London
London is one of the few major cities anywhere in the world
that a superyacht can sail right into the heart of. Entering the
wide estuary of the Thames you are recreating the voyages made by
Bronze Age traders, advancing Roman Armies and the returning
warships of the past five millennia.
- Berth at Canary Wharf or the Royal
Docks
- In the heart of the major sporting
events
- Raft up with HMS
Belfast
- Close to the West End - Ideal for
theatre lovers and shoppers
With an air draft of 54.1m the Queen Elizabeth
Bridge at Dartford is the only potential obstacle until you reach
the centre of the City and the familiar landmark of Tower Bridge.
But this doesn’t mean the end of the journey, as this lovely bridge
will rise to allow yachts even deeper into the capital...
A Passage up the Thames to London is one of Europe's great
crusing arrivals. In the wide outer estuary, large ships follow the
main channels through a maze of shoals and sandbanks. As the low
shores close togehter you pass Shivering Sand towers, eerie relics
of London's World War 2 defences.
The river takes shape in Sea Reach and famous names slip by -
Gravesend to port, Tilbury to starboard, Queen Elizabeth II Bridge
and then Galleon's Point and Royal Docks. London was once one of
the world’s busiest ports, and its legacy is a series of huge
docks, some of which are being developed as superyacht berths. The
Royal Docks are the first major berthing opportunity in the heart
of the City. Reputed to be the largest area of impounded water in
the globe, the Royal Docks encompass both London City Airport and
the ExCeL centre which hosts the Tullet Prebon London International
Boat Show in January.
After the tidal barrier in Woolwich Reach, the Thames snakes
around the Isle of Dogs, where you can enter West India Docks and
moor near Canary Wharf. This is the financial heart of the city
with the towers of Canary Wharf soaring high above, and the low
curve of the O2 arena right across the river. These non-tidal locks
can offer fully-serviced berths for yachts up to up to 170m, with
excellent transport connections throughout London.
Another loop past Limehouse before you reach St Katherine
Docks, a restful marina in the heary of the old city, which has got
be one of the best-placed city marinas in the world -right next to
the thousand year-old Tower of London. But space is tight and it
can only take one or two large yachts (to 45m) at any one time.
Ahead is Tower Bridge, beyond which large yachts can lie in the
heart of London alongside HMS Belfast, a retired Royal Navy
cruiser from World War II on the South Bank in the middle of the
Thames between Tower Bridge and London Bridge.
To take your berth after Tower Bridge has been
raised for you has got to be one of the great yachting experiences.
As the Thames meanders its way through London, it’s remarkable how
many well known features such as the Houses of Parliament are right
in the river bank. A cruise through the city via limo tender is a
great way to see the sights, and gain access to the main shopping
districts.
Of course the big news in London is the 2012
Games. St Katharine Dock was fully booked over a year in advance,
and the Royal and West India Docks have been geared up to
accommodate more visiting superyachts. The ExCeL exhibition centre
on the Royal Docks has five arenas that will play host to a variety
of sports including boxing, judo, fencing and weightlifting.
Royal Docks 2012 will be offering a number of
berths for superyachts (and can accommodate those up to 150m with
ease) so it will be possible to watch a final then host an
after-party on your yacht just minutes later. The Royal Docks are
only 2-3 miles from the main sporting venues, so taking a berth
here puts you in the heart of the action. London City Airport and
its corporate Jet Centre has its runway between the Royal Docks,
and the main railway termini are just a short tube or taxi-ride
away, so transport connections are excellent.
During the summer of 2012, a cable car will
link the Royal Docks with Greenwich on the South bank of the
Thames
The West India Docks lie a short distance
further west along the Thames, and are only 2 miles from the main
venues and right across the river from the O2 (or North Greenwich)
arena. This is the place to see the basketball finals and all the
gymnastic action; the beautiful Greenwich Park will play host to
the equestrian, modern pentathlon and shooting competitions.
This park is also the place where GMT was set,
and the Observatory Museum has a wonderful display of historic
marine chronometers. The Greenwich Merdian, 0°, runs through the
park, and you can stand either side of the polished brass strip and
bestride two hemispheres...
British Waterways operate the West India Locks
and Docks, which offer deep water berthing for yachts up to 170m
LOA and 23m beam, with no limit on air draft (apart from the 54.1m
at Dartford). Surrounded by the financial district’s towers, this
is a stunning location, with good transport links with the tube
(London Underground), light railway, and riverboat operating from
here.
Marinas and Provisioning
· St Katharine Dock
can take 2 yachts to 45m
· West India Docks
(Canary Wharf) can take yachts to 170m gareth.stephens@
britishwaterways.co.uk
· Full service:
water, sewage, bunkering and refuse
· The Royal Docks –
LOA almost unlimited 150m with ease www.royaldocks2012.com/
www.rodma.co.uk
·
www.yachtslondon.com offer support for vessels exploring the
capital
· The capital
offers the best shopping opportunities. Many major stores will
deliver:
· Fortnum and
Mason: By Royal appointment. www.fortnumandmason.com
· The Best of the
High Street for excellent everyday provisions. www.ocado.com
And there are fantastic
markets:
· Smithfields: The
biggest meat market in Europe www.smithfieldmarket.com
· Billingsgate:
Historic fish and seafood market www.billingsgatemarket.org.uk
· New Covent
Garden: The largest fruit, vegetable and flower market in the UK
www.newcoventgardenmarket.com
Highlighted area's are shown below, for more information
please visit the
Yachts
London website