Posts Tagged “Kitimat harbour”
Kitimat harbour is shrouded in fog at slack tide after what was left of Tropical Storm Oho had passed and before a new storm blew in, October 9, 2015. (Robin Rowland)
The Hawaiian hurricanes that follow the path of the “Pineapple Express” across the northern Pacific normally dwindle to rain storms by the time they reach the Kitimat Valley. On October 9, 2015, however, what was left of Hurricane Oho was still at tropical storm strength.
I was assigned by Global BC to get storm and rain pictures. There was still heavy rain when I shot my first video at the Kitimat viewpoint.
The Kitimat estuary and Minette Bay are hidden in heavy fog as rain from Tropical Storm Oho continues to fall at the Kitimat Viewpoint, Oct. 9. 2015. (Robin Rowland)
I then drove down to Hospital Beach, expecting to get some good shots of waves pounding against the shore. To my surprise, I saw Kitimat harbour as I have never seen it. It was slack tide, the water was dead calm and the fog shrouded the entire harbour. Looking over to Rio Tinto BC Operations Terminal B (the old Eurocan dock) (Robin Rowland)
Rio Tinto’s Terminal A and part of the older smelter emerge from the fog. (Robin Rowland)
The Smit tug dock. (Robin Rowland)
Another view of the harbour looking toward Terminal B. (Robin Rowland)
The fog makes part of the harbour look like an alien world from a science fiction movie.(Robin Rowland)
Another view from the Hospital Beach boat launch ramp looking toward the Smit tug dock. (Robin Rowland)
Looking along Hospital Beach back toward Terminal A and the aluminum smelter. (Robin Rowland)
When I was back at my computer, filing the video to Vancouver, the rain from the second storm moving in began to pound down outside my window.
Bish Cove, down Douglas Channel from Kitimat, is the site of the $3 billion liquified natural gas terminal, the KM LNG (Kitimat LNG facility) project, which could see LNG exported from the proposed giant terminal on tankers to Asia.
At the moment, Bish Cove is only accessible by boat and helicopter. The stormy evening of July 27, 2011 was not the best for taking photos, with heavy overcast, constant rain, fog and smoke on the mountains. It was the first time I was able to visit Bish Cove since the preliminary construction project began.
Construction has just begun and there is no road. Smoke is from burning slash from cleared bush. The next step in the project is to blast the bare rock hillside behind the beach to the left down to close to sea level.
The cinder blocks on the beach are the first steps in building a wharf.
KM LNG artists’ conceptions of how the site in the photographs will eventually look. (Courtesy KM LNG)
Coverage of energy and environment on the northwest BC coast by Robin Rowland in Northwest Coast Energy News.
An hour ago I look out my front window. A thunderstorm is approaching over the mountains to the east, the high clouds bright orange, lit by the setting summer sun to the west, and a rainbow is arching down from the clouds over the mountains that lead to Kitamaat Village. Grabbed the camera and ran to the park and this is the result.