Rocks on the runway!

[Lashlander]

This is the current job we are on for the FAA. There are two reefs that are exposed at the 2' tide level in the middle of the float plane facility. Ones about 80' X 220' the other's about 40' X 80'. They have to be removed to the -6' tide elevation to make sure float planes don't hit them. Someone saw a Stellar Eider which is on the endangered species list in the area one time so we can't drill and shoot it so we have to chip the whole thing off. The water is deep on each side of the reef so were windrowing it into deep water. Were supposed to stop a half mile from the job everytime we approach and check for Eiders with a spotting scope. If there anywhere to be seen we have to leave the area until their gone. If one shows up while we are working we have to cease operations at once and leave the area. We've been on the job about a month and I haven't seen one, course there wasn't a picture of what they look like in the set of plans I'm working off of.:thumbsup

 

[Lashlander]

I did say marine contractor. A few more.

 

[Countryboy]

Man, thats gotta be a cool job. I thought I liked my job but I hate it now after looking at those pics.

Thanks for posting them. :thumbsup

 

[rino1494]

Awesome pics

The one with the dozer sitting in the background, I don't see any silt fence. :nono

 

[Lashlander]

Rock in the runway re.

Actually there is a silt curtain in the water, funny thing though there's no requirement to have one around the barge while dredging. I never really understood this but I wasn't about to ask why!

 

[digger242j]

Great pics! Thanks. :thumbsup


Is the seaplane base associated with the actual airport, or is this an entirely separate facility?

Are there obstruction markings on the crane?

Someone saw a Stellar Eider which is on the endangered species list in the area one time so we can't drill and shoot it so we have to chip the whole thing off. The water is deep on each side of the reef so were windrowing it into deep water. Were supposed to stop a half mile from the job everytime we approach and check for Eiders with a spotting scope. If there anywhere to be seen we have to leave the area until their gone. If one shows up while we are working we have to cease operations at once and leave the area.

But it's okay to have airplanes landing and taking off around them? That makes sense...

And here's what they look like. (From(http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/hunting/news/story?page=g_enc_stellars_eider):

 

[King of Obsolete]

great pictures and equipment. that must cost a lot of money to do that project.

thansk

 

[ConstSite]

Fantastic post! Thanks for sharing. What model is the dozer on the banks? I looks like a 9L or a 10.

- Christopher

 

[Ford LT-9000]

We wouldn't beable to get away with that here on the West Coast of B.C. the enviromentalists don't want you disturbing the sea life. I don't know how effective a excavator with a breaker is working off of a barge. Must loose allot of the hitting force.

That clam bucket is a decent size the one dad has isn't that big we don't use it anymore it doesn't help the crane doesn't work anymore.

I imagine the total job was well over 20 grand to have that reef lowered. The crane and clam bucket is being charged out at 1000 dollars a hour then the excavator and hammer is 200-300 per hour.

Did they chain the excavator down to the barge ?

Its not a good feeling when you start sliding to the edge

Working on barges and on the water is just part of daily life where I work and live.

 

[Lashlander]

Man, thats gotta be a cool job. I thought I liked my job but I hate it now after looking at those pics.

Not so fast, Its not all sun, fun, and games! Besides, you get to drive a train! Woooo Woooo!

 

[Countryboy]

You shoulda shown them first so I didn't get my hopes up but whats a job without the challenges........thats what makes it fun :yup .

The train is a childhood dream.....

 

[Lashlander]

Digger, The float plane facility is seperate from the city airport, The crane boom is only 120' so only requires 1 red light on the tip visible 360 degrees. The barge has 1 anchor light on each end. Your trying to use common sense with the Eider and plane situation, knock it off! Also, THANKS!!! Now when I tell em I didn't know it was an eider, I'm lying

King, The entire job is 3.4 million. It includes the reef removal, 46,000 yards of rock removed on the uplands for plane haul out. A haul out ramp and two new 6 plane floats.

Constsite, The dozer is a D9L, We subbed the uplands rock removal to another contractor because we had nowhere to go with it. We deal mainly with marine and this co. needs the rock for a job he already has so the numbers were right for us both. The hoe in the photo is a brand new 330 Cat he just got. Nice machine.

Ford, Its getting harder and harder to do stuff like this around here. Its taken them a while but their catching up to us. The hammer has air going to it at all times when its under water to keep water out of it. It has the same impact as it does on land. Its different to operate though, not being able to see what your chipping. Try to establish a pattern and stick with it. I welded the pipe to it so you could see if it is straight up and down. The clam bucket is a 4 yarder struck. I believe the reef removal part of the bid was around $350,000.00

Thanks for all the compliments.

 

[digger242j]

The crane boom is only 120' so only requires 1 red light on the tip visible 360 degrees. The barge has 1 anchor light on each end.

I'd have expected somthing more, considering your proximity to actual aircraft operations. They did some highway work 1/2 mile or more away from the end of one of PIT's runways last year, and even the smaller cranes were marked.

(I'm going to avoid saying the name of that aircraft type too...we've seen what happens when the fellows get any sort of stimulation.)

Your trying to use common sense with the Eider and plane situation, knock it off! Also, THANKS!!! Now when I tell em I didn't know it was an eider, I'm lying

Yeah. Common sense isn't so common, is it? If you ever actually see one, PM me and I'll change the pic, so you have plausible deniability. I'm sure I can Google up a picture of a Spotted Owl...

 

[Jeff D.]

(I'm going to avoid saying the name of that aircraft type too...we've seen what happens when the fellows get any sort of stimulation.)

Are there flying "hoo-hoo's" now?

Or maybe it's "cooter's"? That sounds like it could be a plane name.:yup

"Cooter 7-5-7, you're cleared for take-off........................over."

 

[Ford LT-9000]

I have been watching Worlds Deadliest Catch on Discovery sure gets cold and nasty on the coast of Alaska

I imagine there is heaters in the Link Belt to keep the brakes and frictions from freezing up. Its been awhile since I got to run a old conventional crane dads old P&H you needed to be a octopus pumping levers to get the hydraulic pressure up to get the frictions to grab.

 

[King of Obsolete]

lashlander, thansk for the info, it is quite the job and keep the pictures coming.

nice lanes too, we only have them in the summer for flying to the lodges around here.they keep you awake when they are fully loaded and trying to get some air, LOL

thansk

 

[Lashlander]

Digger, I think one of the reasons the crane doesn't require more lighting is the facility has no lighting. The planes are required to be on the water by twilight. Sometimes they really push it. It reminds me of growing up in southern Idaho, you get a drivers license when you are 14 years old but its only good for daylight hours. There were times I had to do over 100 MPH to get home before dark! :yup
Here's common sense for you. We were in Whittier a couple years ago to put in a harbor. Another outfit was dredging the area and was required to have a silt curtain that was 1400' long. They go for about $125.00 per foot. The dredging permit from the Army Corp also came with an at sea discharge permit. The company would load their dump barge, open the curtain to let the dump barge out. Then close the curtain and about a 100 yards outside the curtain start dumping the barge. We always laughed, at least the silt from the barge wasn't getting back into the dredging area.

Ford, the crane has a pretty tight house on it so it requires no other heaters. The engine warms it up pretty fast. When your working it hard you have to open the doors to cool it down. Running a clam bucket is a little different. I've always said you have to run both feet and all three hands.

King, the lakes freeze around here but the salt water stays open, they operate year around. Both the planes in the pics are Dehaviland Beavers. The Beavers , I think were only manufactured in 62 and 63. They are a work horse.

 

[Ford LT-9000]

The old Beaver planes were made longer than that. They are a good plane we have them flying in and out of the harbour I live in.

I think there is a company now making a new version of the beaver.

The beaver was the plane designed for the West Coast it pretty much set the benchmark for sea planes.

 

[Lashlander]

The old Beaver planes were made longer than that.

You're correct, the Beaver was in production from1949 to 1967. They produced 1657 of them. Now I have to go figure out why I thought that!

 

[farmerted44]

what can a boy that grew up in the DESERT say??? WOW...COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!
real neat pics ..thanks for real interesting post...