The river is 215 miles long, and the Thames River becomes an estuary before it reaches the North Sea. Some of the animals that now reside in and around the Thames are seals, oysters, seahorses, eels … and venomous sharks.
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It is not recommended to swim in the tidal section of the Thames (east of Putney Bridge to the North Sea). It is neither safe nor particularly nice. But as you head west the river gets cleaner, safer (less boat traffic) and more beautiful. All these 10 wild swimming locations are west of London and easily accessible.
The tidal Thames is a fast-flowing waterway and the busiest inland waterway in the UK accommodating over 20,000 ship movements and hosting over 400 events each year. It is for these reasons the PLA restricts swimming throughout the majority of its jurisdiction for the safety of swimmers and river users.
Crocodiles definitely aren't native to London's waters, but this is the strange beast that city workers spotted in the Thames yesterday afternoon. They panicked after thinking there was a crocodile resting on a floating pontoon, only yards from where children were paddling.
Over the years, reports of body parts showing up in the waters of London have included chins, pelvises, arms, and even the dead body of a sheep wrapped in a duvet. Worryingly, this is not as uncommon as you might think. It is reported that, on average, a dead human body is found once a week1 in the River Thames.
The Thames is considered to be the cleanest river in the world that flows through a major city. The Thames is home to 125 species of fish and more than 400 invertebrates. This is in spite of the fact that raw sewage is routinely pumped into the river during heavy rains.