River Pageant vessels to gather in West India Dock for checks

The website, wharf.co.uk, has some interesting details about the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant.     There will be 105 large vessels in The Avenue of Sail lining the banks of the Thames for the actual event, and the organizers have put down moorings along the mile from London Bridge to Wapping on both sides of the river.   These vessels, including a number of Thames Sailing Barges, are too large to pass under London Bridge.  The Avenue of Sail also includes St Katherine’s Dock – where there will be a dozen vessels.

The website tells us how the boats will be arriving on Thursday and Friday of next week when several hundred motor vessels will gather in West India Dock, which will act as a marshalling yard. Whilst they’re in West India Dock they’ll be inspected by the Port of London Authority and the Marine and Coastguard Agency to ensure they pass safety checks and are ready for the Pageant.   Then on Saturday morning they all leave to make their way to their mustering positions, and water taxis will take invited guests and crew to the vessels.   20,000 people will be on board 1,000 vessels during the Pageant.

On Sunday, after the flotilla of boats has travelled from Battersea Bridge to Wapping, the vessels will head off into waters around Canary Wharf and Greenwich.

You can read the whole story here.