Thames River Routes: Thames River Services Westminster to the Thames Barrier

Not another boat trip! I thought, one sweat-oozing Sunday.

Fortunately there was lure, namely there were tall ships out at Woolwich and while this boat didn't go that far its voyage took it right down to the Thames Barrier at a time where some were meant to be heading upriver.

So I paid the princely sum of £ 14 for a one way ticket and headed off.

Yes, the view was very similar and the commentary as before was focused on the history of pubs along the Thames (with a side commentary about the plague of luxury apartments), but for some strange reason I enjoyed it, particular the lower river bit.

For one reason there was no crush like with City Cruises, waiting for ages under the sun in cattle pen queue, and fewer stops, so we were under Tower Bridge much quicker. The piers stopped at were:

• Westminster
• St Katharine Docks
• Greenwich (first time, before going to the Thames Barrier)
• Greenwich (second time, after going to the Thames Barrier)

As we went round the O2 Arena we did indeed encounter some tall ships, though there seemed less than went on them last year when went on one.

Through the Thames Barrier and then back to Greenwich:

I think the secret was to relax and stop worrying about whether it was ok to go on one of these river cruises and just enjoy the view. I put on Noel Gallagher (who'd played at the Greenwich Naval College the previous night) on the headphones, rested head on hands and simply watched the world go by.

Then on shore by the Cutty Sark had an ice cream:

Sometimes you've just got to roll with it.....