Thames Crossing No 7 - Canary Wharf Pier to Greenland Pier - 16th May

For todays Friday walk home (EC2 to SE9) I made a return visit to Canary Wharf Pier to enable me to catch the Thames Clipper to Greenland Pier (for Surrey Quays). I thought last week was a very pleasant evening, well today was even better, so much so that I was able to walk in 'shirt sleeve' order, unfortunately I had left my earphones at home so it was a music free walk, I thought this would be bit, of a downer, but actually it enhanced the walk as I could take in all the sounds that the city had to offer, shouting, horns, cars, buses, shoppers etc etc etc.

I made a quick get away from the office, certainly no later than 17:10 and headed off towards Brick Lane and Whitechapel as normal ( ah Whitechapel, Monopoly, Photo of the Day - now that's another story!).

I decided to, walk around the back of Commercial Street as far as I could, this is the home of the Bengali community and there was a time when I could walk down Brick Lane and be welcomed into the restaurants and shops as a valued member of the community, but that was a long time ago and was due to my status as the Assistant Manager at the local Branch of NatWest.

My route took me along my old cycle route when I used to cycle to work everyday, the last time I did that was almost seven years ago, it's amazing how many people cycle that route now, in fact its one of these new fangled cycle super highways and to think I used it as my route of choice years before Boris and his boys got the blue paint out.

It did not take long to arrive at Canary Wharf pier, I must have been earlier than last week as there was a queue for tickets, the indicator board said the next Boat would be in 5 minutes. Hurry people I need to film the arrival of the Clipper and use the facilities. In the end I gave up and used the ticket machine, only after the ticket seller pointed it out to me!

The Hilton Clipper was chugging backwards and forwards and there seemed to be an awful lot of people down one end of the pier, I wondered why that was, but I went off to the other end so I could film the Clipper arriving, and here it comes!

Standing Room Only

It's at this point that I realise why there were so many people down the far end, that's where the Clipper docks and it's standing room only! The Clipper docks and the deckhand announces that they are full and can only take as many people on as get off, that happens to be 34. He invites those who arrived first to move to the front, hmm not much movement there. Whilst I wasn't one of the first I was certainly earlier than a number of people, but hey, the sun's out, it's warm I'm by the River, the views are good so I don't care, I'll wait for the next one, "ten minutes" the deck hand announces for the next Clipper.

Monsoon Clipper departing for Greenland

I should point out at this time the cost of my fare £2.70 with my Oyster discount, that 5p more expensive than last week when I travelled the shorter trip to The Hilton Hotel.

Eventually the Clipper arrived, it was more like 18 minutes but to be honest I did not care, it was so pleasant. In fact the Pier became a scene of high nautical activity as the Hilton Ferry arrived and so did two Clippers my 'all stops to Woolwich' and the express to somewhere else either Greenwich or Woolwich. The express had to wait off pier for us to depart.

Again the Clipper was very busy, with people, standing on the outer deck with beers, the Clipper has a bar, but I think this was in preference to sitting inside. I had no problem getting on board and made my way to the front. Damn the front seats were taken by tourists, in fact most of the seats appeared to be taken by tourists. But what's really grating is that they were not filming the journey, as I wanted to, or even looking out of the windows they were too busy looking at their phones.

Great view of Docklands

I sat as close to the front as possible, and very quickly they were announcing our arrival at Greenland Pier, so I made my way to the disembarking area. The journey took a little over 3 minutes, quicker then the shorter trip to the Hilton Hotel last week.

Greenland Pier

So that's that, and off I walked along the the river front past Greenland Dock, named so because most of the Greenland Whalers. Needless to say I stopped off at the Dog and Bell for a quick beer with Erik and Rose and then on to Greenwich Park passing the statue of Peter the Great with the small head. Apparently he came to the Deptford Shipyard to view boat building techniques incognito. Apparently Captain Benbow (later to become Admiral, hence the Blog title!) sublet Sayes Court to the royal party.

Peter the Great with a small head

Whilst walking through Greenwich Park I was asked to take a photo of a couple of guys in front of their toys, a big bike and a flash car, having completed this I then said can I take one and they were a little taken aback when I took their photos!

Boys with Toys

Arrived home 21:30 just in time to watch HIGNFY.