The end of boating in Britain?

[BrendanS]

Sea ice several miles offshore in Southern England would put an end to boating as we know it.

Anyone see Horizon tonight? Sobering
The Gulf Stream, which as most know, keeps Britain temperate, instead of artic like - we're at the same latitude as Alaska and Canada.It provides the same amount of heat as 1 million power stations.

It could stop flowing due to the artic and Greenland ice sheets melting (this is actually happening at the moment). This huge release of fresh water is reducing the salinity of sea water, where the Gulf stream normally drops and returns south, and will stop the Gulf stream flowing.

If it happens, and the odds are given as 50% by the scientists, then it's going to get pretty chilly here, and really mess up our boating.

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[zephyrsailor]

even more reason to bugger off somewhere warmer!

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[Johnjo]

Yes watched it,very sobering ! Was'nt that glacier awesome!..

Made me think about getting a boat built of steel with ice breaking capabilities,
Or having reinforcement added to the bows of the GRP one which I have now.
Decisions, Decisions !

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[simonjk]

Hi,

Biggest load of b**ls I've seen in a long time!

Just more "Global Warming" hype from the media.

The Earth is a large planet, and mother nature is a wonderful, balancing force.

Don't get out the thermals just yet!

Cheers,
Simon




<hr width=100% size=1>Simon Keeling
Managing Director
Weather Consultancy Services Ltd
www.wcsmarine.com

 

[Boathook]

Yes I did see it.
Looking on the positive side I will possibly not be around when it happens in 50 years but what a sobering thought for those in their 20's; all the pubs carted away by the ice ... suppose they will heading south !

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[Mr Cassandra]

Do you think it will get cooler in the summer in Greece 40c a little to warm for comfort cheers bob t

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[BrendanS]

I started taking it fairly seriously when they showed the salinity measurements since 1970. Which bit of it don't you agree with, I couldn't see any major flaws in their reasoning

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[Aja]

My cousin is Professor of Meterology at UCLA.

Met him during the summer - he isn't convinced Global Warming is happening.

When he retires, he is looking to buy a house in Newtonhill - just south of Aberdeen - and that's cold enough as it is.

Donald

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[PeterGibbs]

Did the programme tell you the Gulf Stream is, in geological terms, intermittent? IE we can expect it to stop at some stage in the glacial cycle. So, it's when not if.

We're going to need rather a lot of windfarms to keep warm when that happens. Time then to gather up the econuts and make them nice and cosy before they do in the rest of humanity, methinks.

Mind you, before that part of the cycle hits us, the sea levels will have risen quite a lot, enough to change habitation along the N Hemisphere seabords I guess. Time then for a new deal in marinas; wouldn't you love to know if this already features in MDL's long range plan to securitise all marinas north of Gibraltar? Fascinating stuff.

But I declare myself a fundamentalist - I believe the real issues will remain with us through all this upheaval, namely, were we right to banish long keeled "real" boats to museums in 2025 under a revised RCD, and concentrate just on yoghurt pots? Gosh.

PWG

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[MainlySteam]

Shhhh. Don't tell anyone I spilled the beans but that is why Tony and George are getting Iraq ready as a nice warm home for you all to move to.

We live on the coast just a few metres above sea level here but we are quite safe from the sea level rising as historically the coast where we are has uplifted faster than the forecasts for the rate the sea level will rise. But, the earthquakes which lift the coast will demolish everything in the process, and if they don't the ensuing tsunami will, and if that doesn't then there is the asteroid which hits in 2025 (whoops wasn't supposed to let that little secret out either!).

In terms of the vast changes that take place in geological time, the future ones of which mankind has to face in any event, the changes man will invoke on the environment are trivial in magnitude. Our only concern should be that the changes occur at a rate slow enough for mankind to adapt in, and that there remains enough water to sail in and the winds are fair!

John

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[Viceroy]

Contrary to some mistaken belief, Canadians sail year 'round on the wet...('scuse me)...West coast and find it delightful...all the way to Alaska if that is your want. Yes, somewhat chilly in the winter but not impossible...no ice in these waters! We are a hearty bunch, apparently unlike some of you lot. Cheers, Richard.

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[Johnjo]

Ah some good news, means I can forget about getting a icebreaker
to continue boating !
Just pack plenty of thermals. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[BrendanS]

No one said Canadians don't sail in the winter, just that Canada is at same latitude.

However, if the Gulf Stream stops flowing, then Britain will probably have coastal sea ice several miles out to sea, which will certainly stop us sailing.

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[tome]

Simon

Have to agree with your response. Much of this hype is based on small local models which ignore the mass of the whole world. Whole world models are so complex that the prophets of doom go fo local 'what-if's', because they can be easily biased without regard to the bigger picture.

Don't think I'll be reinforcing my bows just yet.

Tom

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[Twister_Ken]

Good

Have you seen the speed ice yachts travel at?

Should make Cherbourg about an hour and 20 minutes from the Solent.

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[BrendanS]

Tom,

This isn't about global warming or whole world models. It's about a localised problem. Decreasing salinity in the wrong place stops the pump that keeps the Gulf Stream flowing. The salinity issue appears to be a real one. The researcher who has been taking the readings didn't believe his own results at first, and double checked, then asked other researchers who had been sampling in the same area.

It's also a fact that the Gulf Stream is largely responsible for the UK's temperate climate, so if it stops we will get chilly. There seems to be credible evidence that this has happened many times in the past.

The program actually dealt with some of the bigger issues and had the met office model the effects of the Gulf Stream stopping, against an increase in temperature in the UK from global warming.

I'm not doom mongering, I genuinely find it fascinating.



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[BrendanS]

Re: Good

As a stinkie, I was getting all excited at the prospect of a monster engined skidoo!

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[MainlySteam]

Re: Good

Must be getting cold there already - obviously far too cold for you, Ken, Tom, etc to all go to sleep.

Regards

John

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[tome]

Re: Good

Oh, Alright!

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[Aja]

Re: Good

Night shift has kicked in here I'm afraid!

Donald

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