18th June - Follow-up

With a strong westerly we made up some time under a properly filled sail, part short-tacking and part running, and quite a bit of paddling as the river twists up and down on its way into London. At Richmond lock we were outraged to have to hand over a £2.50 toll for our tiny sailing boat while our escort RIBS driven by Commander James Ekins and Martin Stanley went through free.

Once past Teddington we were in the tideway, where we were accompanied by the Chiswick RNLI lifeboat, but our centreboard failure meant that we didn't catch the full ebb, and by Hammersmith we were fighting a vicious flood tide. In order to make Cadogan Pier in time we had to accept, reluctantly, that events were against us, and that we needed a tow. But we managed a final run close to the south shore under Battersea Bridge and up to the Pier and a welcoming crowd.

Tomorrow (Friday): hair and makeup for a 11:30 photo call below the Houses of Parliament.