Plum
Well-known member
Does anyone know the purpose of the latice mast that was erected 4 miles offshore on Gunfleet Sands (51°43'·55N 1°11'·84E) at the end of 2001/early 2002 and exibits "Lt Mo(U)Y.15s"?
Strange structure in the Thames Estuary
- Thread starter Plum
- Start date
pandroid
Active member
Havn't got charts with me to check, but I think you're referring to the Wind Farm test. They're checking that there's enough wind there to make it worth while installing the rest of the turbines (12 I think)
aod
New member
I dunno either but I saw it last weekend and it appear very high and a bit out of place. 12 turbines will occupy a massive chunk!
pandroid
Active member
I got it wrong. Its 30 turbines....
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.gunfleetsands.co.uk>Read all about it here</A>
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by pandroid on 23/01/2003 15:35 (server time).</FONT></P>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.gunfleetsands.co.uk>Read all about it here</A>
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by pandroid on 23/01/2003 15:35 (server time).</FONT></P>
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Approach lights...
...for the new Thames Estuary airport?
...for the new Thames Estuary airport?
Mirelle
N/A
Do Brent Geese read Morse?
Hope they do, for they will certainly be standing into danger with 30 of the things whizzing round.
Hope they do, for they will certainly be standing into danger with 30 of the things whizzing round.
tillergirl
Well-known member
Followed pandroid's advice and looked at the website. Then got out the chart and compared it to their Ord Survey map. The South-West end of the proposed windfarm looks pretty close to the Swin Spitway. Although it is obviously clear of the Spitway it seems odd that they don't plan to take it further north-east up the Gunfleet Sands where it would be clear of the only channel through the Gunfleet. After all, all the commercial stuff using Brightlingsea goes thro the spit.
Plum
Well-known member
you are right, Thanks!
There is a picture of the mast at:
http://www.gunfleetsands.co.uk/ProjectGalleryImage.htm?name=Metmast2.jpg&description=Completed Meteorological Mast&acknowledgement=Colin Charley, Hydrosearch
There is a picture of the mast at:
http://www.gunfleetsands.co.uk/ProjectGalleryImage.htm?name=Metmast2.jpg&description=Completed Meteorological Mast&acknowledgement=Colin Charley, Hydrosearch
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Not so sure
We stayed on a farm in Co Durham last Saturday night. There are half a dozen big wind turbines on the next hill (between Waterhouses and Tow Law). The people we were staying with are big on birds (they shoot some of the more edible ones!) and apparently there has been very little evidence of birds getting sliced and diced.
We stayed on a farm in Co Durham last Saturday night. There are half a dozen big wind turbines on the next hill (between Waterhouses and Tow Law). The people we were staying with are big on birds (they shoot some of the more edible ones!) and apparently there has been very little evidence of birds getting sliced and diced.
Mirelle
N/A
No more trouble finding the Spitway....
It's going to be impossible to miss, the structures will all be on the Gunfleet side of it.
End of an era, I suppose.
It's going to be impossible to miss, the structures will all be on the Gunfleet side of it.
End of an era, I suppose.
AndrewB
Well-known member
Re: No more trouble finding the Spitway....
Well better that than the Horse channel on the south side of the Thames estuary. As far as I can make out, the wind-farm (30 turbines) is going to be put bang in the middle.
Well better that than the Horse channel on the south side of the Thames estuary. As far as I can make out, the wind-farm (30 turbines) is going to be put bang in the middle.
G
Guest
Guest
Who are 'they' who do not know after a thousand years how and how often the wind blows in the Thames Estuary? Civil servants: get off your backsides!
Jacket
New member
Its not quite that simple. Its not just the windspeed, but how constant it is. These turbines can't cope with wind that fluctuates direction, even if its only a relatively small change in direction. Also, if the wind varys in speed slightly, as it may well do after passing over land, the turbine operates at the efficiency of the lower wind speed. (remember, due to their size and momentum, these are very different beasts from the wind generators found on yachts)
This sort of stuff probably isn't shown by historical wind records.
(And the test rig won't be there at the request of civil servants, but of the company responsible for the turbines. Given they'll have been doing this sort of thing for years, (they're probably Danish) I'd imagine they know what they're doing)
This sort of stuff probably isn't shown by historical wind records.
(And the test rig won't be there at the request of civil servants, but of the company responsible for the turbines. Given they'll have been doing this sort of thing for years, (they're probably Danish) I'd imagine they know what they're doing)
Anchorite
Member
The modern ones don't whizz round: they turn at a sedate 60 rpm which doesn't
speed up when the wind rises. But they are not pretty (unlike a windmill).
speed up when the wind rises. But they are not pretty (unlike a windmill).
G
Guest
Guest
Pandroid, thanks for the link.
Sorry folks, but I'm in favour. My father is a consulting power engineer and has been involved in wind energy for about 20 years so maybe I've been brainwashed.
This farm should make an interesting contrast with the beautiful flowing lines of Bradwell Nuclear power station, don't you think?
I don't see why they need to build them in navigable channels though, need to keep an eye on that. The Danish and Dutch sailors don't appear to have had any problem with their offshore wind farms (anyone from over there want to comment?).
Sorry folks, but I'm in favour. My father is a consulting power engineer and has been involved in wind energy for about 20 years so maybe I've been brainwashed.
This farm should make an interesting contrast with the beautiful flowing lines of Bradwell Nuclear power station, don't you think?
I don't see why they need to build them in navigable channels though, need to keep an eye on that. The Danish and Dutch sailors don't appear to have had any problem with their offshore wind farms (anyone from over there want to comment?).
tillergirl
Well-known member
Don't get me wrong, I'm in favour too. As I am typing this I am directly downwind of Bradwell and although it's switched off (curiously though I miss the whine which on a still night you could here this side of the river - it reminded me of having made the right decision to quit London).... and although it's switched off have they got the money left to decommission properly? I just find it odd that it looks like it comes down to the Spitway when if it went the otherway it would be near nobody (apart that is from a motor boat that came over the Gunfleet one day as we were sailing up the Wallet. They came over to us and said they didn't have a chart, which way was the Blackwater and where could they get some fuel! Perhaps if it went the other way it could be seen from Frinton whereas it can only been seen from Clacton as planned?
Plum
Well-known member
Re: No more trouble finding the Spitway....
True. They might even have an additional benefit. If you want to put the kettle on in a blow you could always hove-to downwind of them where the wind energy will be reduced.
True. They might even have an additional benefit. If you want to put the kettle on in a blow you could always hove-to downwind of them where the wind energy will be reduced.
Jacket
New member
Eh? You've lost me. Are you talking about wind turbines or wind generators for yachts?
Mirelle
N/A
That must be it!
The good citizens of Frinton-on-Sea, where the charabanc and the public house are alike unknown, and picknicking upon the greensward is forbidden, would doubtless prefer an uninterrupted view down Connaught Avenue!
If you live in Jaywick, that's tough!
I'm in favour also. Think how simple navigating the Estuary will be when all banks are thus marked for us!
The good citizens of Frinton-on-Sea, where the charabanc and the public house are alike unknown, and picknicking upon the greensward is forbidden, would doubtless prefer an uninterrupted view down Connaught Avenue!
If you live in Jaywick, that's tough!
I'm in favour also. Think how simple navigating the Estuary will be when all banks are thus marked for us!
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Not so fast!
The ones I've seen certainly don't spin at anything like that speed - I've never timed them, but somewhere between 5 and 10 rpm I'd guess.
The ones I've seen certainly don't spin at anything like that speed - I've never timed them, but somewhere between 5 and 10 rpm I'd guess.