Our New Ocean...

Sea Level Rise New England is All About The Shoreline.

It makes no difference if The Ocean rises 20' in the middle.

If it rises 2' at The Shoreline we're in up to our eyes.

Nobody knows for sure what to expect.

But, we cannot ignore the threat.

This is what Sea Level Rise is all about.

A speculative natural disaster we must confront before it happens.

But how do we know what's enough protection?

We don't know what's going to happen.

Everything you have seen or heard on the topic of Sea Level Rise is speculation.

Studying the effects of Sea Level Rise on Earth's Shoreline is a brand new field.

More is being learned every day.

However, using the information currently available, we have no choice but to prepare for the possibility of catastrophic inundation of our ports by rising seas.

Science says The Ocean is warming, and will continue to do so.

Warmer water expands.

Science also says polar ice is melting at an alarming rate.

This adds volume to The Ocean and reduces salinity.

Each of these factors will add a little more to Sea Level Rise.

How much is anyone's guess right now.

The wild eyed people foresee biblical flooding on the horizon.

The deniers say, "Hooey, not gonna happen."

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

For better or worse, the only opinions that matter in this situation are those of Governments, Financiers, and Global Industry.

The biggest players in The Global Economy have acknowledged Sea Level Rise as a potentially crippling event.

Maritime Commerce makes the big wheel turn.

Today's Global Economy starts and stops at The Shoreline.

If Sea Level rises 2' in the coming decades, ports all over The Globe will suffer constant setbacks as high tides regularly flood coastal infrastructure.

We cannot ignore the possibility.

What actions will be taken in this impending battle for coastal protection?

What are the long term effects on Earth's Shoreline?

Are we going to fortify our coasts in advance of this potentiality?

Which coastal properties will receive protection to the detriment of others?

How do we know what's enough protection if we don't know how much or how fast The Ocean will expand?

A lot of questions surround this situation.

We need better answers before we start building seawalls, dredging and altering our coasts in a panic over something we do not understand.

The information on this webpage is designed to help make those decisions easier.

I love Earth's Shoreline, as do many others, let's not allow it to be destroyed in advance of a speculative disaster.

Check this out...!

Global/Local...New England...The Coast Is Toast...

New England has always been All About The Shoreline.

The Shoreline is in trouble.

"The Coast Is Toast", if we fail to act before things go critical.

Sea Level Rise is the essence of the ol' Think Global/Act Local thing.

Local for me is The North Shore of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

What does Sea Level Rise mean to those of us along the ol' Noth Shoa?

Here's the skinny.

You can find conflicting reports on every aspect of Sea Level Rise.

It's part of Climate Change.

All the spurious bombast associated with Climate Change has spread directly to the Sea Level Rise discussion.

I believe that The Ocean is showing signs of warming and expanding.

This will lead to bigger tides and stronger coastal storms along the US East Coast.

That's my informed opinion, based on extensive recent study combined with a lifetime spent around Earth's Shoreline, working as a boat carpenter.

I know as much as anybody and I care even more.

I love anyplace where land and Sea meet, from beautiful, pristine beaches to oil soaked, rotting docks surrounded by sunken derelicts.

Believe what you will about Sea Level Rise.

The fact is, real or imagined, it's already costing you money.

Start with recent FEMA flood zone insurance bumps, add in tax increases to pay for coastal protection, go from there to price increases across the board.

Commercial ports will soon be affected by Sea Level Rise.

Everything will be more expensive as maritime shipping rates steadily escalate.

Somebody has to pay for increased port maintenance.

Straight to the pocketbook.

That should interest New Englanders.

While the issue of rising Seas affects the entire Globe, the actuality is Local.

"What's gonna happen out my back door? What's it gonna cost me?", are the real questions driving most people's interest.

Here's something to help answer those questions.

Earth's Ocean is not going to suddenly well up and overflow its banks like a spreading river.

Sea Level Rise is a wide ranging, widely varying, regional phenomenon.

Some areas of coastline will be greatly affected, while others escape pretty much unscathed.

The top layer of Ocean water is constantly mixing and churning from winds above and Ocean currents below.

The Gulf Stream, off our East Coast, carries warmer waters North while the North Atlantic Current mixes with The Greenland Current, transporting cooler waters South.

The Gulf Stream will carry warmer and warmer waters North as Equatorial regions warm.

The North Atlantic current will get bigger and colder from polar melt.

Churning and mixing at the surface will result in warmer waters being pushed further North and closer to shore than ever before.

These warmer waters will also bulge upward due to the expansive effects of Ocean heating, creating higher tides, and severe coastal flooding on a regular basis.

The East Coast of The USA is a hot spot for Sea Level Rise because of this phenomenon.

Our first noticeable experience from Sea Level Rise will be extreme coastal storms, fueled by warmer Northern waters, driving storm tides higher than ever recorded, more often than ever before.

Like I said, there's a lot of conflicting, confusing nonsense in the air regarding Sea Level Rise

Here's something New Englanders can bet on!

Sea Level Rise will soon be "Bigger Than Cod"...

The Atlantic Cod is part of New England's heritage.

It began well over 400 years ago

Natives fished for Cod long before The Pilgrims.

How can anything be "Bigger Than Cod"?

Cod is symbolic of the region.

Unfortunately, Cod is History.

We have overfished the resource.

Cod stocks are severely depleted.

It's time to give it a break for a few decades while stocks replenish.

Progress is change, like it or not.

This is a transition point for New England.

Our Future, the History of New England's next 400 years, will be written based on the effects of Sea Level Rise.

What we do and how we react in the upcoming months will forge our economic future for longer than anyone can envision.

That said, Sea Level Rise and its potential effect on our future are "Bigger Than Cod".

Seize the moment while it's fresh, before our future is determined without our input.

If we ignore Sea Level Rise, and allow coastal infrastructure to crumble in the wake of fishing limits, Sea Level Rise, and ensuing economic downturn, it will not matter when Cod stocks come back.

There will be no place to offload.

All the fish in The Ocean are worthless on the boat.

There's work to be done either way.

Harbors, docks, beaches, anyplace where The Ocean meets The Shoreline, all are in danger from Sea Level Rise and from our efforts to defend against Sea Level Rise.

Right now, we are the biggest danger.

Moving forward with coastal protection projects based on the bombast and hot air put forth by local politicians will prove worse than doing nothing.

There's a lot to learn, and even more to do with the knowledge.

Here we go.

Keep reading to learn more.

You'll be glad you did.

Forge ahead...!

contact   smythspace@gmail.com   copy/paste

US East Coast Sea Level Rise...The Real Skinny...

Keep the map in mind as you read.

The threat of Sea Level Rise is shaping our future on Planet Earth.

Here are some of the ways we will be affected.

Picture a huge tropical storm moving North.

It's 2053.

There are newly constructed seawalls and offshore barriers lining the coast from The Carolinas to NY City.

Here comes the biggest storm on record, and it is growing as it progresses.

The warming Ocean is providing the fuel.

Hurricanes that would normally diminish as they pass over cooler Northern waters are now retaining their full tropical strength because the warmth is moving further up along the coast.

The warming Ocean is also expanding; creating higher tides and more powerful storm surges than ever before.

This is the first big test of the coastal protection projects we have all been paying for since the "Hurricane Sandy" panic of the early 'teens.

Days pass as the storm makes its way up the coast.

There is flooding and damage in the storm's wake, but consensus is that the barriers served their purpose.

"It could have been much worse."

The storm surge has been diverted Northward by the barriers.

Let's call this storm "Hurricane Abel".

"Abel" is now off the coast of NY City, stalled and gathering strength,

The continuous string of coastal barriers is behind it.

The power of the surging Ocean sits bottled up and churning beneath the stalled monster.

The upper atmosphere between NY City and Cape Cod lightens, as cooler air drops down behind the Jet Stream.

The barometer rises slightly.

"Abel' roars forward into the cooler, lighter air with enormous force.

Look where it's going to hit land.

Once it passes Long Island, the eye moves over Buzzard's Bay, the choke point South of Cape Cod.

The storm surge follows the lay of the land and hits New Bedford exactly at midnight on a full moon high tide.

A twenty foot tide, topped by several feet of storm surge, driven by 100 mph winds and the entire thrust of The Atlantic gouges its way over the land.

Everything from New Bedford through The Cape Cod Canal is awash.

The Ocean breaks through as Cape Cod Bay fills with storm tossed, floating debris while countless tons of chemical laden silt settles along the bottom.

The Canal boundaries are destroyed as acres of the shore, bridge supports, and roadways are washed away.

The Outer Cape becomes an instant island.

But Manhattan and seaside homes from The Carolinas to the Jersey Shore survived.

The barriers took a beating but served their purpose.

Next comes the worst part.

This storm is not done yet.

It doesn't subside until the eye passes The Canadian Maritimes, creating one disaster after another.

And, this is happening during a busy Hurricane Season.

Another huge storm could arrive within weeks.

If a second storm follows, there will be a new trench along the Ocean bottom, on the seaward side of the coastal barrier, caused by the flow from "Able".

The East Coast Trench will act like a gutter, accelerating the undersea flow as the second storm moves Northward, undermining the barrier, and forcing the storm surge directly toward Cape Cod with even greater force and direction, like an undersea river following its bed.

The cut through Massachusetts quickly becomes permanent.

Looking back on the damage, further South, engineers discover that portions of the continuous barrier not appearing damaged during storm number two are now crumbling and slipping into the sea with every tide change.

Steady flow through the seaward trench has washed away the barrier's underpinnings.

If a third serious Hurricane develops before repairs can be done, it will result in total undermining and eventual destruction of the barrier, leaving nothing behind but enormous chunks of debris, waiting to be tossed ashore by ensuing storms.

We know they're coming...NOAA latest...12.18.14...

We also know it will take a long time and vast amounts of money to repair the barrier.

It took decades and billions of dollars to build.

The results are not a pretty picture.

***

That's one version.

A scary fantasy?

Not if all the coastal protection projects under development get funding and are implemented.

Take another look at the map.

Keep in mind that if a barrier is constructed off North Carolina, the protection for Baltimore and Philadelphia has to be inside, closer to shore than the more Southerly, North Carolina barrier.

If not, the Southerly barrier will do nothing more than divert the water behind the Northerly ones.

Like shingles on a roof, the barriers have to overlap in the direction of flow or the water will pour inside and flood the area behind.

As we approach NY City, storm barriers will necessarily be more elaborate and ever closer to shore.

The only option for locales North of NY City will be fifty foot seawalls.

Think about the futility of that scenario for a minute.

We cannot turn the East Coast into The Netherlands, Folks.

This is The Ocean we're talking about here.

The Ocean does as it pleases, when it pleases, where it pleases.

Right now, it appears that The Ocean is expanding.

Earth's Shoreline is changing.

We better start adapting, rather than battling this phenomenon, or we will find ourselves up the creek without a paddle, with a 20' wall of water rushing relentlessly toward us.

Relentlessly...!

***

What's the upside?

Here it is.

Back to 2053.

Along with building the coastal barrier we have also developed highly efficient tidal generators in response to the naturally sustainable power produced by Sea Level Rise.

The cut through Massachusetts remains open and becomes a hub for tidal generation, powering the entire region.

Another benefit comes from tidal electric powered ferries running from the mainland to the new Cape Island.

Tourism booms as the entire recovery process becomes the best thing to happen along New England's coastline since Cod.

We're proven resilient.

This time we could also be smart ahead of the game and not push the issue until there's no choice but reverting to good ol' Respond/React.

Respond/React leads up the raging creek I mentioned earlier.

Heads up...!

***

Back to Shoreline Earth.

Ride The Wave...Lynn Mass USA Confronts Sea Level Rise...

Every coastal city on Earth faces unprecedented decisions as Sea Level Rise becomes a bigger and bigger issue.

My contention is...overreaction, based on misinformation is rampant.

This is a brand new thought for all Humanity.

Nobody has any experience interpreting Sea Level Rise news and information.

The potential for immediate danger has been dramatically blown out of proportion by every form of media, forcing politicians to speak up and say, "We must take action. Let's build a seawall."

These decision makers have no factual information to go on, but the public demands forceful leaders with 'can do' answers.

It's time to add some balance to the discussion.

I've devoured the info/data RE Sea Level Rise for several years, corresponded with the top scientists in the field, and have come to the conclusion that we have time to confront many of the impending coastal issues before they go critical, and turn a negative into a positive for all.

All of which brings us to the story in Lynn.

Let's start with Lynn's Waterfront Development Project.

The entire development zone will be affected by Sea Level Rise.

Much of the proposed area is within recently announced FEMA flood zones.

Forced insurance increases, based on political and media speculation, along with the inevitable cost of Coastal Remediation will prove prohibitive for developers in the long run.

That's the bad news.

If we take positive action now, these problems will be much less significant.

There is a brighter side to Sea Level Rise.

First and foremost, it's not going to happen tomorrow.

We may get more severe coastal storms, pushing tides to the limits of containment.

But nobody is going to wake up some fine morning and notice that The Ocean has suddenly filled up a few feet.

However, while the worst is yet to come, and it's not for a long time, we are paying for the possibility right now.

Business and Government have decided that Sea Level Rise is a genuine threat to The Global Economy.

Said Global Economy starts and stops at The Shoreline, and The Shoreline is in trouble.

The money men, who make The Global Economy function, need answers.

This has lead to countless paid studies and overreaction on every front.

The Public is paying for all of this via price increases across the board for anything and everything.

Business and Government are building a financial cushion for when and if the worst case scenario hits the fan.

Costs will get ever higher as Sea Level Rise info/data is refined and the facts become clearer.

All of which coincides with the timing and future planning of Lynn's Waterfront Development Process.

The constant barrage of changes in response to Sea Level Rise will toss new wrenches into the works on a regular basis.

This will add unforeseen costs and lead to eventual forfeitures and foreclosures, leaving unfinished construction projects strewn along our shoreline.

Rusting, skeletal high rises, sheathed in sheets of ripped, wind blown blue plastic will be the view as one enters Lynn along The Lynnway.

Not to mention the enormous piles of dirt strewn here and there from failed Coastal Remediation attempts.

None of which will accomplish anything to stop Sea Level Rise.

When the tide comes in the water has to go somewhere.

Attempts to protect Lynn Harbor and adjacent properties with seawalls will lead to flooding at the mouth of The Saugus River.

This will inundate the GE property, rapidly bringing inspectors from every environmental agency there is to Lynn.

Testing will ensue.

Inspectors will find countless tons of heavy metals and petrochemical waste embedded in the soil along the shoreline.

Headlines will read...

"Waterfront Pollution Stops Lynn's Economic Development."

What then?

Let's go back to the brighter side I mentioned earlier.

Introducing TISLEF...The Infinitely Sustainable Lynn Electric Ferry...

The City of Lynn ( in partnership with The Massachusetts Seaport Advisory Council ) has invested in a commuter ferry, to run between Lynn and Boston Harbor.

There are many questions regarding the profitability of said ferry.

Lynn is involved in a huge waterfront development project which hopes to draw newcomers who will provide the ridership, but this is still several years down the road.

The issue is how to maintain the ferry service during early stages of ridership.

Lynn EDIC boss, and major ferry proponent, Jim Cowdell, has hinted that State Subsidies are the solution.

The Lynn Maritime Future Center has a better idea.

I've been proposing that Lynn partner with GE to develop Tidal Electric Generation at the outflow of The Harbor.

Let's start with a prototype tidal generator that delivers power to a charging station located at the ferry dock.

GE's electric motor division develops a battery powered motor for the ferry.

All of this can be done via retrofits using available technology.

With adaptation and evolution the concept of a tidal powered electric ferry becomes doable in very short order.

The ferry powers up every time it returns to Lynn. 

As an added bonus, electric motors with tidally recharged batteries ( developed in Lynn ) become the choice for ferries everywhere.

GE and The City of Lynn enter into a new phase of their long partnership.

This is the perfect situation because ferries always go point to point.

If batteries can last the round trip they can be recharged.

A passenger ferry is large enough that the weight of battery packs is not an issue.

They can be placed low in the hull as ballast.

With power provided by tidal generation, fuel costs become insignificant.

This makes operating ferry service during Lynn's development stage feasible.

On the Green front, Tidal Electric Generation utilizes the power of The Ocean but does not consume anything...nor does it produce any toxic petro chemical exhaust.

As another added bonus, The Ocean and tides are a natural resource on the upswing.

Sea Level Rise means that tides, unlike petroleum, coal, and natural gas, are not in danger of running out any time soon.

The Lynn Maritime Future Center and The Infinitely Sustainable, Tidal Powered, Lynn Electric Ferry are the Global Investment Attraction required by the City of Lynn to put the waterfront development plan over the top.

This can be shown as workable and the infrastructure can be under way within a year if positive minded people got together.

GE would be smart to say yes.

It would open a whole new industry for them.

Turbines and electric motors are right up their alley. 

Stay Tuned...more to follow RE how to, why, etc...

CONTACT   smythspace@gmail.com   copy/paste

***

Note...The vessel currently in use is much larger than needed.

At this point...Lynn has borrowed an out of service Whale Watch boat from Boston...like this one...

250 passenger capacity...much larger and more expensive to operate than is needed.

The battery powered ferry would be a smaller, commuter style vessel...as pictured below...much more doable and practical.

TISLEF is The Infinitely Sustainable Lynn Electric Ferry.

***

This is one example of the brighter side of Sea Level Rise.

It solves the Ferry problem and presents GE with an opportunity to provide the world with green electricity as the Tidal Turbine project develops right here in Lynn.

This inexpensive electricity will assist in the costs of coastal cleanup as Lynn progresses through the 21st Century Nexus.

The Ocean and Tidal Energy are an infinitely sustainable energy source.

The world needs energy.

We have plenty.

It's time to let the rest of the world know about it.

Let's work to make Lynn Harbor into the image people recognize when considering Earth's Maritime Future.

It's all up to us.

A lot of people with enormous amounts of $$$ at stake are interested in Earth's Maritime Future.

They need brilliant solutions to get the investment $$$ flowing.

Let them know we're here and ready with those brilliant solutions...!

Lynners love to Talk it Up...let's do it...!