Open day at Hermitage Community Moorings

This month it's Totally Thames here in London while last weekend it was Open House 2014 and the intersection of those two was a chance to go round the Hermitage Community Moorings down by Tower Bridge.

These moorings are just down river from St. Katharine Docks in Wapping and are home to about 20 houseboats including a couple of classics.

Not all boats on display were residents. For example above is Sailing Barge Kitty which is usually based on the East Coast but had suffered engine failure. Built in 1895 she's clearly been well looked after as the brass work was gleaming:

Nearby were two other boats we visitors were allowed on-board, including the Dutch SB Volharding which is used to give opportunities to disadvantaged city children.

There was also the tug Touchstone which had an impressive electrical board and one of those old fashioned engine order telegraphs:

I couldn't help but notice how much more motion there was for these houseboats than moorings up near Putney, particularly as the Thames Clippers zoomed by.

But I guess the views must make up for it: