All through September there have been many activities centred around the River Thames as part of the Totally Thames Festival. On Saturday it was the annual Great River Race. The race is over 21.6 miles from Docklands to Ham and is open to boats that are moved by oars or paddles. The rules say there has to be a cox and a passenger. Not only is there a prize for the fastest in each category but also for fancy dress. This year there were 330 crews in a wide range of crafts including Dragon Boats, longboats, skiffs, gigs, whaleboats and other more novelty type of boats.
I went to the Docklands sailing club to see the crews getting ready to launch their boats and get them to the start. It was noisy, colourful and lots of fun.
Looking for the rest of his crew.
Someone has to bail out the boat.
The Ghostbuster crew.
Snow White seems to have lost his dwarves.
It seemed a little chaotic whilst the crews were searching for their boats.
The missing Vikings off to find their boat.
Directing the traffic perhaps.
I thought these young men looked very fetching in their girlfriends' swimsuits.
Not much co-ordination of the oars.
Whoops a bit of a crash.
He definitely looks the part.
Finally seem to have sorted themselves out and are on their way to the start.
The admiral giving his orders.
Not quite the right direction
The passenger or the cox?
Some of the crews looked very professsional
Sharing with Our World Tuesday
Someone has to bail out the boat.
The missing Vikings off to find their boat.
He definitely looks the part.
This looks like such a fun event and I absolutely LOVE the humour I see in the costumes!
ReplyDeleteha ha
ReplyDeletesome of those folks looked like they shouldn't be unless they're medicated and escorted. Just saying *wink*
As soon as I read fancy dress, I correctly predicted what I would see. It looked to be a heap fun for the participants and I'm sure it was to watch too.
ReplyDeleteSnow White is a hoot!
ReplyDeleteOh how fun! Love all the crazy costumes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun day you must have had. It is great how the people throw themselves into the fancy dress.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, everybody had a great day I see. September is full of festivities indeed.
ReplyDeleteWho won? Was this a fundraiser for something?
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun event with so many interesting characters :)
ReplyDeleteWow ! that must have been quite an event, especially with this nice warm weather ! How lucky they were !
ReplyDeleteIt looks like mayhem and fun all at once! Great photos.
ReplyDeleteI am laughing outloud ... what a joyous occassion and I love when people can let their hair down and just have a good time. Great picures ... loved every one of them.
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From the Sol
You captured this fun event so well. I love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat an event and colorful and creative shots of the festivities for OWT !
ReplyDeleteHappy Day to you ^_^
artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)
Oh, what a fun event indeed!! Terrific captures and they are the next best thing to being there myself!!! Thanks for sharing the fun!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed that so much. Thanks for the laughs!
ReplyDeleteLove it. This is such a fun activity.
ReplyDeleteThose race participants (and you) are just having entirely too much fun! Would absolutely love to be there for this wild and crazy event. Wonderful post. I loved it.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are having way too much fun over there! Very creative. Love all of the shots.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing all the different costumes, some are really funny.. What a great race and a fun time.. Thanks for sharing, have a happy week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great day on the water and land by the look of it. I do like it when they dress up for the event and loved the chap in the first shot who had adapted hid dry-za-bone as a sou'wester.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being part of the fun and getting all these pictures, there certainly is enough room on the Thames for all the motley crews and more.
These made me laugh out loud. Such chaos, it's a wonder they ever all got in a boat and got it pointed in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteGreat set of activities. Fun for all.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a blast - the fancy dress is great!
ReplyDeleteSomething different ...nice cliks!
ReplyDeleteMust have been a wonderful atmosphere. Fun shots!
ReplyDeleteWhat a splendid photo essay - long may this race survive.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
PS: I think that the Northumbrian coast is wonderful, but not that well known, which may add to the wonderfulness!