UPDATED: High Tide
May 12th, 2008 by Maria Evans
The Research Vessel Russell W. Peterson ran aground yesterday in Bethany Beach after two crew members were pulled from the ship. One of the crew members died. (Photo courtesy of a listener.)
The Love Creek Marina at high tide.
Earlier today we found out that the research vessel Russel W. Peterson, which has been studying the potential impact of a wind farm on birds for Bluewater Wind, was in distress and needed Coast Guard intervention. The vessel ran aground in Bethany. We’ve since learned that one of the two crew members on the R/V Russel W. Peterson is dead. Ken Hayes, President of Aqua Survey, the company who owned the vessel released this statement:
This morning the liftboat Russell W. Peterson sent out a distress signal to the US Coast Guard.
The Peterson had been offshore Rehoboth Beach, DE, studying bird migration. The Coast Guard
is to be commended for dispatching rescuers by both sea and air. The Peterson was staffed by
two captains. Both were removed by the Coast Guard. We have been informed that one of the
captains did not survive the ordeal. Aqua Survey is not releasing names at this point. Our hearts
and prayers are with the family and friends of the lost mariner.Aqua Survey will work closely with the Coast Guard and other agencies to safely and quickly
salvage the vessel.
And this is from Peter Mandelstam, President, Bluewater Wind:
“Everyone here at Bluewater Wind is deeply saddened by this tragic occurrence. Our thoughts and prayers are with the captain’s family, friends, and loved ones.”
May 13th, 2008 at 6:41 am
I wonder if the off shore turbines would have fared any better in the same type of storm? Just asking.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:18 am
Well, in another photo I took there’s a pic of a wind turbine on someone’s house that was “cranking” out power. So my guess is that the off shore turbines would have been fine.
May 14th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
On the other hand off-shore turbines would also have to contend with the rough surf as well as the wind and rain. My concern would be that they would be built to withstand it, and considering their boat could not it seems to be a valid concern- that they really know what they are doing. I am on the fence and can see the arguments that alternative energy is nesessary technology, but it must be correctly implemented and well thought out to have a chance at main stream acceptibility.
May 15th, 2008 at 5:12 am
horace they’re built to withstand hurricane force winds. Fluor, the company that will do the construction, just got the OK to build a wind farm off the coast of Scotland, where the seas are more challenging than where we are. http://uk.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUKN1419364620080514
You can go to their site and watch a video about how the turbines are constructed:
http://www.bluewaterwind.com/howitworks.htm
And the boat wasn’t “their boat” it was Aqua Survey’s boat, and Aqua Survey’s crew. BWW contracted the bird research out to them. This incident has no bearing on BWW’s judgement or their ability to construct a wind farm.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:49 am
Terrific reporting and photos, Maria!!!
May 15th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Minor correction…the newest wind farm to be constructed in the UK is off the Suffolk coast in England, not Scotland. It’s a joint venture between Airtricity (which is the renewable energy division of Scottish and Southern Energy) and Fluor.
May 15th, 2008 at 8:19 am
You’re right, Nancy, how DO you know so much about Scotland?
May 15th, 2008 at 8:33 am
LOLOL…I dunno, Maria…it just ‘comes to me’!
But, to back up the “more challenging seas” off the Scottish coast, there are plans afoot to build a wind farm with floating turbines in the North Sea (wicked waters) the first of it’s kind. I bookmarked this last year but haven’t checked progress, recently.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/worlds-first-floating-wind-farm-to-be-built-in-north-sea-454834.html