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London’s dark river and its secrets

  • <p>Wooden props are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on March 9, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
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    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Wooden props are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on March 9, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>Traffic cones are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 19, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
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    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Traffic cones are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 19, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>Bricks covered in mud are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
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    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Bricks covered in mud are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

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  • <p>Rust is seen along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb.24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
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    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Rust is seen along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb.24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>Stones are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
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    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Stones are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>Water runs out of a bridge pillar along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
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    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Water runs out of a bridge pillar along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Seaweed is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    7/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Seaweed is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>Light is reflected from a wet wall along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    8/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Light is reflected from a wet wall along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>A dead bird lies next to a rose on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    9/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    A dead bird lies next to a rose on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Seaweed is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    10/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Seaweed is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>A water drop lands in a puddle on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on March 3, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    11/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    A water drop lands in a puddle on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on March 3, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>A drawing of a face is seen on a wall along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    12/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    A drawing of a face is seen on a wall along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Raindrops fall into the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    13/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Raindrops fall into the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>Stalactites are seen along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    14/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Stalactites are seen along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>A wooden stick is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    15/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    A wooden stick is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Sand is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    16/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Sand is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>An umbrella is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on March 2, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    17/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    An umbrella is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on March 2, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>Water trails are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    18/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Water trails are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Material is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    19/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    Material is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

  • <p>A water drop hangs on a stalactite along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
    20/20

    London’s dark river and its secrets

    A water drop hangs on a stalactite along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

<p>Wooden props are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on March 9, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Traffic cones are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 19, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Bricks covered in mud are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Rust is seen along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb.24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Stones are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Water runs out of a bridge pillar along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Seaweed is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Light is reflected from a wet wall along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>A dead bird lies next to a rose on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Seaweed is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>A water drop lands in a puddle on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on March 3, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>A drawing of a face is seen on a wall along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Raindrops fall into the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Stalactites are seen along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>A wooden stick is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Jan. 23, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Sand is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>An umbrella is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on March 2, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Water trails are seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>Material is seen on the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
<p>A water drop hangs on a stalactite along the bank of the River Thames during low tide in London, Britain on Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) </p>
Yahoo News Photo Staff

Over three months, photographer Stefan Wermuth walked along the banks of the Thames, photographing the river and the abandoned objects exposed by the receding tide.

London’s River Thames has been the lifeblood of the British capital since the city’s origins as a Roman garrison town around 2,000 years ago. The river was the artery through which the world’s trade passed at the height of the British Empire, and its banks were lined with factories that drove the Industrial Revolution but left its waters biologically dead. (Reuters)

Photography by Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

Read: Wider Image — London’s river and its secrets >>>

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