Visiting London by yacht

When to come, the passage up the Thames, Tower Bridge lifts and pilotage.

Picture made with AI. It shows the place but is not a photograph.

Seasons

When to come

Season	Months	Daily high	Monthly rain
Peak	June to August	20.4 to 22.7 °C	50 to 68 mm
Shoulder	April, May, September, October	14.1 to 19.1 °C	50 to 79 mm
Off season	November to March	7.5 to 10.9 °C	43 to 76 mm

Met Office, Hampstead station, 1991 to 2020. Season bands are our own estimate.

Passage

Up the Thames

The St Katharine Docks Marina visitor guide gives these steps for a vessel coming from the Thames Estuary. London VTS is the Port of London Authority vessel traffic service.

DistanceAbout 45 nautical miles from Sea Reach No.4 Buoy to the marina

At Sea Reach No.4Switch from VHF Channel 69 to VHF Channel 68 and monitor London VTS

VTS channelsChannel 68 from Sea Reach 4 to Crayfordness. Channel 14 from Crayfordness to Teddington

Tower Bridge in sightCall the marina on VHF Channel 80 or on +44 (0)20 7264 5312

St Katharine Docks Marina visitor guide, 2024. Check current Notices to Mariners before you sail.

Bridge and pilot

Tower Bridge lifts and pilotage

Tower Bridge

Request a lift

Any vessel with a mast or superstructure of 30 feet (9 m) or more may request a lift to enter or leave the Upper Pool of London. The owner, master or ship's agent sends the request by email to BridgeLifts@towerbridge.org.uk at least 24 hours ahead. Include the IMO or MMSI number, vessel name, air draught and contact details.

On the day

Lift protocol

Tower Bridge keeps a listening watch on VHF Channel 14 from 30 minutes before the lift. Maximum leeway is 5 minutes in busy traffic. The bridge security team is staffed 24 hours for last-minute changes on +44 (0) 20 7940 3975.

Pilots

Pilotage

The Port of London Authority says the master of any vessel may request a pilot, whether or not pilotage is compulsory for that vessel. Livett's, a ship's agent, says pilotage is required on the Thames for vessels over 40 m. The Port of London Authority page gives no length, so check the Pilotage Directions for the legal threshold.

Ashore

Getting around

Tube and DLR

The nearest Underground station to the marina is Tower Hill. Tower Gateway station on the DLR is a short walk away.

Rail

National Rail and Elizabeth line services run from Liverpool Street Station, a 26-minute walk from the marina.

Payment

The marina guide says the cheapest travel is an Oyster Travelcard or a contactless bank card.

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