The River Thames is tidal all the way
to Teddington Lock some 5 miles further upstream, and so the houseboats moored
here at Chelsea Reach rise and fall by as much as 14 feet between high and low
water. The boat hulls need to be strong enough to withstand the wear and tear of
contact with the river bed. A mooring at Chelsea reach is expensive and subject
to a waiting list of many years but the accommodation inside the boats can be
deceptively spacious and luxurious, with lots of bedrooms and all 'mod cons'.