Shoreline

Victoria Tower Gardens foreshore both sandy and stony.

Depending on the movement and strength of tides, phases of the moon, and the weather, the shoreline below Victoria Tower Gardens is in constant evolution.

Bricks, stones and shells arranged on the beach in ordered lines by an ebbing tide.

The beach is flooded with each tide but once the water has ebbed sufficiently, a small, pristine, sandy section of the foreshore is revealed. The rest is covered in empty shells, stones of various sizes, bricks and other remains of the warehouses and jetties that stood until the gradual creation of what is now Victoria Tower Gardens at the end of the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century. The pattern of the heavier elements changes frequently and the rubble on the beach can be an apparent jumble or appear to be ordered in lines.

Beach with elements in chaos, and a resting place in sunshine for black-headed gulls.

Sadly, at times there is also a certain amount of rubbish, though nothing on the scale of the notorious wet wipe *island* near Barnes.

Detached chains, perhaps used for mooring, or as grab chains, revealed by a low spring tide.
Structure exposed by a very low tide on December 18, 2024.

For the first time, I saw a curious structure revealed by the very low tide on December 18, 2024, whose purpose is a mystery.

A weight of one of the Palace of Westminster markers exposed and lying on the beach during the very low tide on December 18, 2024.

Flood Forecaster, Alan, told me that this exceptionally low tide was caused by “a low pressure to the north of Scotland that as it moved further north, dragged the water away from us and so created a large negative surge of nearly 1m at low tide at Southend and around 0.7m at Tower Pier.” December 18th last year was the lowest tide I have seen.

A mudlark, eyes peeled, walks along the shore’s edge.

The mudlarks who come to the Victoria Tower Gardens’ foreshore have sharp eyes and the experience, to spot fragments and artefacts exposed or brought in by the latest tide and, according to the rules of their Port of London Authority permits, they must report all finds of 300 years old or more to the London Museum.

Pigeons finding food on the tideline.

Each wave brings more food for the pigeons, crows, and gulls, that line up to peck at the foreshore whenever the beach is exposed.

Immature gull foraging for a meal on the foreshore.
Kayakers enjoying a picnic last Summer.

Kayakers often pass by briefly on their regular trips but last summer a group made a meal of it, enjoying their picnic on a warm, sunny day.

Taking advantage of a low tide, children make a castle.

Five years ago I spotted this team of castle builders working on the foreshore. A nearby parent was keeping a close eye both on them and the approaching tide, hopefully they returned home unscathed.

Clearer waters during Covid.

As the country went into lockdown in April 2020, almost all river traffic ceased. On twenty-four hour duty as always, were Police launches, Fire Safety boats, Port of London vessels, and the RNLI, either on patrol or responding when needed. The operation of Cory tugs towing their waste barges out of London carried on as normal right from the outset but for a short while all other river traffic ceased, which meant that in this early period less mud was stirred from the river bed than usual and you could see further into the water.

Unusually clear water at the base of Lambeth Bridge during the first Covid lockdown.
Dogs enjoying a walk on the foreshore.

At any time, including during the Covid lockdowns, dogs are occasionally taken for walks on the beach.

A time of reflection among the stones by the river.

End Notes
Port of London tidal information
Follow the Thames Barrier on Twitter-X @AlanBarrierEA