When the tidal wave came I was looking the other way.
I knew the gentle Shuttle had its shallow banks concreted, walled, ready for the diverted torrent, but for some reason I was looking North, thinking that way lay the Thames and its barrier, not knowing the wave would follow the Shuttleβs more meandering route
and I got it in the back of the neck.
SE London's Thames tributaries were reinforced when they built the Thames barrier. The idea being that once engaged, the barrier would divert the predicted tidal wave down rivers like the River Shuttle. We lost the gentle banks and gained the anticipation of a torrent.