London fireworks?

ozz · 01 January 2020, 18:39

Have been on the tidal Thames a few times this year in our f-rib 375 (usually launch at Putney) and wondered if anyone has ever ventured out on the river for new year fireworks? Any advice welcome.

Happy new year everyone

John Kennett · 02 January 2020, 16:08

That's some impressive forward planning!

I haven't done this, but I did have a look at the Notices to Mariners this year and in addition to the normal river closure there was a requirement to register in advance for access anywhere between Tower Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge from 21.00.

Pikey Dave · 03 January 2020, 07:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

That's some impressive forward planning!

I haven't done this, but I did have a look at the Notices to Mariners this year and in addition to the normal river closure there was a requirement to register in advance for access anywhere between Tower Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge from 21.00.

If the “enforcement” is as thorough as it was for the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant, then Osama bin Ladens granny dressed in a Burkha & suicide vest could get in, using an IS flag as a sail.
Just sayin’[emoji849]

Bern Hanreck · 03 January 2020, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

If the “enforcement” is as thorough as it was for the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant, then Osama bin Ladens granny dressed in a Burkha & suicide vest could get in, using an IS flag as a sail.
Just sayin’[emoji849]

Just wondering what brought you to that conclusion ? We were a safety boat at that event and all three crew had to be notified to organisers weeks in advance . Have been on the Thames was POTUS Bush was in town . Security made it impossible to continue our cruise .

GuyC · 03 January 2020, 11:10

Straying entirely from the original thread but ships / boats are sitting ducks when they are close to land. They can have all the close in weapon systems in the world but if the time to react is greater than the time it takes to get a PWC, or a number of PWC's from their hiding places on the bank to the vessel, the weapons are almost pointless.

Of course you need the support boats to accost the opportune protesters or help in the event of a failure of some sort but in the face of a well planned, determined and suicidal attack, there is very little on the day that you can do.

What keeps them safe is the intelligence services getting wind of the attack and stopping it before they have time to mobilise.

Pikey Dave · 03 January 2020, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bern Hanreck

Just wondering what brought you to that conclusion ? We were a safety boat at that event and all three crew had to be notified to organisers weeks in advance . Have been on the Thames was POTUS Bush was in town . Security made it impossible to continue our cruise .

Yup, we were a safety boat too, had to jump through all the security vetting hoops, attended the pre-event meeting at Wraysbury yada yada. Arrived at the muster at Putney on the day of the event, with our passports in order to prove that we were who we were supposed to be. After milling about for an hour in the rain, in an open public space, it was announced that the people from the security service who were going to check our identity, were stuck in traffic. So we just got onto the boats & got on with it. Anyone could’ve walked in & joined the melee, it made a nonsense of all the security vetting. But hey ho, nobody died[emoji849]

CJL · 03 January 2020, 17:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Yup, we were a safety boat too, had to jump through all the security vetting hoops, attended the pre-event meeting at Wraysbury yada yada. Arrived at the muster at Putney on the day of the event, with our passports in order to prove that we were who we were supposed to be. After milling about for an hour in the rain, in an open public space, it was announced that the people from the security service who were going to check our identity, were stuck in traffic. So we just got onto the boats & got on with it. Anyone could’ve walked in & joined the melee, it made a nonsense of all the security vetting. But hey ho, nobody died[emoji849]

That executive decision was supposed to be a secret!

Chris

CJL · 03 January 2020, 17:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozz

Have been on the tidal Thames a few times this year in our f-rib 375 (usually launch at Putney) and wondered if anyone has ever ventured out on the river for new year fireworks? Any advice welcome.

Happy new year everyone

To be honest I would have thought a boat that size is a bit touch and go to be safe for the event but it must be your decision.

Nav lights an absolute must and I would put my crew in high viz vests. Its a very very busy night with big (10-12m) ribs and the usual collection of Class V passenger boats so making sure I was seen would be my primary objective.

If you launch from Putney you could tuck in to the moorings in front of St Thomas' Hospital to keep you out of the main channel.

Also make sure you really know the river in daylight before you try it at night.

Chris

Pikey Dave · 03 January 2020, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJL

That executive decision was supposed to be a secret!

Chris

Ooops! Sorry boss[emoji23]

ozz · 05 January 2020, 08:49

Great info - thanks everyone. Very useful on the license front and also good point on the visibility. Appreciate the Thames is a completely different landscape at night and it might be a little too much in such a small boat....

Just thinking back to our daylight trips there is also lot of debris in the Thames and could be another issue at night.

Gonna need a bigger boat