SPCC NOTES ON VISITING THAMES CREEKS
DARTFORD AND CRAYFORD NAVIGATIONS
The key to a successful visit to the Dartford and Crayford Navigations is the use of the tide. The Creek experiences high and low water approximately 45 minutes before London Bridge. (The Thames Barrier tide is 20 minutes prior to London Bridge). For simplicity this summary works on tide times at London Bridge. However, please remember the further downstream you are, the earlier the tide changes. One must always remember that progress against the tide run takes TWICE as long as passage with the tide. Also allow extra time for a boat with an engine under 35hp or with a less than smooth hull line. Because of this, the timings given in this sheet can only be a guide.
The Dartford and Crayford Navigations effectively dry out at low tide. The Lock Gates at Dartford have been removed. The lock is now the head of navigation on that Arm It is still possible to visit, and turn in, the Terminus Basin on the Cray Arm, which lies just beyond the railway arch. This basin offers the only safe off-river mooring, if you miss the tide window or need to stay overnight, as it has a flat gravel bed.
Dartford Creek Mouth lies 13 miles downstream of Limehouse Lock. With the out flowing ebb tide the journey takes around 2.5 hours, but even longer once the tide turns. The aim is to arrive at the Creek Mouth so that one can enter it 2 hours 15 minutes after low water London Bridge. It is only after this time, on the inflowing tide, that there is sufficient depth of water to make an easy entrance to the Creek mouth. This has to be entered from downstream because of a substantial silt bar that projects from the upstream end of the creek entrance.
The safest way to visit the Navigations from the canal system is via Limehouse Lock and then to make full use of the ebb and flood tides. Boats should aim to exit Limehouse Lock 2 hours 15 minutes before Low Water London Bridge. This allows a passage downstream using the tail end of the ebb tide. Keep to the right hand third of the main river. To avoid a long wait for sufficient water in the Creek Mouth it is possible to continue downstream pushing against the tide to reach the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. But remember you need to allow 20 minutes for the return to the Creek from the Bridge on the flood to arrive at the optimum entry time.
If you decide to forgo the visit to the bridge, either turn downstream of the mouth and ‘bottom’ your craft on the mud in the entrance to the Creek; or better still, hold off against the barge buoys that are sited just downstream of the Creek Mouth at the south side of the main channel and wait for the flood to run in to provide sufficient water for entry into the Creek.
By Low Water London Bridge plus 2 hours 15 minutes the water levels should be just sufficient to proceed slowly into the Creek and on through the Flood Barrage. Proceed slowly up the centre of the channel, monitoring water depth as you go. The Creek’s main arm is 2.25 miles in length, and this journey will take around 45 minutes. Turn in the wider area just below the lock, where an outlet on the west quayside scours out the mud. You can reverse from here into the lock chamber and take your photos—but do not wait too long. Allow 15 minutes to get back to the junction and a further half hour to explore the Crayford Arm. To do so, continue along the right hand arm and under the railway bridge, through to the Terminal Basin which is still navigable. By then the water depth will be good and should allow a speedy return to the Creek Mouth. High Water at Creek Mouth comes 45 minutes before HW London Bridge. Your aim must be to reach the main river well before that time so as to use the flow of the incoming tide to push you upstream. The round trip up the Creeks and back usually takes approximately 1 hour 35 minutes. You should aim to leave Creek Mouth for the return journey upstream by about High Water London Bridge minus 2 hours. This will provide you with a run on the incoming tide almost to the Thames Barrier.
Be ready to step up your revs when the tide turns for the final leg to Limehouse Lock. As a rough guide you need to double your downstream times for that part of your return route after the tide has turned. You ETA should be around HW LB plus two hours, provided you have reached the Thames Barrier when the tide turns. This arrival is likely to be outside of Core Hours, thus the Limehouse Return Lockage will need to be pre-booked, at least two days in advance via the Canal & River Trust Web site at Locks to the River Thames | Boating in London. Lockmaster on VHF Channel 80.
All transits through the Thames Barrier also need to be confirmed on the day of transit with London VTS (VHF Marine channel 14) or by phone – 020 8855 0315. The first reporting call should be made when you are at Blackwall Point on the outward journey and again before the Woolwich Ferry on your return leg.
All boats making the trip should ensure they have enough fuel. A full tank is preferable since sedimenting of filters caused by wave movement is then less likely to occur. Pushing against the tide doubles fuel consumption. Oil and water levels also should be topped up before you leave Limehouse. Your anchor must also be at the ready with 50 metres of line and at least 2 metres of chain at the anchor end.
If the weather is forecast on the day is for winds above Force 3, or for poor visibility, you should postpone the trip to the next day. The timings then will be around one hour later. It is also wise to verify, in advance, with the Environment Agency that no Dartford Barrier test closure are planned to coincide with you intended date of transit.
For ease of reference an indicative timetable would be:
Low Water LB 11.15
HW LB 17.03
Out Limehouse Lock
09.00
Thames Barrier
10.05
Barking Creek
10.30
Crossness
10.50
Crayfordness
12.00
Moor or QEII Bridge and return
Enter Creek
13.30
Dartford Lock (Turn)
14.15
Cray Junction
14.25
Crayford Basin (Turn)
14.40
Cray Junction
14.55
Out Creek Mouth
15.10
Barking Barrier
16.30
Thames Barrier
17.10
Limehouse Lock
19.10
ALL BOATERS AND SKIPPERS ARE REMINDED THAT THEY UNDERTAKE THE CRUISES COMPLETELY AT THEIR OWN RISK. THE ST. PANCRAS CRUISING CLUB AND ITS OFFICERS CANNOT ACCEPT ANY LIABILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF CRAFT ON RIVERS, CANALS OR THE TIDAL THAMES