The Great River Race, 2025

Saturday, 20 September, saw around 300 crews rowing from Millwall Dock to Richmond – a distance of 21.6 miles. Here below you’ll find a few of the photos I took from Lambeth Bridge and Victoria Tower Gardens to give a flavour of the atmosphere.

A large group of boats begin to appear.

The Great River Race *Armada* heads inexorably up the River Thames towards Lambeth Bridge with a crowd leaning over the balustrade to cheer on the rowers.

Colourful array of crews heading towards Lambeth Bridge.

The race is for ‘fixed seat’ craft only but within that stipulation a large variety of boats can take part, including Thames skiffs, Cornish gigs and the traditional Thames Watermen’s Cutters. Boats are handicapped by class with the slowest boats leaving first.
The race rules state that “each crew must carry a passenger and cox”, as well as a flag, so if watching for any length of time you might see flags from America, Australia, and Europe as well as the British nations, counties, and clubs.

Crew of MASSIVE ATTACK powering forward.

The race was first organised in 1988 when sixty one boats took part. To begin with it was rowed downstream on an ebbing tide but since 2009 it has been rowed upstream on the flood.

Port of London Authority crew.
English crew in a pretty Thames skiff.
Scottish crew, with their passenger casting a wary eye on the piers of Lambeth Bridge.
Welsh crew working hard in choppy water.
Neat, properly synchronised rowing from Holmes Deer Park School.
Cornish crew with their talismanic boat.
Devonian crew charging towards Lambeth Bridge.
The Langstone Rowing Club with their distinctive striped oars.
The Lower Thames Rowing Club crew in their boat RENOWN.
A cheery wave from one of the *Alcoartraz* escapees.
Punchy names of some the boats including TYRANT…
… and DEFIANCE.
Giant parrot waving to onlookers from its pirate boat.

The Safety Boat Flotilla
With so many small craft potentially vulnerable to accidents on the river, safety is a top consideration. With some boats leading the head of the race, the safety fleet is spread out along the following procession of competitors, ready to intervene if necessary. Marshalls supervise the race and if for some reason they ask a crew to retire, then their word is law.

SANFONIA acting as a safety boat with a rib and smaller boat in tow.
Two Police Launches: SIR ROBERT PEEL and TIM RUPRECHT on duty along the race course.

RNLI lifeboats and Port of London Authority vessels were also covering the course at various points ready to go into action, if needed.

One of the safety Marshalls covering the course from KNOT ARF.
Cornish support boat PEGGY III.
One of the three safety boats I photographed.
Safety boat approaching Lambeth Bridge.
Safety boat ready to intervene if necessary.
The YARMOUTH BELLE with spectators aboard.

According to the writer of ‘Conquering the Thames – A Record Breaking Gig Row’: “The atmosphere on the water was electric. With so many boats, the river was alive with movement and excitement.” This was clear from Lambeth Bridge as the boats came forward in their hundreds, crews full of energy and enthusiasm, spurred on by cheers from the crowds.

For sources and further Information
click on the links below.
The Great River Race
Article: The Great River Race Guardians
Article: Thames Pageant – Coronation to Coronation
Film from near Tower Bridge: The Great River Race 2025
Thames Rockets’ Safety Boats
The River Thames Guide to Rowing Clubs

Classic Boat Festival, St. Katharine Docks, September 6-7, 2025

OUR LIZZIE is listed as a National Historic Ship.

A sunny day in early September helped to draw an enthusiastic public to St. Katharine Docks’ 16th Classic Boat Festival. Not that visitors would have been deterred by rain or clouds, for they were mostly seasoned boat enthusiasts, and the vagaries of British weather goes with the territory.

LLANTHONY listed as a National Historic Ship, and LIVELY LADY, the yacht Sir Alec Rose sailed, single handed around the world in 1968.

This was the prefect opportunity to see some famous vessels and to meet their owners, who were very welcoming and happy to talk about their craft.

Several of the Dunkirk Little Ships in festive mode, moored in the Central Basin, all members of the ADLS, Association of Dunkirk Little Ships.

The most well-known group of boats was that of the Dunkirk Little Ships, popular visitors at previous festivals and other events.

A group of Dunkirk Little ships in the Central Basin.

Last May, more than sixty Little Ships crossed the Channel to Dunkirk to commemorate the 85th anniversary of Operation Dynamo. See films Return to Dunkirk and Return of the heroes.

Dunkirk Little Ships LADY OF MANN, BROWN OWL and PAPILLON.
Decorated boats in part of the West Dock.
Thames sailing barge SB ADIEU moored in the West Dock.

One of the last built traditional Thames cargo barges, SB ADIEU was converted in 1990 and as used as a restaurant. Restored again, she is now a smartly kitted out luxury home in private hands. She has been seen over the years competing successfully at Thames annual barge races.

Dunkirk Little Ship BREDA.
The Queen’s Rowbarge GLORIANA.

Beautifully maintained and striking to see in St. Katharine Docks, GLORIANA is a lasting legacy of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

National Historic Ships’ tug KENT.
Sir Alec Rose’s famous yacht LIVELY LADY which he sailed single-handedly around the globe in 1967–68.
Dunkirk Little Ship MARGO II.
SAGA FARMANN a Viking ship on a peaceful mission.

SAGA FARMANN is a meticulous reconstruction of a thousand year old Viking trading vessel, and her visit to St. Katharine Docks was just one stop on her voyage begun three years ago from Tønsberg, exploring Viking trade routes of the past.

Thames Marine Police Unit launch TIM RUPRECHT.

Launched in March 2023, this police launch was named TIM RUPRECHT after “a much-respected friend and colleague”, who died after battling against prostate cancer. We were welcomed on board and saw the delight on the faces of a couple of children allowed to sound the siren.

Delighted to meet…

David Knight, a past Commodore of the ADLS, standing by Dunkirk Little Ship MARGO II, owned jointly with his wife Sue.
Geoff Turner and Wilma. Geoff Turner and Jodi Smith have just marked their ten years of owning Dunkirk Little Ship PAPILLON.

Some ropes that caught my eye…

Beautifully coiled mooring line on the stern of National Historic Ship GELYCE.
Exemplary coiled mooring line on the Queen’s Rowbarge GLORIANA.
Viking Supplies…

For those taking part in the Festival there was a lot going on. Both mornings began with an all boat fanfare, which clearly generated quite some noise, and the two days were followed with talks by representatives of the Royal Navy; the Marine Police Unit; the Thames Vintage Boat Club; the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships; and yachting journalist Tom Cunliffe as well as historian Adam Taylor. The festival closed each day at 17.00 with another all boat fanfare in the Centre Basin.

Throughout the year many events take place in St. Katharine Docks but even if there’s nothing special going on, the Marina, with its variety of visiting boats and restaurants around the docks, is a welcome escape from the hustle of city life.

Sources and further information
Explore St. Katharine Docks
Discover The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships and the List of all Known Ships
See Dennetts Boatbuilders who’ve been looking after Dunkirk Little Ships for over sixty years.