Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Beached whale prompts questions
CBC news article, June 17, 2010
A fin whale carcass that washed up on a Nova Scotia beach last week has washed up again along the shores of the Bay of Fundy, prompting renewed questions about how the mammal died. Henry Hicks, who lives in Halls Harbour, N.S., said he first noticed the whale behind his home on Wednesday.
"The first reaction when we found the whale was an environmental concern," he said.
"There were a lot of questions that came to mind that, here it is, potentially going to decompose on our beach."
Officials with the Marine Animal Response Society said the whale Hicks discovered on Wednesday was likely the same one that washed up last week in Tennycape, N.S.
Dick Killam, a Municipality of the County of Kings councillor, said he has heard from fishermen who suspect the whale may have encountered an experimental tidal turbine in the Minas Passage.
"They have real concerns that the whale might have had a collision with the turbines off of Parrsboro, in the Cape Split area," Killam said Thursday.
"I think it's very important that they find out what happened to this whale. That's the bottom line."
Last week, Nova Scotia Power and OpenHydro — the two companies responsible for the turbine — announced two blades on their 400-tonne turbine had broken off. The turbine will be lifted out of the water later this year so researchers can figure out what went wrong. Mark Savory, the vice-president of technical and construction services for Nova Scotia Power, said at the time that the damage was likely not connected to the death of the whale.
"We don't believe so," Savory said. "We have no indications that we would say would support that."
Killam said despite that statement, fishermen in the area are still concerned.
"Because of what happened with the turbines — and I understand they have lost two blades — what caused that? Who knows," he said.
"All of a sudden, now we have a whale that's been sliced open by what? We don't know. And I think that has raised the concern and the fear of the whale possibly having contact with the turbine."
The Marine Animal Rescue Society said at least one gash on the whale's carcass happened after the whale beached.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans said a full examination is needed, but they cannot get the required heavy equipment to the whale carcass.
The fin whale is the second largest whale species and the second largest mammal in the world.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Blades break off underwater turbine prototype - Nova Scotia News - TheChronicleHerald.ca
Blades break off underwater turbine prototype - Nova Scotia News - TheChronicleHerald.ca: "Nova Scotia Power has suffered another setback in its $8.5-million experiment to try and generate electricity from the powerful Bay of Fundy tides.
Two large blades have broken off an underwater turbine, forcing the power company and its Irish partner, OpenHydro, to pull the 400-tonne prototype up from the bottom of the ocean floor a year early, Mark Savoury, a Nova Scotia Power vice-president, said Friday.
'The images are indicating we have a loss of two blades,' Peter Corcoran, OpenHydro’s chief financial officer, told reporters at a news conference Friday in Halifax. 'The Bay of Fundy is one of the world’s best tidal sites and I guess the world’s best tidal sites don’t come easy.'
The companies can’t explain how the reinforced plastic rotors were damaged and want to pull the turbine out of the water later this summer or early fall so engineers can closely examine it.
The damaged turbine was discovered recently when a video camera was lowered 15 metres into the murky waters of the Bay of Fundy to film the turbine.
The video was taken back to Dublin for analysis by OpenHydro engineers, who quickly found images of the missing rotors. The company would not release footage to the media.
'I think at this stage, trying to determine timing and determine cause is incredibly difficult to do. Only until we have extracted the turbine will our engineers be able to really get inside that system,' said Corcoran."
Two large blades have broken off an underwater turbine, forcing the power company and its Irish partner, OpenHydro, to pull the 400-tonne prototype up from the bottom of the ocean floor a year early, Mark Savoury, a Nova Scotia Power vice-president, said Friday.
'The images are indicating we have a loss of two blades,' Peter Corcoran, OpenHydro’s chief financial officer, told reporters at a news conference Friday in Halifax. 'The Bay of Fundy is one of the world’s best tidal sites and I guess the world’s best tidal sites don’t come easy.'
The companies can’t explain how the reinforced plastic rotors were damaged and want to pull the turbine out of the water later this summer or early fall so engineers can closely examine it.
The damaged turbine was discovered recently when a video camera was lowered 15 metres into the murky waters of the Bay of Fundy to film the turbine.
The video was taken back to Dublin for analysis by OpenHydro engineers, who quickly found images of the missing rotors. The company would not release footage to the media.
'I think at this stage, trying to determine timing and determine cause is incredibly difficult to do. Only until we have extracted the turbine will our engineers be able to really get inside that system,' said Corcoran."
Blades break off underwater turbine prototype - Nova Scotia News - TheChronicleHerald.ca
Blades break off underwater turbine prototype - Nova Scotia News - TheChronicleHerald.ca: "This latest news comes after The Chronicle Herald first reported in March that the company had lost contact with sensors on the turbine only seven days after it was lowered to the ocean floor last November in the Minas Passage. An acoustic modem failed to trigger sensors attached to the turbine to collect critical data about potential electrical production.
The turbid waters and strong currents in the Bay of Fundy prevent the company from sending divers to the site to fix the problem and it is difficult to take video footage.
Savoury said he hopes the turbine, located about 10 kilometres west of Parrsboro, will be repaired and can be put back into the water for further testing.
'This will involve no additional costs for Nova Scotia Power customers,' said Savoury.
OpenHydro, a renewable energy company, will pick up the tab for the removal, repair and redeployment of the turbine back into the water. But Corcoran said it’s too early to say how much the repairs will cost.
Despite the setbacks, Nova Scotia Power and OpenHydro are committed to trying to tap this huge energy resource.
'It has one of the strongest resources known in the world and that is exactly why OpenHydro and NSP (are) deploying turbines here, and any lessons that we learn along this journey will only make the turbines stronger, and (the) likelihood of commercial tidal (power) possible,' said Corcoran.
The massive steel turbine sitting on the seafloor is not connected to the power grid.
There are two other groups hoping to launch their tidal prototypes in the Bay of Fundy next year: Minas Basin Pulp and Power Company Ltd. of Hantsport and Clean Current Power Systems Inc. of British Columbia.
( jmyrden@herald.ca)
RECOMMEND THIS STORY?
21 votes"
The turbid waters and strong currents in the Bay of Fundy prevent the company from sending divers to the site to fix the problem and it is difficult to take video footage.
Savoury said he hopes the turbine, located about 10 kilometres west of Parrsboro, will be repaired and can be put back into the water for further testing.
'This will involve no additional costs for Nova Scotia Power customers,' said Savoury.
OpenHydro, a renewable energy company, will pick up the tab for the removal, repair and redeployment of the turbine back into the water. But Corcoran said it’s too early to say how much the repairs will cost.
Despite the setbacks, Nova Scotia Power and OpenHydro are committed to trying to tap this huge energy resource.
'It has one of the strongest resources known in the world and that is exactly why OpenHydro and NSP (are) deploying turbines here, and any lessons that we learn along this journey will only make the turbines stronger, and (the) likelihood of commercial tidal (power) possible,' said Corcoran.
The massive steel turbine sitting on the seafloor is not connected to the power grid.
There are two other groups hoping to launch their tidal prototypes in the Bay of Fundy next year: Minas Basin Pulp and Power Company Ltd. of Hantsport and Clean Current Power Systems Inc. of British Columbia.
( jmyrden@herald.ca)
RECOMMEND THIS STORY?
21 votes"
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Spreading Wings In The Warm Sunshine
I captured this photo as a butterfly was taking a break on my chives, Mother Nature at her best !
May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.......
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
This video was taken at Woodworth Brook Falls June 02 2010 . What a magnificent site from the top of the falls .
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Bonfire On The Beach
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Best Friends
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