Science

Hey -- The Supermoon Really Did Screw With Us!

By Brandon K. Thorp Sat., Mar. 26 2011 at 4:18 PM
Categories: FloriDUH, Science
2695731508_0da9c616b8_m(2).jpg
The moon's up to no good.
​Whoops, I was wrong. Last week, I wrote that the so-called "supermoon" wouldn't cause any problems, 'cuz it's a silly astrological concept with virtually no real-world significance. Read the debunking here! It's great!

Unfortunately, it failed to account for human boneheadedness, which often foils good science. Because while the supermoon was happening, tides rose, as they will during any full moon. Why? Because full moons occur when the sun and moon are on opposite side of the planet, playing gravitational tug-of-war with Earth's tides. The supermoon brought the moon marginally closer to Earth than usual, and so tides rose ever so slightly more than usual. Which caused Barry and Penelope Connor's boat to crash into Blue Heron Bridge.


According to the Palm Beach Post, the couple were cruising the waters near Lake Worth when the engine on their sailboat died. (Why does a sailboat need a motor, you ask? It doesn't! That's why it's a sailboat! Nevertheless...) The couple couldn't make it to port, so they called Boat U.S. for assistance. A towboat showed up and began hauling them to Lake Worth Inlet. Their boat needed clearance of approximately 64 feet, and the Blue Heron Bridge has a regular clearance of 65 feet. But the tides were up, so the clearance was far less. Crash!

Barry and Penelope Connor are saying Boat U.S. ought to pay for the damages; Boat U.S. isn't saying much. The Coast Guard is conducting an investigation, and anything could happen. In the meantime, here's a moral: If you require the services of a towboat, discuss clearance issues with the skipper before getting near a bridge.
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Iracha
Iracha

The West Palm Blue Heron bridge is specified to provide 65 ft clearance at MHT. It is published on nautical charts and USCG bridge clearance documents to provide 65 ft clearance. 65 ft bridge clearance is the "standard" for fixed Atlantic intracoastal bridges. The bridge construction from the east side provides the 65 ft. The construction from the west side provides only 63 ft. From mid tide to high tide, sailboats needing the 65 ft must use the east opening.

Boat US not at fault

Guest
Guest

Your comment, "Why does a sailboat need a motor, you ask? It doesn't (although the "t" is missing)! That's why it's a sailboat!" is snide and only shows your ignorance. Your grammar and spelling are poor -- "Heron" has one "r" and Barry and Penelope ARE two people, not one, so "is" is incorrect. I won't again mention the missing "t" from the word "doesn't". Oh, I did, didn't I?

A motor on a sailboat is useful, at minimum, and critical, at best, because there isn't always wind, and maneuvering in tight places, such as modern-day marinas and waterways, is virtually impossible without a motor.

Brandon K. Thorp
Brandon K. Thorp

Hey! Thanks for the notes. Most blogs are necessarily first drafts, and typos tend to slip through. Please keep on pointing them out, and I'll keep on correcting them.

Thanks much,- BKT

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