London in a Mirror dinghy

Timothy Waitt sails his 10ft wooden vessel on the tidal Thames from Putney to Waterloo

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The River Thames has an inspiring past. Historically its tides carried trade in and out of the capital and it is still used to carry bulk supplies. Each high tide barge trains carry waste out - taking almost 60 lorries off the road. Commuter and trip boats ply its waters. But there is also a tranquil side to its waters that few see.

At low tide, the bustling sounds fade as you journey below the bank. It is one of the few, solitary places in this frenetic city. Upriver of Vauxhall bridge the waterway is wider and less cluttered with limited commercial traffic. Trees from the riverside parks hide the city grey and wildlife thrives, herons and cormorants can be seen. There are peaceful communities of houseboats giving the banks a village feel. At low water, a peaceful quiet landscape appears.

Lockdown refit

I've sailed on the Thames since 2015, initially racing a Laser with the Southbank Sailing Club on Barn Elms Reach, Putney. At high tide, a substantial, tranquil sailing area is revealed - 0.5km x 2km. I did my only capsizes on the Thames here!

Wanting to do more day-sailing and to engage my children in the sport, I got a Mirror dinghy, which we named Joy. Following a lockdown refit and sailing on the Deben and Ore in Suffolk, from September 2020 I returned to London.

Launching from Putney and mostly sailing downstream, I got to know the river. Tides carried me on a slow drift downstream with barely steerage. I have blasted along in choppy wind-against-tide waters; working hard not to capsize.

A suitable high tide gives a fantastic evening sail after work - a great antidote to a stressful day! A short sail upriver takes you to various pubs, including the Ship at Mortlake (beach landing) and the Black Lion at Chiswick (river stairs with mooring rings adjacent).