This Marina has got to be one of the most centrally and superbly located city marinas in the world. Literally just under Tower Bridge, with the historic Tower of London a very short walk away. Set somewhat apart from the hustle and bustle of the traffic and city offices nearby, it's a little oasis of calm that is popular with tourists as well as office wallahs at lunchtime and after work. The visitor may be surprised if they take a wander northwards from the Marina at the weekends.... once away from the tourists at the Tower of London the city area is completely closed and dead. Once the workers depart on Friday night there is very little incentive for the shops and pubs to remain open, until Monday that is when it all starts again. Even on weekday evenings the whole city ,area north of the Marina may seem strangely deserted.
Be assured that the rest of London is not like this, and a short journey on the tube will take you to Covent Garden, Soho and the West End where you will find any kind of entertainment until the small hours....
If you wish to make use of the facilities at St Katherine's yacht haven during the summer, you are advised to book up at least a week in advance.
The charges here work out at £33 for a 10 m boat, prices will change from 1st April.
The entry to this harbour is via a lock that can be accessed about two hours before high water, to 1.5 hours after high water. (Watch the cross set in the approach). The lock is large, at around 30' x 100'. It operates between 6 AM and 8:30 PM in the summer and between 8 AM and 6 PM in winter. It leads into the central basin, and there are two further basins which are accessed underneath small lifting bridges. Visitors are normally berthed in the central basin.
If you have already booked your berth you can use VHF channel 80 (callsign St Katherine's) to contact the lock control on arrival. If you need to wait for the tide there are a few moorings laid for this purpose, whilst inside of St. Katherine's Pier can be used by shallow draft craft awaiting entry. Do not use the outside of this as it is much in use by ferries and tripper boats.
Inside the Marina water and electricity is available on the pontoons, with toilets and showers available ashore, as well as laundry facilities.
There is a supermarket nearby, and within the developments around the Marina you will find no shortage of places to eat and drink too.
Underground connections from Tower Hill will open up the rest of London to you, and necessary it is too as everything in the immediate walkable area is geared up for 9-to-5 city office workers.....
If you do a wander around The City and you are a taxpayer you may want to inspect some of the banking institutions that you are now an unwilling owner of... RBS, Nat West, Halifax, Lloyds, TSB, etc etc...
Diesel is available from a barge moored 400 m downstream of St Katherine's lock, and they operate on VHF channel 14 callsign "Heiko" telephone 0207 481 1774, hours 6.30 to 14.30. This is closed at weekends unfortunately.
This just about covers your mooring opportunities in this area covered.
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