Ship Rocket Thing?
Friday, 21st October 2005 by Alex Turnbull
What kind of ship is this? It seems to be using a very strange propulsion system, which makes it look like a cross between a ship and a rocket!
On further investigation I found another one to the west, and after having a closer look in Google Earth, I now believe these are barges being pushed along the thin waterways by small tug-type boats. Does anyone know what they're transporting?
Thanks to Adam Fannin.
About the author
Alex has decided that his title will be Senior Vice President of Stuff.
I’m going to guess gas/oil. If you scroll to the west following the river they are coming from until you are in low resolution (i’d provide a link but I did it in Gearth) there are gas fields. A quick google for “Swifts landing gas field” makes me think it’s a pretty active place.
And after scrolling around some more there are over 10 in this little area (i’m sure there are more) but that’s gotta be what they are hauling.
The lumber industry is active in that region, so the barges could be hauling lumber. If that’s true, why is the cargo bright white?
Just to the north and slightly east of this post is an odd little airfield. It has three very well-kept runways but no support structures or actual aircraft, and only a small dirt access road.
Seems strange to have such an extensive and apprently dissused airfield in such good condition, and so close to another airfield just to the west. Any theories?
There’s a photo of one of the barges here: http://www.rayjardine.com/adventures/2004-America/06-al.shtml
Further Googling seems to indicate that this sort of barge is common on waterways in that part of the States, and is used for carrying a variety of different cargoes. Although the boats push the barge, they are still known as “Towing vessels”.
It does look like an old Titan III rocket, doesn’t it?
Just a tugboat pushing a barge. Not even a small tugboat, if you look at the comparitive size of nearby houses. Just regular size 🙂
The airfield to the north is the US Navy Wolf OLF (Outlying Landing Field). They are used to practice landings at a location away from the normally conjested traffic at the operational air fields. link.
Speaking of tugboats:
http://koti.mbnet.fi/~soldier/towboat.htm
Ocean going tug. My uncle is captain on one that makes regular runs from Pensacola, FL to Galveston, TX. They carry anything that can go by barge.
The one that’s white has probably been unloaded and is coming back to get another fill of cargo. Note that the barge that has a full cargo (darker) is going west while the barge that is empty (white) is going east.
Barges? I’m sticking with the rocket boat theory. Cargo is likely moon rocks and alien autopsy cadavers.
And don’t get me started about the invisible aircraft parked at US Navy Wolf OLF. How much more obvious could that be?
>And don’t get me started about the invisible aircraft parked at US Navy Wolf OLF. How much more obvious could that be?
Totally obvious. It looks like there’s nothing there, which is EXACTLY what invisible aircraft would look like! Wake up sheeple!
baaaaaaaaa, Otter
Hey, whats different with the link to the map? Has anybody noticed that click on the link in this story load up google maps without the anoying “Example Searches” bar to the left? Could it be that the URL contains “q=brewton+alabama” ?
Yes that is the exact difference.
If you search for a specific place it does not show local results (ie city, state or lat, long)
On the Mississippi, it is often coal, and the barges often have lids.
It most likely would be the Boeing Delta IV on it’s way to Cape Canaveral.
The white parts of the barge are covers. They keep the rain and wave water out of the barge and off of the wood chips, coal, scrap metal etc that the tow boat is pushing.
These pictures are on the same bay by beach house is one. You can sit outside and watch the boats go back and forth all day long