More commercial stuff
During the summer of 2010 EMEC were in the process of laying new underwater cables and extending their test site at the Fall of Warness and asked if I would photograph the installation process. For further information please visit www.emec.org.uk/
The preamble to laying a new cable. Getting the shore installation ready first.
This is a stretch of water currently being used for the evaluation of tidal energy systems. At the left is the Open Hydro tower and to the right a barge and two tugs manoeuvring into position. The position of the Fall between the islands causes a tremendous tidal surge that could be the power source of the future.
Appropriately named Jumbo Shipping. This is the Jumbo Fairplayer at the Fall of Warness
It doesn't look like there's a lot of room - and there wasn't.
The Cable Ship Sovereign. Doing exactly what it says on the ship. It's laying a new power cable to the EMEC facility on Eday.
The cable is floated ashore on large buoys and when in place the buoys are cut away and the cable sinks.
The weather is always an issue in Orkney!
North Sea Giant was brought in to lower an underwater turbine onto its foundation block on the sea bed.
Jumbo Fairplayer might be one of the biggest ships in the World but even the Sovereign dwarfs the crew returning the rope from the buoys.
Strong silent types. Shortly after this was taken I fell out of the boat. I hasten to add I was getting out the boat anyway - it was just with less elegance than I would have wished.
Yes, it's the same picture as before but illustrates the benefit of cropping.
This is Ernie's house (in the foreground). The Sovereign is winching in the buoys that have been removed from the cable.