River Thames to the strong current of the river, but also other river users. Organised swimming events take place at various points generally upstream of Hampton Court, including Windsor, Marlow and Henley. In 2011 comedian David Walliams swam the from Lechlade to Westminster Bridge and raised over £1 million for charity. In non-tidal stretches swimming was, and still is, a leisure and fitness activity among experienced swimmers where safe, deeper outer channels are used in times of low stream. A Thames meander is a long-distance journey over all or part of the Thames by running, swimming or using any of the above
The Thames (steamship) The Thames (steamship) The Thames was a British steamship lost in 1877 while exploring the western part of the northeast passage (the sea route east from Europe to northern Russia and East Asia which runs north of Siberia). With financial backing from Charles Gardiner, Joseph Wiggins – an experienced sea captain who had already twice sailed to the north of Russia, once entering the Kara Sea – purchased "The Thames", a 120 ton screw steamer, with the intent of surveying the Gulf of Ob and the Yenisei River and returning with profitable cargo. "The Thames" left Vardø in Norway on