For anyone interested in the removal of the masts from the SS Richard Montgomery in the Thames, it’s happening now!

[columnatedruinsdomino]

Live feed

https://www.iossc.org.uk/weather/?sn=cam1-rt

The first mast was removed yesterday. There is a time-lapse video on Facebook under James Bell Photography that shows the mast being lifted out of the water. I can’t seem to share it.

One down, two to go!

Sunday seems to be a day off on the barge. Quite a lot of shipping movement. Only watched a bit, but saw a very lovely sailing ship. Waverley spent the night at Tower Pier and is still up there.

We have action! There are people on the barge and the crane has moved. The remaining section of mast is barely visible above water.

Thank you! I've tuned in again now.

Cable dangling into the water by mast. No small boats though.

Lots of orange people watching from the platform.

Choppy waters and lots of wave action at the barge.

Plentiful splashy waves against the same part of the barge where there were occasional white splashes yesterday, so I was probably wrong to guess those were divers.

Hope they've got a flask of something warm. Looks a bit parky hanging around watching there!

I noticed conditions seem to be a bit rougher today. They've been lucky so far. Strong winds would probably make crane operations difficult.

Someone on the barge has been hauling a line in.

ACTION?

The main cable rose a little and tautened... and has now dropped and slackened off a little.

They're teasing us!

Cable being lowered right down...

And up again...

Up up up up...

Oh, and coming away loose. Back on board the barge.

Swizz.

The boat - think she's the Vulcan - coming alongside. Is that it for today?

That's my guess too.

Look at all those parasailers on the Essex side!

There goes the Vulcan.

It must be quite murky out there, those lights on the barge are burning very brightly. It's overcast here, but not that dark.

The sightseers will get another day's chance!

The Vulcan is there already.

Not much seemed to happen yesterday, or not when I was watching. The crane swung round, they looked at it a bit, then it swung back and they all went away again.

Waverley went past again and last I saw she was at Clacton.

Misty start to the day.

Yes very murky. Quite gloomy here too.

And getting murkier by the moment!

Sun's out a bit here - on a train between C & G.

I would wave as you pass, but I'm still not there.