Nearly called the coastguards..

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[32511]

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Looking out of my window at 23.13 last night, I noticed what appeared to be a parachute flare slowly descending. After about 30 seconds, the flare part detatched, and landed in the harbour, still burning on the water surface. The colour of the flare seemed however to be orange, rather than red, so I hesitated before phoning. About 10 minutes later, another flare/light or whatever appeared, this time climbing gently, rather than descending. A toy hot-air balloon! The first one had obviously started burning through the envelope, hence the slow descent and eventual break-up. Very nearly a shout for our busy lifeboat!
 
tobermoryphil said:
Looking out of my window at 23.13 last night, I noticed what appeared to be a parachute flare slowly descending. After about 30 seconds, the flare part detatched, and landed in the harbour, still burning on the water surface. The colour of the flare seemed however to be orange, rather than red, so I hesitated before phoning. About 10 minutes later, another flare/light or whatever appeared, this time climbing gently, rather than descending. A toy hot-air balloon! The first one had obviously started burning through the envelope, hence the slow descent and eventual break-up. Very nearly a shout for our busy lifeboat!
Click to expand...
Saw them advertised the other day, pic as well, cant think where! But basically a paper lantern type thingy with a small candle in the bottom, i thought at the time a bit daft, it floats up, it touches something, fire results etc etc.
Stu
 
What a stupid thing to sell.

Wouldnt do your car much good and the result of one landing on a thatched roof could be catastrophic.

The airport near us has a problem with idiots flashing the pilots with laser pens.The shops selling them obviously put profit above all else.
 
There have been plans and instructions for candle-power hot air balloons in "boys-own" type magazines since... Well since hot air balloons.

I can't recall ever having seen a headline "toy hot air balloon causes great fire of London" or "toy balloon causes major air-sea operation"

Whenever I start to think I'm sounding like an old fart I put my knee-jerk thought in the form of a newspaper headline - somehow that puts it back into a proper perspective.
 
Yes chinese lanterns, getting ever popular. They are no more dangerous than camp fires or fire works as they cease burning before descending back to earth. In the hands of idiots like anything else, there can be risks, but generally they are safe, and not as much a hazard to thatched cottages and forestry, because they are not alight when they land. Some twats interfere with the design, put extra fuel on them making them too heavy and then dangerous as a source of ignition.

http://www.nightskylanterns.co.uk
 
The first one I saw continued burning for about 10 seconds after it hit the sea- just glad it didn't land on my sail cover, about 200 yards away.
 
I sat on the boat at Lymington town quay last month and watched about 50 of these released from a party the other side of the river on a still night. They spiralled up, drifted over and as they cooled most landed on the quay and some on the boats as well - it was a game to catch one. Not one of them was still burning when it landed and I can't see how anyone would mistake one for a flare, they are nothing like them.
 
Well they may not be being mistaken for Flares... but they are regularly mistaken in the mysterious "Lincolnshire Triangle" as little Green men....

from the Louth Leader.... http://www.louthleader.co.uk/news/Mysterious-Lincolnshire-Triangle-reveals-UFO.5380806.jp


Quote from above...

"A sceptics view might say the orange lights seen over Louth were merely flying lanterns released at nearby parties,

At the time The Priory Hotel in Louth did admit lanterns had been released at weddings held there.

Robert Rosamond of BUFORA has told the Leader the majority of reports they receive regarding orange lights can be explained as flying lanterns"
 
Gargantuan versions are popular in Brazil at New Year: they send them up, and the huge payload discharges flares and starbursts for what seems like hours. When the fireworks run out they carry on drifting, visible by the red glow of the heat source. Several have come down on top of apartment blocks in Rio, with resultant fires.
 
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