An Old Haunt, Part 2

After not going to Tower Bridge for a while, I have now been again, and this time even better, at night.

All those years ago, I can still remember the first night training trip I did to Tower Bridge, on the Passenger Ship Seabourn Pride.

 

 

I remember the collective gasp from the passengers as we rounded the bend at Wapping and caught our first sight of the bridge, lit up like a Christmas decoration. I could feel the joy and wonder in the air. And I realised that this simple act of bringing a ship up river could make so many people happy.

So now, when I do it, it still gives me a buzz.

Back to the story, the Waverley is still with us on the Thames and I got to pilot it up river on Friday night, arriving a t Tower Bridge at 22:30.
It wasn't as nice an evening as last week, in fact it was howling wind and lashing rain, but there were still a good number of passengers onboard, those in the restaurant looked a bit worried when the pilot cutter came alongside about a foot from their heads, but I gave them a wave as they choked on their dinner.

After an uneventful passage up river, and on time, we arrived off the bridge, again there was that moment, as it came into view from the drowned throng on the forward deck, and I managed to get a couple of pictures as well.

Bit out of focus, raindrop on lens.

And once we were through, a shot of the bridge behind us, closed again.

I tried to get a shot of the Shard, but not too successful.