At this time of the year, West India Dock has very few ships visiting but still there is always plenty to find interesting.
The Canary Wharf Group is pressing ahead with two of their major building projects in Heron Quays and Wood Wharf.
The Heron Quays site in particular has been the focus of considerable activity, interestingly part of the project is virtually on the water and a large number of piles have been driven into the dock. Large cranes on pontoons have also been used and yesterday crowds of people watched as one of these pontoons was moved from Heron Quays to Wood Wharf.
Although it was a tight squeeze under the DLR track, the major disruption was the swing bridge which was out of action for some time. ‘Bridgers’ were a well known hazard of living on the Isle of Dogs as the ships entered the docks. However many of the modern office workers who got stuck on the South Quay side looked distinctly unimpressed by the procedure.
As the pontoon was pulled and pushed by tugs into position in Wood Wharf, I took the opportunity to wander past the Will Sailing Barge and down to where the Lord Amory, the Portwey and the Massey Shaw are berthed.
An interesting new addition to the dock is a houseboat with a difference, it is certainly a innovative design the top looks like an apartment placed onto a wide boat base. You would certainly get a great view but looks like it would have to be towed from place to place.With house prices rocketing it may offer a more economical approach and represent the modern version of living on a houseboat.
Isle of Dogs Life 