Thank you for sharing, Kate, I'm glad you did.
I frequently hire solo but whether solo or not I always wear a life jacket for both mooring and unmooring, regardless of location and conditions. I was never more glad of that when I fell in at Gayes Staithe in 2017 after coming in to moor stern-on on the end quay. I stepped off safely with both stern ropes and then promptly proceeded to step too far to my left so my left foot went over the quay at right angles to where the boat was. It was a wet day so I was togged up with raincoat and my auto life jacket did it's job, albeit after a brief moment where I was scared it wasn't going to. Fortunately there was a couple on hand to haul me out as in the water I felt like I was covered in lead.