Below Teddington the river is tidal and flows both ways. At Richmond the water is controlled by a weir that is lowered into the river at half tide to maintain a decent level in the upper reaches. High water at London Bridge is at approx. 13.45 GMT at full moon and change, and high water at Teddington is 1 hour later.

Note the time of high water because innocent-looking roads near the river may become submerged. I have seen a score of cars, some new, awash up to the door handles at spring tides, so take care!

The water above Tower Bridge, though tidal, is not salt. The banks have been raised to prevent flooding, so at many points of access it is necessary to go up before going down to the water, and some age-old sites are now inconvenient of access save for easily portable craft.

There are two sorts of access, draw docks and stairs. Draw docks (DD) are simply places where a road runs straight down to a gravel hard where the contents of barges could be offloaded at low water. In fact, all the river margin in this sector is hard with very little deep mud, and, in central London, low water reveals many beaches of clean sand.

Hammersmith is the lowest bridge, with just 13’ at HWS. Other than at high water, all the other bridges below Kew will pass a full dinghy mast up to 25’ or so. The following grid references, easting and northing, are all on 0S sheet 176.

170732 Ham at end of Ham Street. Ferry slip parallel to bank, hence best for manhandled trailers. Parking on adjacent ground.

178735 Petersham DD. End of River Lane. Parking in lane. This and above give access to good sailing reach up to Teddington.

177746 Richmond. Water Lane DD. Double yellow lines.

204762 Mortlake. Ship Lane DD. 300 yds below Chiswick Bridge. Extensive hard. Parking in lane and on towpath by Ship Inn.

208760 Mortlake. Bull Alley DD. Now blocked with removable flood barrier of planks. No need to use this while Ship Lane is open.

215763 Barnes Bridge. Ramp over wall to stairs above and below bridge. Useful for landing for Barnes shopping but for launching use the next.

217767 Barnes. Small Profits DD. Opposite Nassau Road SW 13. New concrete slip over wall and down to extensive hard on splendid reach. Parking on road and near slip. Best viewpoint for Boat Race day. This DD was probably sited a few yards upriver before the wall was built.

240757 Putney Embankment. The DD is just above the bridge but there is the widest slip in the country in front of the many boathouses a short distance above. Parking easy out of hours.

242756 Brewhouse Street DD. Just below Putney Bridge. Extensive hard at low water. Parking easy out of hours.

268768 Battersea Church DD. Between church and Old Swan pub. Access to fine sailing water and worth a visit by lovers of the picturesque. Parking easy out of hours.

303782 Vauxhall Bridge Stairs. Access at end of parapet on downstream side. Suitable only portable craft. Parking out of hours round corner in Albert Embankment Rd.

306797 Westminster Bridge Stairs. Locked when last seen.

307803 Festival Hall Stairs. Lead to sandy beach at low water. Normally the gates are locked but light craft can be handed over. Access from South Bank car parks. Well worth going down to the beach here at low water for fine feeling of ‘rus in urbes’.

315806 Southwark. Old Barge House Stairs. A 5’ wide alley off Upper Ground, SE 1, barred by an up-ended barrel of a cannon. Portable craft only. Parking easy out of hours.

321806 Southwark. Mason’s Stairs. Now in new ornamental terrace in front of Bankside power station opposite St. Paul’s. Suitable for portable craft that can be carried from the road.