Twilight on the Thames

Its a cold clear night this evening in London, one of many we've been lucky enough to have over the last few weeks.

There's been a bit of an Indian summer with day after day of sunshine, though each day was just slightly colder than the one before.

Two weeks ago today I was out kayaking on the Thames at about this time, leaving in the last moments of the afternoon before heading upriver towards the setting sun.

Then there was the most magical of times, twilight, when all of a sudden the waters are glowing gold like in the photo above. During the day and during the night the river is dark and brooding but for a few moments around dusk it is alight.

Then it was dark, and we paddled along with lights on our heads to warn other boats of our presence. It was surprisingly unspooky to be out of the black waters in the night, indeed it was rather glorious to speed under the lit up Hammersmith Bridge with the tide at ones back and to look up and see Jupiter high in the sky above.