Big Things on the Beach - Blue Moon Event

Post by **wangi** » 24 Jul 2004, 08:44

The event:

Flyer through the door wrote:You are invited to celebrate the
Blue Moon Event at Portobello
(Promenade East, Joppa Rocks)
Tidal Art work by Renny Nisbet at
mid-day High Tide, Saturday 31st July 2004
(and every High Tide until 31st August 2004)

And the request for help:

http://www.bigthingsonthebeach.org.uk/ wrote:If you're interested in getting some hands on involvement in the installation of the tidal sculpture designed by Renny Nisbet, there will be a volunteering opportunity on the weekend of the 24th July (about 10.30am to 4.00pm on the Saturday; slightly later times on the Sunday). Bring your wellies and spade to the Joppa Rocks end of Portobello Beach and be prepared to get wet. We need to dig forty or more holes in the sand, and get to grips with loads of chain, plastic and rubber tubing - a fantasy waiting to be realised!

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 24 Jul 2004, 20:58

Will def try to get to that. I went to school with Renny Nisbet but haven't seen him for years!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 24 Jul 2004, 21:04

And I live next door to his dad. Planet Porty sure is a small world!

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 24 Jul 2004, 21:05

And with my track record I'm probably related to all of you

(only joking before any rumours start!)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 24 Jul 2004, 21:06

Hey Wangi, this is down your end. How about some photos of this installation thingy?

Post by **wangi** » 24 Jul 2004, 21:34

No worries there... although there's nothing to to take a photograph of yet! Nobody was around this morning doing anywork on the installation. Don't know about this afternoon since I was out (further along the Forth getting some bridge pics) and the tide's in just now...

Will probably get some triathlon pic tomorrow too, but may have a sleep in

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 24 Jul 2004, 21:52

Sleep in? I'm relying on you! Anyone else who gets some pics tomorrow, please email them to me asap and we will get them up on the site. Even better, host them on your own webspace. Meanwhile, my own digital camera is still awaiting repair at Minolta, not that knew what I was doing with it in the first place.

Post by **wangi** » 25 Jul 2004, 13:51

Got some good pics of the triathon... Will upload to pbase.com later this evening...

Marya, even with the tide out I can't see anywork done on that installation?!

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 25 Jul 2004, 17:00

Saw Damian working on it this afternoon - rushing back and forth with buckets - it looked like hard work from our viewpoint outside the Bedford with a cold one!

Post by **wangi** » 31 Jul 2004, 11:09

Alex wrote:Really looking forward to this sculpture.

If anyone tries to spot me taking photos - I'm the tall blond surf dude with the Leica.

Alex, will maybe spot you!

http://www.pbase.com/image/32001161

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 01 Aug 2004, 13:19

Went down for a look this morning. Lots of pink discs that presumably float just under the surface when the tide is in and light up?
Anyone know the times of the high tides?
I'd like to see this in the dark but reckon you'd have to go down there in the wee small hours. Am I wrong?

Skeely · Post by **Skeely** » 01 Aug 2004, 18:23

I found a prediction for the next week.

Post by **wangi** » 01 Aug 2004, 18:41

There was a nutter sitting out looking at it at 4 in the morning... Didn't take a photo of that, but here's on from today at near high tide (& sun):

http://www.pbase.com/image/32051024

http://www.pbase.com/image/32051025

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 01 Aug 2004, 18:55

Thanks for that info Skeeley.
As I thought, I'd have to go down to the water in the wee small hours to get the full on effect.
Loitering near public loos at 3.00 am might not be such a clever idea. Mind you, I might make a bob or two (bob as in shilling, of course!)

The art would probably be a disappointment and having Wangi spot me as another nutter kind of makes my mind up on the whole thing.
Ho hum.

Post by **wangi** » 01 Aug 2004, 19:07

Next weekend should see a high tide about 20:30, and during the week there will be one while it's dark but not too late!

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 01 Aug 2004, 19:10

Ah. Thanks Wangi - didn't quite manage to work that out for myself. Too much sun today and I guess I just assumed low and high tides didn't vary so much time wise.
Ali will vouch for the fact that I'm quite dense at times.

Post by **wangi** » 01 Aug 2004, 19:14

It's one of the things we do at work. I could print out the tidal predictions for the whole year!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 01 Aug 2004, 19:15

ecm - I've got a tides book so I'll bring it in to work. You back next week?

Note to other porty people -ecm and I have worked in the same office for exactly 26 years! 26 years, e****, how have we survived?

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 01 Aug 2004, 19:17

It's something you think they might post somewhere along the promenade for info.
What line of work are you in Wangi that includes long range tidal predictions, if you don't mind me asking.

Post by **wangi** » 01 Aug 2004, 19:22

Software for offshore seismic surveys - tidal predictions (or measurements if available) are taken into account when the navigation data is reprocessed.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 01 Aug 2004, 19:29

Software for offshore seismic surveys - tidal predictions (or measurements if available) are taken into account when the navigation data is reprocessed.

Ah - she says knowingly. Sounds fairly impressive to me Wangi. I've led a very sheltered working life, a wee Saturday job on the pic n mix counter in Woolies and then, as Poppy stated, 26 plus years in the same Civil Service office.
Poppy, I'm back tomorrow, sadly, I'll take a look at that book ta.

sicker · Post by **sicker** » 01 Aug 2004, 19:32

ecm, hope you got some wlw (woolworths) shares whilst you were there, you could be worth a fortune!!

John

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 01 Aug 2004, 19:41

Unforunately John, I didn't. I did pinch a few Clarnico mint creams along the way though. You know, the posh ones with the foil wrappers.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 01 Aug 2004, 20:23

This is turning out to be a classic thread!

ali · Post by **ali** » 01 Aug 2004, 22:25

THREADKILLER!!!!!!!

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 02 Aug 2004, 17:20

According to the right riveting read that is "The Big Girls Book of Scottish Tide Times and Tables Diary 2004", kindly loaned to me today by Poppy, there will be a high tide at precisely 22.33 on Tuesday the 10th of August.
It should be dark enough by then to appreciate the effect of the discs/lights.
I'm always saying I should get out more!
Poppy really should have been discussing this book last night on the Book thread - it's a blinder.

Post by **wangi** » 02 Aug 2004, 17:29

ecm - that's probably UTC/GMT

Add on an hour since we're in BST just now... That one always catches me out!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 02 Aug 2004, 17:34

So now we are talking 23:33 and you are back into nutter territory I'm afraid. On the other hand, seeing as I'm not working the next day, maybe we could all meet up, have a few drinks in the least worst pub in Portobello and troop along at closing time for a bit of culture? I think I could be persuaded.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 02 Aug 2004, 17:36

UTC

What does this stand for Wangi?
23.33 is way past my bedtime!

"scuttles off to consult book for alternative times"

Post by **wangi** » 02 Aug 2004, 18:50

ecm wrote:
UTC
What does this stand for Wangi?
23.33 is way past my bedtime!
"scuttles off to consult book for alternative times"

It's what we're meant to call GMT these days - the french(ish) version! "coordinated universal time".

Or rather it's not French:

In 1970 the Coordinated Universal Time system was devised by an international advisory group of technical experts within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The ITU felt it was best to designate a single abbreviation for use in all languages in order to minimize confusion. Since unanimous agreement could not be achieved on using either the English word order, CUT, or the French word order, TUC, a compromise of using neither, UTC, was adopted.

Anyway, the 9th should have a high tide at a reasonable time?

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 02 Aug 2004, 19:51

In 1970 the Coordinated Universal Time system was devised by an international advisory group of technical experts within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

BACK OFF BRUSSELS!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 02 Aug 2004, 20:53

ecm - sorry I forgot to mention the GMT/BST thing when I gave you the book..... but on the other hand you've learnt something new today about UTC!

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 09 Aug 2004, 20:46

So when is the most reasonable time to see this? Is it tonight? And if it is, what time? Or is it tomorrow? And would that be at 23.30?

Post by **wangi** » 09 Aug 2004, 20:51

It's all floating just now, and the tide's still coming in... Estimated high tide is 22:30 tonight:

http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/easytide/Ea ... onLength=7

and about 1hr later each day after...

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 09 Aug 2004, 21:02

Thanks Wangi. I might just make it down tonight. In disguise of course. You'd not recognise me without my rollers