It was the 44th Southend Thames Barge Race today eight of the aging vessles made it through the fog to start the race four others were stuck at other locations including London, Burnham and Medway.
Thankfully the fog (see Fog Off thread) lifted before the start of the race, which was almose abbandoned not due to the weather but five idiot morons who thought it would be funny to dash in and out of the barges at high speeds,breaking the speed limit
Moored at pier head
fast & bowspit classes sail past
setting course as race starts
At Rest
Two Bow-spit class drift passed.
The Repceptor
Sailing in to position
close pass of the pier
Waiting the gun
The Phoenician
Amazingly dispite the chaos in the photo no barges collided the diffrent classed vessels were possitioing for the start.
The race underway
Off they go.
Lastly a shot of one of the morons who almost forced the abandoning of the event.