On 10th December 2016, a few lucky James Bond Radio listeners embarked on a special mission. As an added bonus to the London’s Calling JBR meet up, Chris was able to book an exclusive RIB on the Thames experience (that’s Rigid Inflatable Boat – for those who are wondering). They even used the very same boat “The Exterminator” that EON used during the filming of SPECTRE! Ever curious what it might be like racing across the Thames at breakneck speed with James Bond music blasting from the speakers? Needless to say, these listeners can attest to the ultimate thrill! Thank you to John Ward and Teddy O’Hare for the write up and the photos!
Flying down the Thames, taking in the sights, complete with James Bond music blasting out the speakers – too good to be true? It turns out it’s not with the Thames RIB Experience!
James Bond Radio gathered us 20 Bond-crazed fanatics at Embankment Pier and we were quickly kitted out in safety equipment by Thames RIB’s Q Department. Following a short mission briefing we boarded one of two 740 horsepower twin turbo vessels!
The boats effortlessly breezed past major London landmarks including the Houses of Parliament, Somerset House, The Savoy, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard, London Bridge, HMS Belfast, City Hall, Tower of London and Tower Bridge. If you’re a Bond fan, the excitement might become too much for you when you enter the stretch of water near Vauxhall Bridge where you’ll see the headquarters of SIS/MI6. It’s still there, in case any you were worried after watching Spectre!
A massive highlight was when the boat had passed under Tower Bridge and was able to “stretch its legs” to full speed around the Wapping/Rotherhithe area. We’re a bit jealous that the expert driver gets to do this for a living……keep us updated with job vacancies please!
During the ride we also had Bond music playing through the speakers at just the right moments. Has the 007 theme ever sounded cooler than when you’re powering down the Thames as breakneck speed?? In the less high octane moments (damn those speed restrictions!) our guide provided some interesting pointers on the London history and some essential Bond facts.
Our very own James Bond Junior (aka Teddy) gathered some a few quotes from this excited bunch of JBR fans:
“It was a brilliant to see so many iconic sights at once and from a totally different perspective”
“Fantastic trip – I recommend leaving lunch until after though!”
“Those sharps turns when the boat was at full tilt were amazing!”
“There was a universal buzz after the ride – every single person absolutely loved it!”
“You really did feel like Bond with the music blaring and the boat powering down the Thames… an unforgettable experience!”
“WOW!”
This was such a fabulous experience. Perfect for Bond fans and non-Bond fans …. but if you’re a Bond fan, you may just explode! We almost did!
- Blog post by John Ward and Teddy O’Hare
Anyone interested in booking the ultimate Thames RIB Experience should head on over to their website and find out how to book your own thrill ride today!
2 Responses
That looked like a blast!
Incredible! Must get myself on one of these meet ups if I ever get the chance! Great stuff!