RULES FOR THE TIDAL THAMES
Our home stretch of the river is on the tidal Thames. Typically, a Tuesday evening paddle takes us upstream as far as Strand on the Green or downstream to Hammersmith Bridge, but we may go slightly farther if the tides are favourable.
The Port of London authority regulates the tidal Thames and they may take enforcement action against paddlers who pose a hazard to themselves or other river users. From time to time we encounter their boats carrying out their regular patrols, which is a reassuring sight. To avoid collisions on this heavily used stretch of river, the PLA issues a code (link below) for rowers and canoeists who are using the Tideway.
The Code includes navigational details. These appear complicated, but importantly, on the Tideway the PLA grants a concession to the normal rule under the international Collision Regulations (that you keep to the right side of the middle of the river or “fairway”) to allow rowers and paddlers to proceed more efficiently, but this only applies when going against the tide. This concession, referred to as “working the slacks”, allows rowers and paddlers to proceed close to the river bank on the inside of the bends in the river, crossing as the meander changes direction.
The marked crossing points on our home waters are referred to by the PLA as Chiswick Bridge crossing (upstream of our boathouse, near the Ship Inn in Mortlake) and Chiswick Steps crossing (downstream of our boathouse, near Chiswick Pier where RNLI lifeboats are stationed). Both crossings are marked by a green buoy and a red buoy. There are also unmarked local crossing points where rowing clubhouses are located on either side of Hammersmith Bridge and upstream of Chiswick Bridge. When performing any crossing of the river, boats must give way to any oncoming traffic.
When there is heavy rowing traffic, to reduce the risk of collision and notwithstanding that we will proceed more slowly, the trip leader may decide to follow the Col Regs and remain on the outside of the bend (in the largely unused channel to the right of the middle of the river) when going against the tide. However, rowers expect fellow rowers and paddlers to take advantage of the working the slacks concession, so to avoid the risk of collision when paddling upstream (towards Kew) against an ebbing tide, paddlers MUST give way to any rowers leaving or arriving at Mortlake Anglian & Alpha Boathouse & Quintin Boathouse. When paddling downstream (towards Hammersmith) against the flood tide this problem doesn’t arise, because there are no boathouses on Corney Reach (the Surrey side of the river between Barnes Bridge and Chiswick Steps).
We can paddle our boats in very shallow water, so at all times we should let bigger vessels have the deeper water. While paddling in a crocodile formation does not make us sufficiently visible to other river users, it is not a good idea to paddle more than a few boats abreast at low water, because that will obstruct oncoming or overtaking rowers and motor boats.
It is perfectly acceptable to shout warnings to rowers if you suspect that they have not seen you, particularly scullers and other coxless boats. These range in urgency from “take a look” to “hold it up”, “hold it up hard” or “stop, stop, stop”. “Novice canoeist ahead” tends to work well too when we have a beginner in the group.
Loitering near bridges or crossing near them is highly dangerous, because we may not be seen by other river users, increasing the risk of a collision. If a bridge arch has a three lights on it in the shape of a triangle that arch is closed to traffic.
Apart from the risk of collision with rowing boats, the biggest hazard on the stretch of the river that we paddle is Dove Pier and the boats moored near it. Rowers have had serious accidents here and generally stay well away.
Close to high water there can be commercial traffic on our stretch of the river.
We must be lit when paddling at night, so we can be seen by other river users. For rowers a flashing light is shown on the bow of a boat and a steady light is show on the stern of a boat, which allows them to tell easily if a boat is approaching or heading in the opposite direction. However, because we spin round more frequently to look for other boats, we must show a steady light front and back.
Paddling downstream of Putney is considerably more hazardous, because of the greater number of large fast moving ferries and the limited places to get off the water in central London, so the PLA expects additional precautions to be taken, for example, a vhf radio should be carried and used.
A licence is not required to paddle on tidal water.
WHOSE TIDE TIMES SHOULD WE USE?
There are various sources of tide times, but our near neighbours, Mortlake Anglian and Alpha rowing club provide tide times on their website. It is particularly useful to know when rowers think that the tide is turning, because there are numerous rowing boats on the water and they are generally much faster and bigger than our one person kayaks.
MAABC tide page
As has been explained earlier, positioning on the river depends on whether you are proceeding against the tide. There is often some confusion regarding the exact time when the tide changes, making slack water a deceptively dangerous time to be paddling or rowing. Heightened vigilance is required around this time. If in doubt whether the tide has turned, the PLA recommends that you stick to the starboard/right side of the fairway (the deep water).
Peak flow on the river is faster during a spring tide than it is during a neap tide. Spring tides follow a day after a new moon or full moon (they have nothing to do with the season of spring).
RULES FOR THE NON-TIDAL THAMES
The Environment Agency regulates non-tidal rivers including upstream of Teddington Lock. It issues stream warnings –
River Thames: current river conditions – GOV.UK
The Collision Regulations apply when paddling on the non-tidal Thames meaning that we have to keep to the right (starboard) side of the river and pass oncoming traffic port to port.
Members of Paddle UK do not require a licence from the Environment Agency to use the rivers that it regulates. Members are encouraged to join Paddle UK, as this is the simplest way of obtaining the right to use non-tidal rivers.