an orphaned pup from Shrewsbury, Essex. She remained at the Centre until 24th November 2021 when she was released into the River Nene, Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire which flows into the Wash. She weighed 35kg.”
Seal tag 63304, photographed April 11, 2022
“63304 – Flash Dance is a common seal who came to us on 20th November 2021, he weighed 15kg. He was an orphaned pup from Felixstowe, Suffolk. He remained at the Centre until 21st January 2022 when he was released into the River Nene, Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire which flows into the Wash. He weighed 35kg.” When asked about the names, the Wildlife Centre explained: “Seals are the only animals that we name and the theme for that common season was dances.”
Photographed on May 2, 2022 on a further marker, a small seal, mostly likely a seal pupMy most recent sighting on Lambeth Reach was on May 9th
Since my last seal sighting, and during my absence for a couple of weeks, Twitter friend Matt took a film of a seal playing with a ball on the upstream side of Lambeth Bridge. Check out his May 20th Tweet @MYPersonalTrai5 So nice to see.
Sources and further information With thanks to The RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre, @RSPCA EastWinch for information about the two tagged seals. Seal sighting by Kristi Tange on February 19, 2022 reported in: SW Londoner
I am reposting an article I published two years ago on the coronation of King Charles III, as once again the sturdy fleet of carefully tended and maintained little boats who took part in this memorable historic event, have gathered together and crossed the Channel from Ramsgate. In the past, veterans have taken part in anniversary events but sadly the last known survivor of the evacuation, Duncan McInnes, aged 105, has recently passed away. “He was a Royal Navy telegraphist aboard HMS Saladin, braving enemy fire on seven rescue missions in 1940 during WW2.”, the Veterans’ Foundation.
About sixty of the surviving Dunkirk ‘Little Ships’ crossed the Channel to Dunkirk on May 21st to take part in commemorations marking the 85th anniversary of Operation Dynamo.
Bad weather meant that their return home was delayed for a few days. Some ‘Little Ships’ sailed independently on Friday, May 30th, and several joined a fleet, making their way back to various British ports on Saturday May 31st.
***********
MARGO II
The Dunkirk ‘Little Ships’ celebrate the coronation of King Charles III… The super human feat of rescuing 338,226 Allied soldiers stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk between May 26 and June 4, 1940 was described by Winston Churchill as a “miracle of deliverance”. A miracle partly carried out by a fleet of small boats co-opted by the Admiralty in a strategic evacuation known as “Operation Dynamo”. Their role was crucial as larger ships were unable to reach the shore so that the small boats, crewed mostly by volunteers, ran a *shuttle* service, bravely ferrying soldiers out from the beach to waiting ships, returning multiple times under heavy fire. And so mitigating the disastrous military situation. The memory of their achievement is kept alive by the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, formed to “preserve for posterity the memory and identity of those ‘Little Ships’ that went to the aid of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940”. The Association has a list of ships known to have taken part in the rescue, many of them still afloat, and organise or attend several events during the year.
On their way… Though unplanned, I was lucky enough to be perched on a bench in Victoria Tower Gardens as a few of the Little Ships were passing downstream along Lambeth Reach towards St. Katharine Docks Marina, where they were to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6, 2023.
WHITE MARLINBREDALADY LOUNAIAD ERRANTELSA IILETITIA
Moored in St. Katharine Docks Marina… David Knight, skipper of MARGO II, one of the twenty-seven Little Ships taking part, explained: “The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships were kindly invited by St. Katharine Docks Marina to spend the weekend of Charles III’s Coronation in London. The opportunity to spend this momentous weekend on Margo II with a host of very good friends will remain a fond memory for years. Many of those vessels taking part were from the non-tidal Upper Thames. Bringing these historic old wooden boats down through the Pool of London is never taken lightly. To get from Richmond to Tower Bridge for locking into the marina means leaving shortly after low water at Richmond and navigating through Sion Reach, often with only a few inches of water under us. It must be said that since speed restrictions were put in place above Tower Bridge the wash from the clippers and ribs is much reduced, making the passage much safer and more enjoyable. Everyone made a safe passage down and back up to Teddington with no problems.” Each of the Little Ships had a panel giving details about them. The largest of the group was GRETA, a Thames sailing barge built in 1891-2, and the smallest was sailing sloop MOONRAKER, built in 1911.
Little Ships in St. Katharine Docks Marina for the Coronation weekend.MARGO IIGRETA and MARY IRENEBREDANAIAD ERRANTGAY VENTURE and NAIAD ERRANT among a group of Little Ships moored at St. Katharine Docks Marina for the Coronation weekend. CARONIALADY OF MANNWANDA and GRETA
Some of the Little Ships on their way home… A few days later, more by chance than by design, I happened to be standing on Lambeth Bridge as a familiar shape came into view. Then a mini flotilla of Little Ships. How small they looked on the London Thames, and their vulnerably at sea under the relentless fire they endured at the French coast, serves only to emphasise the courage of those skippers who rose to the challenge.
WHITE MARLINFlotilla of Little Ships approaching Lambeth Bridge.MOONRAKERL’ORAGEMARGO IIMIMOSA
It’s clear that the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships is thriving, its members keen to preserve their classic boats and to share their history. They take part in a number of events during the year and you can discover their plans for 2023 on the link below. Among them they will be taking part in the 14th edition of the annual Classic Boat Festival, hosted by St. Katharine Docks Marina from September 9 to 10, 2023.
Follow the Dunkirk Little Ships and St.Katharine Docks on Twitter: @Dunkirk_Ships @StKatsMarina Also follow some of the boats photographed above: Breda: @Breda1931 Lady of Mann: @mattcai96961678 Lady Lu/ Ian Gilbert: @Ladylou1936 Margo II: @Margo_II Naiad Errant: @NaiadErrant
