For Sparky and myself, curiosity drives passion which in turn fuels our life's engine. Our passion was capturing the story of both unbuilding the Grace (1929 - 2007) and Pearman (1966 - 2007) Bridges and discovering the unbuilders. It takes a lot of passion to track a project from July 2005 until April 2007 - rain, shine, hurricanes or moving to Singapore. We discovered the joy of discovery learning. Ken Canty opened the front door for us - then Steve Testa, Ponch Billingsley and Mickey Rogers opened many side doors. Below are the highlights of what we discovered, who we met and what we learned.
And a reminder from T.S. Eliot (East Coker from the Four Quartets)
Home is where one starts from. As we grow older The world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated Of dead and living. Not the intense moment Isolated, with no before and after, But a lifetime burning in every moment And not the lifetime of one man only But of old stones that cannot be deciphered.
The C-3 setup - preparing to remove the access ramp.
Mickey and Ken: final prep - tieing in the shock tubes
Mickey and Ken - a final high 5
Mickey getting ready to remove the ramp. Look at the shock tube array in the background. Lots of drilling and lots of loading
Before
Sparky's high res view of the blast: before
Single frame ignition sequence:
Time = 0.000 Note the shock tube fire on the left corner: Time = 0.033
Ignition spreading to the left Time = 0.067 Time = 0.100 and the right corner triggered
Ignition spreading toward the center Time = 0.133 Time = 0.167 Ignition spreads from the ends toward the center
Continued spread toward the center Time = 0.200 Time = 0.233 - surface ignition complete
Time = 0.267 Time = 0.300
Time = 0.333 Time = 0.367
Initial detonation on the left Time = 0.400 Time = 0.433 Initial detonation on the right
11:30:31:30
Detonation extends toward the center Time = 0.467 Time = 0.500 Continued development toward the center
Detonation almost complete Time = 0.533 Time = 0.567 Detonation complete
Water shock wave projects upward Time = 0.600 Time = 0.633 extending from left to right
Time = 0.667 Time = 0.700
Time = 0.733 Time = 0.767
11:30:32:00
11:30:32:30
11:30:33:00
11:30:33:30
11:30:34:00
11:30:34:30
11:30:35:00
11:30:35:30
The end
Our team - after the show
and the after worksite - no C-3
12:10 - time for lunch and a trip back to the port
The 995 - waiting patiently to continue to clean the river bottom
And the 995's scooper
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
C. Frank Starmer