TWO GULFS GETTING INTO MISCHIEF WITH LOW PRESSURE COULD BRING US A POTENTIAL BLIZZARD.

WINTER COULD BE A REAL B******* THIS WEEKEND!
TWO GULFS GETTING INTO MISCHIEF WITH LOW PRESSURE COULD BRING US A POTENTIAL BLIZZARD.

GOES Satellite image 2-03-2014 - West Island Weather Station graphic

      WEST ISLAND: Big nor'easters have to run quite the gauntlet in getting themselves together in the fi...rst place, many days if not weeks ahead of time. Two gulfs far apart from each other, The Gulf of Alaska and The Gulf of Mexico could be the breeding grounds for developing low pressure that could eventually merge and organize their energy into one big blockbuster of a coastal storm that could pummel the Northeast later this weekend.
This potential scenario is being discussed with "little to NO confidence" in the future forecast this far ahead of the game. However it's STILL being talked about in the weather circles.
The ingredients are getting in place. The jet stream is ready to deliver this package like the many other storm systems lining up to transit towards the Northeast. Watch for the magic two words: "INSIDE RUNNER", which could mean we get spared lots of snow and get just buckets of rain instead.
This information was compiled from weather discussion comments posted by The National Weather Service. We are at the half-way mark of the winter season this week. See STORM DISCUSSION in the right side-bar pages of westislandweather.com for more detailed and updated info. http://www.westislandweather.com/

LACK OF EVIDENCE FRUSTRATES SEARCH EFFORTS FOR MISSING KAYAKER

File Photo - a small kayak similar to this one was found off Nye's Ledge just 4 hours after Dana Dourdeville was reported missing. MLBaron Photo

  By MLBaron - correspondent.
...
      WEST ISLAND: Dana Dourdeville's cell phone last pinged at a cell tower off County Rd, Wareham in the early afternoon on New Year's Eve. It was never heard from since. A planned hunting trip from the West Island Town Beach with his 9 foot canoe, Dana supposedly had his over and under double barrel shotgun, a gift from his father to go duck hunting. The weather conditions at the time (2 PM) had a steady westerly wind at 14 and gusts to 17 MPH. The temperature was 26.2 degrees. Between 3:34 and 5:44 PM there were brief shifts in wind direction to the west south west at 20 MPH and gusts to 22 MPH. For more details from the weather log at The West Island Weather Station located near the town beach enter this link: http://classic.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KMAFAIRH13&month=12&day=31&year=2013
      The still images taken that day from the weather stations cameras showed normal parking lot traffic with no visible boating activity at all. The camera scans numerous areas and are not focused on one target - as it's purpose is a weather camera system not for surveillance. Dourdeville's van was not captured when entering the lot. 

           The only tangible facts from this point on are, Dourdeville's van was found by his mother, backed into the parking lot at town beach on the south side which led to a sandy path to the beach around 7 PM. Coast Guard assets were deployed after an initial investigation by a Fairhaven Police officer determined that there was a missing person related to the van parked at the beach.

Nautical chart shows where the kayak was found (red arrow upper right) from where it was allegedly launched 2.3 miles away from the West Island town beach (red arrow lower left) on New Year's Eve.

An empty kayak belonging to the missing boater was later found that same evening after 11 PM by a US Coast Guard helicopter 2.3 miles northeast from the town beach at Nye's Ledge off Mattapoisett (see above map). 

 

      At one point the downdraft of rushing air from the helicopter caused the small boat to roll over. One glove and a single oar was found aboard. Some were eager to look inside the small vessel for any traces of sand or mud to indicate when and where Dana may have entered or exited the boat, but apparently that evidence was washed away. The kayak was a fully opened type design. The van was later towed to the Fairhaven Police Station. This is where the case gets cold.
      After aggressive search and rescue operations spanning several days from local law enforcement and other agencies including a massive volunteer search Sunday, January 5, 2014.

Hundreds of volunteers combed the beach around West Island for any sign of Dana Dourdeville

A mobile command center from the Bristol County Sheriff's Office and K-9 Units converged at the town beach to coordinate over 250 volunteers searchers, Sunday, January 5, 2014. Nothing was found.

     Some items of interest were found which included a black knitted skull cap found at Hoppy's Landing and a bright red sweater-type shirt found at Wigwam Beach Sunday about a 100 yards away from the Seaview Avenue boat ramp down Sconticut Neck Rd. The items were later determined not to be connected to the missing kayaker.
Law enforcement sources have contemplated that this boating accident (which has yet to be proven that there actually was one) is not consistent of what usually is found shortly after, in particular a debris field of some kind. One can assume that with a planned hunting trip, one would bring a shotgun, ammo, a hunting bag, perhaps some snacks, etc. 

The SEMLEC Dive Team launches from Hoppy's Landing this morning (Jan 8, 2014) in the continued search for a missing kayaker last seen on New Year's Eve from the West Island Town Beach. Wednesday, Jan 8 at 11 AM. MLBaron Video. http://www.westislandweather.com/

      Some speculate that maybe Dana made it to shore at some point to go hunting or fetch a duck he just shot, saw his kayak become adrift and tried to go out an retrieve it and succumbed to the elements. But here's where that theory is blown out of the water. Where is his gear along the shore?
Nothing has been found floating about either, not even a soda can or candy wrapper. I know first hand that flotsam along West Island 's east side can linger for weeks going in and out with the tide.
According to close sources, Dana's use of social media was infrequent if non-existent which would include FaceBook, and Twitter etc. Usually one's agendas for the day would be part of the idle chat in these forums which could have been valuable. Analysis of his computer hard drives, email traffic and the usual detective work in a case like this have not yielded anything (that have been made public) to offer any kind of clues in solving the mystery. His dorm room was the same as the day he left it. His focus on the stringent demands of his college education at Brown University as an engineer takes up most of his time. He belongs to "Engineers Without Borders" a group utilizing engineering to augment international goodwill. 

Dana Dourdeville

         An accomplished cross country runner in High School, Dana Dourdeville is in good physical condition and has been in his kayak solo before. He also did not have any serious relationships that they knew about. Sources indicated.
      In a nut shell, as of this time, there is no evidence to indicate that anyone was ever in the kayak, that the kayak was launched from the town beach, who parked the van in the lot, or if the small boat was ever ashore. No shots were heard by the few beach goers - including me - from hunters in the area all afternoon. 

           The intent of this post is not to bring false hopes, but to provide some perspective of what investigators are up against. This case remains inconclusive and continues to baffle all those involved to find 21 year old Dana Dourdeville of Marion. In part of his speech as valedictorian of The Class of 2011 at Old Rochester Regional High School, Dana addressed his fellow graduating students. In one poignant part of his speech he referred to facing your fears and making the right choice. It is this kind of character that instills so much hope and faith to his family and friends that Dana is out there somewhere and soon will return home safe. Search efforts on a smaller scale continue today January 10, 2014.

A desolate yet peaceful beach at East Cove at the West Island State Reservation as of January 9, 2014 continued to yield no clues of flotsam or evidence of Dana's Dourdeville's disappearance on New Years Eve.  This location a favorite spot for duck hunters was probably the last location Dourdeville may have went hunting with his shotgun and kayak on the afternoon of December 31st, 2013. MLBaron Photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

W2RG Ham Radio Set Up : NOW HEAR THIS....

Elaborate set-up in a field roving HAM radio project at Hoppy's Landing, Fairhaven, MA

By MLBaron Correspondent / KA1WBH / West Island Weather Station

     FAIRHAVEN MA : Rich Griffiths, a retired engineer had an interesting career working on advanced wind tunnel experimentation. The focus was on the winds impact and influence of buildings in the big city. Large complex models of cities such as Manhattan and Cleveland were some of the models created in large scale for the research.

W2RG coordinates via radio with another amateur operator in troubleshooting a  signal

    














     Today Rich (W2RG) spends a lot of time with one of his favorite hobbies, amateur radio also known as HAM*. There are thousands of amateur radio operators world wide some of which can communicate around the world with their specialized radio and antenna arrays. One of the primary missions of amateur radio is to provide emergency communications, promoting international goodwill, and the continued experimentation with radios built from scratch to the sophisticated levels of satellite use.

     Famous amateur radio operators - some of who have passed on - which are called "a silent key" include Walter Cronkite, Howard Hughes, Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor. Bill Clinton, Henry Winkler and Jimmy Carter continue to be licensed HAM operators.

These dishes must be level and fine tuned precisely to receive ditant signals as clear as possible.

A vintage Morse Code telegraph key is used to send signals the old fashioned way

     Mr Griffiths, who's FCC callsign is W2RG, takes pride in many of his gadgets that he has built from scratch.






     Most of the components in the photos were obtained piecemeal from HAM Radio Flea Markets. His eyes lit up went he received a signal from a fellow operator transmitting a frequency from New Hampshire a few hundred miles away. "This is what it's all about", Rich stated. After building all this from the ground up with many hand tooled components and fittings W2RG's gear was humming with activity. Amateur operators such as Rich set up at strategic locations for a clear "line of sight" to receive and/or transmit signals. They can range from places like Hoppy's to a mountain top in New Hampshire as was the case with this project. They also have amateur radio competition contests such as this on a regular basis. To my surprise, Griffiths had a vintage Morse Code Key and was sending the dots and dashes like a second language. He said when all else fails , Morse Code is still the most reliable communications to get the message out.

Morse Code continues to be the most reliable communications  method to this day.

     A technology invented before the Civil War, the first transmission was sent from Baltimore to Washington in 1844 with the message "What hath God wrought?". There are many local amateur radio clubs in the area. Those that wish to become a licensed HAM can take classes and earn their call sign, there is no lower or upper age limit. One simply has to pass the license exam.

*The term HAM is said to be derived from a monthly science publication in the 1920's. It was called "Home Amateur Mechanic"  For a complete list of famous amateur radio operators and their call signs visit this link: http://users.tellurian.com/gjurrens/WA6FAH.html My Call Sign is KA1WBH.

The Butler Flats Lighthouse Slated For Auction August 1

NEW OWNERS MUST COMPLY WITH STRICT COVENANTS

Up for Sale: The Butler Flats Lighthouse - USCG Photo

By MLBaron 

 NEW BEDFORD:    The most prominent maritime fixture in New Bedford’s outer harbor will be sold at auction August 1. The GSA (General Services Administration) Boston office that is overseeing the sale has declared 4 lighthouses in Southern New England “not an operational necessity” surplus which includes the Butler Flats Lighthouse. “This is an opportunity for the right person (s) or organization to acquire a unique piece of local maritime history” said Patrick Sclafini, Public Affairs Officer for the GSA Region I. 

The Butler Flats Lighthouse - USCG Photo

     Built in 1898, the Butler Flats Lighthouse replaced the aging Clark’s Point Light that had been in service since 1804. It was designed by Francis Hopkinson Smith, who is also credited for designing the base for The Statue of Liberty. The “sparkplug” style lighthouse standing 53-feet above the water has a circular tank iron caisson base with an upper brick structure. There a four floors, with the lowest level for storage, the middle 2 floors, 37 feet in diameter are for living quarters and the upper floor is for the light operations and watch decks. The original Fresnel lense the (only 2 of it’s kind ever installed in the US) is now on display at The Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockport, Maine.. 

     Although it was obscure as to who actually owned the property, wether it was The City of New Bedford or the Federal Government., the GSA has made it clear that they own the property but did lease it to the city after it was decommissioned in 1978. Shortly afterwards, the Butler Flats Lighthouse became one of the first automated - solar powered lighthouses in the country.

     In 1979 the US Coast Guard granted a revocable license for use of the property by the city as a historic site and private ATON (Aid to Navigation). In 2012 the GSA issued a notice of availability pursuant to the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. There were 3 expressions of interest, none of which went any further in filing a formal application. 

     Arthur Motta, former Director of Tourism in the city expressed concern with the potential new owners of the property. Motta, an avid local historian has received numerous commendations for his efforts in the preservation of the Palmer’s Island and Butler Flats lighthouses along with the late Dr. John B. O’Toole. A strictly enforced covenant stipulating the historic preservation and appearance of the light house will be a standard part of the buyer/seller agreement according the auction sale web site listed at http://www.realestatesales.gov. Sale-Lot Number : BOSTON - 113-019-001. The opening bid starts at $25,000.


     (Author’s Note:) If only the Butler Flats Lighthouse could tell it’s story. It would recall how it has seen countless ships of all kinds enter and depart New Bedford Harbor from Whale ships, fishing vessels that evolved from sail to motor, from wood to steel, ships of war, and many vessels and crew that passed it by never to return to port again. It greeted The USS Constitution in 1933 and bid a sad good-bye to The Charles W. Morgan in November 1941. 

     It has endured through the most severe weather nature could throw at it, from nameless nor’easters, to the pounding waves and winds of The Hurricanes of 1938, 1944, Carol 1954, Donna 1960, Gloria 1985, Hurricane Bob 1991 and many other powerful storms. Most old lighthouses can tell similar stories but this one is ours, an indelible place in the hearts of local generations of fishermen, seafarers and beach goers alike. One can only hope that The Butler Flats Lighthouse that has faithfully served our mariners will continue to shine it’s light for another 115 years.

There are a few web sites on the history of Butler Flats Lighthouse including one at this link: http://www.lighthouse.cc/butler/history.html

FAIRHAVEN FIRE DEPARTMENT HEROES 89 YEARS AGO

Burned to the water line, the Ferry Steamer "Sankaty" lies at the bottom along side The Charles W. Morgan at Union Wharf, in Fairhaven, MA. 

FAIRHAVEN FIRE DEPARTMENT HEROES 89 YEARS AGO

By MLBaron Correspondent westislandweather.com

    On June 30, 1924 a huge pier fire lit the skies of New Bedford harbor. Bales of hay, barrels of kerosene, and other goods bound for the islands from the Steamship Dock near Pier 3 provided the fuel for a fire that ravaged out of control. This dockside conflagration lit the night sky and glowed for dozens of miles away. Onlookers watched along the shores of Fairhaven and New Bedford. 

    The fire burned off the lines to the steamer "Sankaty" and the ship caught fire and drifted into the middle of the harbor. It was like a giant floating fire ball drifting slowly towards Fairhaven and eventually along side the Charles W. Morgan, that was tied up at Fairhaven Union Wharf. The Morgan's port side began to get scorched by the intense fire. Smoke and steam began to consume the historic whale ship. 

    Through the heroic efforts of The Fairhaven Fire Department the Charles W. Morgan was saved. Story compiled from recollections of the late Fire Chief Lindsay Gifford who was there. From The MLBaron Historic Archives.

New Bedford Yacht Club Final Moments

A rare look at The New Bedford Yacht Club c1905. Photo taken of the south facing part of the building. Photo Courtesy of The Claire T Carney Library UMASS Dartmouth.

The New Bedford Yacht Club in it's heyday looking east on Rt 6 towards Fairhaven. Old postcard photo c1910


By MLBaron Hurricane Historian and westislandweather.comThe final moments of The New Bedford Yacht Club at Pope's Island during the 1938 Hurricane. People can be seen looking out the windows on the top floor. (photo below)

     "Some were having a "hurricane party" including some students from the recent FHS Class of '38" stated one graduate, the late Mary Battainy of Fairhaven. She told me that she was one of those looking out the window. Just minutes after this photo was taken from Marine Park looking towards the club everybody ran from the club as high winds exceeding 110MPH caused the building to lean back and sway. A huge wave then crashed into It and disintegrated into a large debris field that scattered across RT 6 and into the parking lot across the highway. 

The remains of The New Bedford Yacht Club among the wreckage of demolished cars after the '38 Hurricane 

    Nothing was left of the legendary NB Yacht Club and it was never replaced. All survived, but one naked man was seen clutching to the top of a broken mast as it headed underneath the New Bedford Fairhaven Bridge and blown up the Acushnet River, nothing was ever heard of him again. Standard-Times photo from The MLBaron Historic Archives.

THE TITANIC DISASTER WAS A WEATHER RELATED INCIDENT

By MLBaron Correspondent

      As we recognize the 101st anniversary of the sinking of RMS TITANIC, the fascination of that disaster still persists. I have been researching RMS TITANIC  for years and have an extensive library on the ship. I went to the extent in 1997 to build a couple of six foot models of the hull and simulate the sinking in my kids swimming pool. I punctured small holes on the starboard bow and along side. As the water came in and filled up one compartment to another and eventually spill over above E deck to the fifth - the ship was doomed.  My models broke in half and sank according to theories right by the book. 

      Titanic could handle 4 compartments flooded but not 5. The 882 ft ship was destined to go to the bottom in two and half hours. On April 14, 1912 flare signal colors had certain meaning. But in a frenzy the crew fired up white flares which meant “keep clear we are maneuvering” to any possible nearby ships. The California  just 50 miles away saw the flares but stayed at anchor because of the severe ice flows. Even if the ship proceeded to the scene it couldn’t have maneuvered through the icebergs at full speed and it’s arrival would have been too late anyway.  A series of apparent mistakes before the disaster contributed to the ships inevitable fate. The weather was clear and the sea flat calm. The lookout in the crows nest 90ft up couldn’t see any breaking waves on the iceberg they were approaching.  Another suggestion indicates the iceberg wasn’t white because it may have flipped over at one time and was opaque and dark green in color making it even more invisible in the calm night sky.  Numerous iceberg warnings received by the Marconi Morse Code radio crew on board went virtually ignored. The ship steamed on at full speed at 23 knots. 

Some facts about RMS TITANIC 

Although the ship was built by 11,000 workers in Belfast by The White Star Line, it was actually an American owned vessel along with its two other sister ships. The Brittanic and Olympic which were built side by side. The project started in 1909. All White Star Line ships had names that ended in IC. Example Brittanic, Gigantic, Baltic, Celtic, Olympic. The competing liner Cunard had their ships names in IA. As Lusitania, and Mauritania. The morse code SOS was used for the first time when the ship sent out a distress signal. Contrary to popular belief SOS didn’t mean “Save Our Ship” It was actually a discernable signal that was easily recognizable by morse code operators. Phonetically the Morse Code beeps sounded like this: DIT DIT DIT DA DA DA DIT DIT DIT. The original distress signal was CQD.After sighting the iceberg a mile away - the ships rudder was too small for its size to steer away at this distance. There were three propellers but only two went into reverse by the huge reciprocating engines.  When they engaged in reverse the steering became useless.

The collision was inevitable.The families of the band members that played on deck right to the end received bills for their uniforms from The White Star Line a few months later after the sinking.Although the 1 inch thick iron hull was considered “battleship quality” steel it had a flaw of high sulphur content called “****” which made it and the rivets very fragile in icy waters. Recent deep water expeditions revealed there wasn’t a gash along the hull when it struck the iceberg from previous theories. The iceberg scraped along side and popped the rivets over 300 feet separating the hull plates and allowed thousands of tons of water to pour in.There was discussion with Captain E. J. Smith  at the time of the sinking to open all the bulk head water tight doors from bow to stern and flood all the compartments evenly to stabilize the ship and slow it’s list from the bow. Scientific tests of hull models of the ship decades later proved that this procedure could have capsized the ship creating a greater disaster. Most of the 1503 passengers and crew that died did not drown, but succumbed to hypothermia in the 28 degree icy water in their life jackets within about 4 minutes. Only 680 passengers survived on the ships lifeboats and were later rescued  by The Carpathia several hours later.

Upon arrival to New York the lifeboats, the last remains of Titanic  were tied up first at the dock before the rescued passengers departed.It is estimated that the decent of the sinking 50,000 ton ship may have reached up to 40 miles MPH as it plunged two and a half miles down and buried most of the hull 60feet deep into the sediment of the ocean floor.The RMS initials before the name TITANIC stand for Royal Mail Steamer.  For more information on The RMS Titanic visit the Marine Museum in Fall River. This is  must see for Titanic buffs where they have the largest model of Titanic on display in the world. It was used in the classic movie of Titanic ”A Night To Remember”  1958. For more info visit this link to the museum: http://www.marinemuseum.org/home.html

      I touched a salvaged 25 ton hull section of TITANIC  at The World Trade Center in Boston 13 years ago at The Titanic Exhibition where salvaged items from the wreck were displayed. The portholes were still in place and it was an eerie sight. They had an opaque green film and you couldn’t see through. One can just imagine who was the last passenger to peer through them. The iron remains of RMS Titanic  are deteriorating and soon will be just an orange rust stain on the ocean floor in decades to come.  For more information on future Titanic  exhibits and artifact display visit:http://www.titanictix.com/    Illustration / Engraving photo by MLBaron