Don't Throw Your Life Away - Battling Marine Debris from Alaska to Panama
- Thread starter Voyager3
- Start date
Voyager3
Active member
This building was next door, and for just a few more loonies, I was granted entry here as well. It's a museum of the Empress of Ireland, which sank in the St. Lawrence in 1914 after a collision with another ship, the SS Storstad, in the fog.
For those who don't know, the sinking of the Empress of Ireland was the worst peacetime maritime disaster in Canadian history. Just two years after the Titanic went down, the Empress of Ireland had plenty of lifeboats. But whereas the Titanic took 2 hours and 40 minutes to sink, the Empress of Ireland went under in just 14 minutes taking with it 1,012 of the 1,477 on board. It listed over very quickly making the lifeboats pretty difficult to use. Some couldn't get away from the deck, some were too far away from the deck. Even with the boat sitting normally, it took a crew of ten 1 to 3 minutes to lower one of the 2.5 tonne lifeboats into the water. There just wasn't much chance. And although it did have plenty of watertight doors below, they had to be activated by a big screw arrangement by hand from the deck above and they couldn't be closed fast enough.
Of the 134 children on board, only 4 survived.
It took around 100 dives, but after Dany St-Cyr found some letters around the aft end and realized what they were, he and a Pierre Lapage, assisted by Jaqcues Tardiff secretly brought up the 25 letters of the name, 12 were still attached to the ship. This was between Sept. '95 and Oct. '97. Speaking of salvaging, one of the wreck's problems was that between 1964 when the wreck was rediscovered and 1999 when it was protected, it was a free for all, and much was taken by divers for personal collections. It's a wonder the wheel made it long enough to be collected for the museum.
For those who don't know, the sinking of the Empress of Ireland was the worst peacetime maritime disaster in Canadian history. Just two years after the Titanic went down, the Empress of Ireland had plenty of lifeboats. But whereas the Titanic took 2 hours and 40 minutes to sink, the Empress of Ireland went under in just 14 minutes taking with it 1,012 of the 1,477 on board. It listed over very quickly making the lifeboats pretty difficult to use. Some couldn't get away from the deck, some were too far away from the deck. Even with the boat sitting normally, it took a crew of ten 1 to 3 minutes to lower one of the 2.5 tonne lifeboats into the water. There just wasn't much chance. And although it did have plenty of watertight doors below, they had to be activated by a big screw arrangement by hand from the deck above and they couldn't be closed fast enough.
Of the 134 children on board, only 4 survived.
It took around 100 dives, but after Dany St-Cyr found some letters around the aft end and realized what they were, he and a Pierre Lapage, assisted by Jaqcues Tardiff secretly brought up the 25 letters of the name, 12 were still attached to the ship. This was between Sept. '95 and Oct. '97. Speaking of salvaging, one of the wreck's problems was that between 1964 when the wreck was rediscovered and 1999 when it was protected, it was a free for all, and much was taken by divers for personal collections. It's a wonder the wheel made it long enough to be collected for the museum.
Voyager3
Active member
Thank you! If only I could get the dog on a plane or a sub.
the deputy
Well-known member
It's funny, your mom's coat matches the interior of the plane...women...always wanting to color coordinate everything...lol.
Great pictures.
Brian.
Great pictures.
Brian.
Voyager3
Active member
I have the opposite problem. Somehow everything I own is blue. So I've matched the car to the sleeping bag, and water bottles, Jenson's food dish, my phone charging cable, my jacket it just goes on and on. Too many people sell blue things. It was worse in the bus which wasn't just blue and white on the outside, we chose two different shades of blue for different rooms of it inside. It snuck up on me.
D
Deleted member 141581
Guest
Coming through Maine....you will have the
https://www.colemuseum.org/
and even better;
http://owlshead.org/
I loved this one in VA
https://militaryaviationmuseum.org/
https://www.colemuseum.org/
and even better;
http://owlshead.org/
I loved this one in VA
https://militaryaviationmuseum.org/
Not sure about the dog,- but at the Air & Space Museum at Dulles Airport there is a Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 autogyro which was towed behind German submarines to provide a higher lookout.
www.thevintagenews.com/2016/04/16/small-motorless-three-bladed-autogyros-were-towed-behind-u-boats-allowing-a-lookout-to-see-further/
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
Supermarine Spitwater?
When I was a kid I was a big fan of 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'.
Had the Aurora models of the Seaview and the Flying Sub.
https://fantastic-plastic.com/seaview-from-voyage-to-the-bottom-of-the-sea-by-aurora.html
https://fantastic-plastic.com/FLYING SUB PAGE.htm
<old geezer story>
When I was in grade school (late 1960s to early 1970s), my mom worked for a few years in quality control at Revell models. They would do test runs of their molds with plain white plastic and she would have to assemble the models to check fit everything, as well as proofreading the rough draft of the instructions.
She would bring me extras from the test runs. Just a stack of parts like this,
all in plain white plastic with no instructions, no decals, nada - and I'd have to figure it out. I must have done at least 50 of those things. Got to be pretty good at painting models.
</old geezer story>
danfromsyr
Adventurer
Maine has the Maine Maritime museum near Bath, ME
where you used to be able to go on a tour of the Bath Iron works, General Dynamics military marine shop.
in lonely Central NY is the home to Glenn Curtiss, father of Marine aviation and fastest man on earth for a bit. https://www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org/
originator of the Curtiss Wright plane manufactures.
where you used to be able to go on a tour of the Bath Iron works, General Dynamics military marine shop.
in lonely Central NY is the home to Glenn Curtiss, father of Marine aviation and fastest man on earth for a bit. https://www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org/
originator of the Curtiss Wright plane manufactures.
Voyager3
Active member
Thanks, Adam, I hope there's enough time for some of this. It's getting tight. But we're hitting the Cabot Trail tomorrow, then south.
That's funny. Apparently only resulted in one sinking from used as a spotter. Interesting idea.
Supermarine Spitwater?
When I was a kid I was a big fan of 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'.
Had the Aurora models of the Seaview and the Flying Sub.
https://fantastic-plastic.com/seaview-from-voyage-to-the-bottom-of-the-sea-by-aurora.html
https://fantastic-plastic.com/FLYING SUB PAGE.htm
<old geezer story>
When I was in grade school (late 1960s to early 1970s), my mom worked for a few years in quality control at Revell models. They would do test runs of their molds with plain white plastic and she would have to assemble the models to check fit everything, as well as proofreading the rough draft of the instructions.
She would bring me extras from the test runs. Just a stack of parts like this,
all in plain white plastic with no instructions, no decals, nada - and I'd have to figure it out. I must have done at least 50 of those things. Got to be pretty good at painting models.
</old geezer story>
My dad remembers that show, too. I never built many models. A couple rockets and RC cars though.
I'll definitely be on the lookout in Maine, but I'm not going to make it to Central NY. It's going to be close as it is to finish Nova Scotia and hit Dayton Ohio before Expo East
Voyager3
Active member
Now we're getting somewhere. Further out on Quebec down the St. Lawrence. Sometimes I get nice early starts and remember the treat that is predawn. This particular time was because the area I chose to bed down for the night was next to some heavy machinery and quite early a big truck came to collect it, and well....I guess I better just head out then. But it also means I got to see that time of day on the coast where the sun doesn't yet have the power to illuminate the land around you, but the water starts to glow. It doesn't need much encouragement to get a head start and it was wonderful to see the contrast of the wet and dry parts of the scene.
But apparently sometimes, the wet encroaches on the dry, and then you have an accident.
And for some reason I was determined to drive all the way around that spit, but I'm glad I did because I got out past Grande-Grave and walked down to this little beach that I had all to myself.
Well, it was me and this animal.
And also some seals and some kind of porpoise. Fun was had, I even got him to stop moving for a more formal photo.
He's a good kid, but he didn't get to play with this youngster, a baby porcupine.
The kite surfer should have been a clue to what the weather had in store when we finally crossed into New Brunswick.
But apparently sometimes, the wet encroaches on the dry, and then you have an accident.
And for some reason I was determined to drive all the way around that spit, but I'm glad I did because I got out past Grande-Grave and walked down to this little beach that I had all to myself.
Well, it was me and this animal.
And also some seals and some kind of porpoise. Fun was had, I even got him to stop moving for a more formal photo.
He's a good kid, but he didn't get to play with this youngster, a baby porcupine.
The kite surfer should have been a clue to what the weather had in store when we finally crossed into New Brunswick.
Voyager3
Active member
Boy was it windy here. All the reports had the gusts up around 90kph, it knocked power out for tens of thousands, prompted vehicle restrictions on the Confederation Bridge to PEI and shut down that ferry. Everywhere, all the time, and sometimes pretty hilarious wind speeds.
The evening was the best though, this was out on Miscou Island chasing sunset, trying not to get blown off the road. This was one of the most memorable sunsets I've had in a while because between the intensity of the glow and the savage winds, it was like standing in front of the solar wind. Yes, I was laughing the entire time.
The real interesting part was trying to get some sleep, because we parked not far from here and we were getting rocked pretty hard. Amusing, yes, but not relaxing as such. I actually at one point got out to see how much the Jeep lifted every time there was a big gust, which was entertaining. But the reward was being in prime position also for sunrise which was much less tiring.
Which was a good thing, because today was one of those days I pick a fight with something buried in a beach. I don't know why I keep doing this, the bag on Vancouver Island, the big tire tube in Alaska.....the entire Jeep in the NWT, and now this. Of course, there's plenty of junk scattered around to grab easily, but no. I don't do easy. I think, yeah, I'll just grab this one. Real quick.
These would make great land anchors. You listening Deadman? Here's your next product.
But after much digging, we get this.
Right. So now I've got 275 pounds of junk.....how do I get it out of here?
Welcome to the East Coast, right?
The evening was the best though, this was out on Miscou Island chasing sunset, trying not to get blown off the road. This was one of the most memorable sunsets I've had in a while because between the intensity of the glow and the savage winds, it was like standing in front of the solar wind. Yes, I was laughing the entire time.
The real interesting part was trying to get some sleep, because we parked not far from here and we were getting rocked pretty hard. Amusing, yes, but not relaxing as such. I actually at one point got out to see how much the Jeep lifted every time there was a big gust, which was entertaining. But the reward was being in prime position also for sunrise which was much less tiring.
Which was a good thing, because today was one of those days I pick a fight with something buried in a beach. I don't know why I keep doing this, the bag on Vancouver Island, the big tire tube in Alaska.....the entire Jeep in the NWT, and now this. Of course, there's plenty of junk scattered around to grab easily, but no. I don't do easy. I think, yeah, I'll just grab this one. Real quick.
These would make great land anchors. You listening Deadman? Here's your next product.
But after much digging, we get this.
Right. So now I've got 275 pounds of junk.....how do I get it out of here?
Welcome to the East Coast, right?
mm58
Observer
If you get to Portland, Maine, there is Fort Allen Park. There you can see the original mast taken
from the USS Portland (CA-33) of WWII fame. My dad served on that ship.
From Wikipedia...
Fort Allen Park is also the home of the mast of USS Portland, a heavy cruiser commissioned by the United States Navy in 1933.[9] Portland was the only United States ship to participate in all four Pacific aircraft carrier battles of 1942: Coral Sea in May, Midway in June, Eastern Solomons in August, and Santa Cruz Islands in October. Portland was then damaged during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November.[10]
from the USS Portland (CA-33) of WWII fame. My dad served on that ship.
From Wikipedia...
Fort Allen Park is also the home of the mast of USS Portland, a heavy cruiser commissioned by the United States Navy in 1933.[9] Portland was the only United States ship to participate in all four Pacific aircraft carrier battles of 1942: Coral Sea in May, Midway in June, Eastern Solomons in August, and Santa Cruz Islands in October. Portland was then damaged during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November.[10]