Lambeth Reach: Waves on the Victoria Tower Gardens foreshore
So often, walking along the banks of the Thames we take in the overall scene, then the obvious landmarks such as buildings, boats, or monuments but Tristan Gooley can guide us to a less assertive feature: an appreciation of the ever-changing surface of the river. And his book How to Read Water, inspired me to take a closer look at the Thames during regular walks. No plagiarism! Nothing clever here. Just hommage to an engaging author, who knows his subject. The pictures below include some of the variations that I observed, and in looking more carefully, the river began to assume another dimension.
ALMERE 4 ruffling the river with her wash waves
Almere 4, a general purpose waste barge, is usually my focus of interest if she’s passing by but in this case the way the wash she leaves fanning out right across the river catches my attention.
JUPITER Clipper’s wash wave pattern complicated by her motors. In the distance, near Westminster Bridge, two boats leave their trails in the waterWash waves fanning out from M.V. CONNAUGHT
The Thames tidal currents are strong, particularly in mid tide when the flow is at its fastest and if you look carefully, tidal waves can be distinguished from the wash waves of passing boats.
Small tidal waves lapping the shoreline on a flood tideWash waves breaking on a calm day Breaking wave. Its colour is determined by a cloudy sky and silt stirred up from the river bed Wash waves on a windy dayChill winds blow across the surface of wash wavesChilly ripples upon ripples, like fractalsRipples over shallow shoreTroubled waters during a Thames Barrier closure for testing, September 3, 2023The remains of a jetty used before the construction of the embankment wall and the demolition of warehouses that once occupied the reclaimed land that is now Victoria Tower Gardens
In his history of Victoria Tower Gardens, Dorian Gerhold published an image of the 1872 Ordnance Survey Map which marks the position of the several wharves and jetties for factories, workshops and warehouses that existed at the time. The remains of one of them, as illustrated in the photograph above, and marked on the Port of London’s Hydrographic Survey, July 2015, have an interesting effect on the river as the tides ebb and flow around and above the structure.
Wave disturbance and ripples around the sunken jetty on Victoria Tower Gardens’ foreshoreWaves swirling round the jetty Breaking waves Flood tide waves beginning to cover the jetty, more smoothly where the water is deepestNow hidden, the jetty’s presence is betrayed by the movement of the waterWater changing speed and shape as it surges over the jetty
From rough to silky smooth, watching the infinitely changing surface textures of the waves can be a way of escaping for a few moments from the troubles of the world.
Silky…Serene…
Further Information Gerhold, Dorian: Victoria Tower Gardens, The prehistory, creation and planned destruction of a London park, London 2020 Gooley, Tristan: How to Read Water, London 2016 See Tristan Gooley, The Natural Navigator Port of London Hydrographic Surveys Wandle News Excellent article explaining why the Thames looks brown.
As City Cruises’ boat MILLENNIUM TIME approaches London Bridge, M.V. SYMPHONY sails away downstream passing beneath Tower Bridge towards Wapping and Canary Wharf, September 13, 2019
During the last week of September 2023, many in the Thames River community were saddened to discover that Bateaux London, who operated restaurant vessel M.V. SYMPHONY, had ceased trading. A stark notice read that they were not “currently operating any sailings, no further bookings would be taken, and no more sailings are scheduled to take place”. Over the last few years I have taken pictures of her on various stretches along the central London Thames, and here below, beginning with SYMPHONY heading towards Tower Bridge, are a few images from 2019 to 2023, covering this period in her life.
M.V. SYMPHONY about to pass H.M.S. BELFAST and N.L.V. PHAROS, buoy laying/lighthouse vessel, September 13, 2019
SYMPHONY’s usual route was from her mooring at Embankment Pier on the Victoria Embankment, cruising roughly, depending on the tides, between Albert Bridge at Chelsea, and Canary Wharf, serving lunches, teas, or dinners, taking in all the riverside sights of central London.
M.V. SYMPHONY passing H.M.S. BELFAST, April 19, 2019SYMPHONY Coming through Blackfriars Bridge, her passengers enjoying dinner on a night time cruise, January 4, 2019SYMPHONY passing the former Tower RNLI Lifeboat Station, by Waterloo Bridge, August 1st, 2019SYMPHONY approaching Westminster Bridge, having passed under the Hungerford Railway Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges, May 23, 2019M.V. SYMPHONY and M.V OLD LONDON, coming through Westminster Bridge, September 12, 2019SYMPHONY passing St. Thomas’ Hospital, November 14, 2021SYMPHONY heading back past old St. Thomas’ Hospital towards Westminster Bridge, May 21, 2023SYMPHONY’s floating restaurant, Glass Room, with all round views, March 25, 2023White table cloths and elegance in SYMPHONY’s Glass Room Restaurant, September 19, 2021SYMPHONY’s diners in her Glass Room restaurant, relaxing on their central London cruise, November 14, 2021SYMPHONY’s dining room with all round views of London and the Thames, and a gentle jazz band adding to the atmosphere, September 10, 2023SYMPHONY turning in front of the Palace of Westminster, July 29, 2023SYMPHONY heading upstream from Lambeth Bridge, May 27, 2023
Doubtless many have personal stories to tell about special occasions that took place on board SYMPHONY, as must have the crews who operated her. And some might even remember a dinner cruise on October 4, 1999, when she collided with Lambeth Bridge after a steering failure. A government report states: “As the flood tide had started to swing the vessel, the passengers were moved to the port side in case the collision caused any glass panels on the starboard side to shatter.” SYMPHONY was damaged but the Master managed to regain control and to steer her to the Lambeth Fire Brigade pier. Though there must have been anxious moments, luckily no-one was injured.
SYMPHONY passing the Tamesis Dock Bar as she heads back downstream after cruising to Albert Bridge, May 27, 2023
The following pictures were taken on September 29, 2023, after Bateaux London had announced that they had ceased trading, and as SYMPHONY arrived on this stretch of Lambeth Reach it seemed clear that some kind of trial, or testing was going on. Turning, almost pirouetting, she was putting on a show.
After Bateaux London ceases trading, SYMPHONY arrives on Lambeth Reach.SYMPHONY begins to turn…Turn almost completed…Then she turns again…With skilful manoeuvring she continues to turn… In a final flourish, she swings round to face Westminster Bridge again…And leaves.
In 1997 SYMPHONY, was brought over to London, having operated in Paris on the Seine, named Le Cristal. She replaced an earlier, smaller vessel on the central London Thames, also named SYMPHONY, which had been working on the Thames from 1994 to 1997. The smaller vessel was returned to Paris to work on the Seine as Le Symphonie.
M.V. SYMPHONY, moored away from Embankment Pier, awaiting her fate, October 11, 2023
At the time of writing, I haven’t heard what the next stage of SYMPHONY’s life will be but I’m sure her journey is as yet *unfinished* and, as such a lovely elegant boat, she has a good future ahead of her.
Notes and further information *The above article has been concerned with M.V. SYMPHONY but the future of her sister ship M.V. HARMONY, also owned and operated by Bateaux London, is in question as well. **Wishing all the crews and staff who worked on both boats, the best of luck on whatever paths they follow. ***With thanks to Ben, a Thames Waterman & Lighterman, who keeps me in touch with events on the river. See his articles at Liquid highway and follow him on Twitter -X @liquid_highway1 **** And thanks to Wal Daly-Smith who, working on board, made sure I had a great birthday cruise back in 2019.
