Sanda Sound could be closed

[Nick]

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There is a proposal to put moored tidal power generation units in Sanda Sound, effectively closing it to traffic. See HERE for more details.

[DaveS]

This looks like an early stage, quite theoretical desk exercise. No detail is given of the depth of the turbines so it is impossible to say whether navigation would be affected. "Vessel traffic" is noted as "high importance: constraint will impact development" which might imply that navigation has been given some consideration.

A poor design (from the navigational perspective) could make accessing the pub difficult. Anyone know if it's re-opened yet?

We are likely to see lots more tidal power proposals over the next few years. It seems to me that (possibly via lobbying of the Crown Estate by the RYA & others) some ground rules should be established, e.g. a requirement that navigation will not be impeded by ensuring a minimum depth above turbines of, say, 10m at LAT.

[Telo]

I wondered about this "closing" too. Perhaps I missed it, but I didn't notice much about restrictiing navigation in the link, indeed, one of the options mentions the reduction in current speed being much less severe "as a result of leaving a free channel in the middle of the Sound". Strangford is quite narrow yet I don't think that its (single?) turbine has closed off the channel. More detail needed....

[Nick]

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The turbines are to be moored floating structures so there will be lots of gubbins, exclusion zones etc. Campbeltown SC are the ones who have said Sanda Sound will effectively be closed.



The reference to speed reduction and a gap down the middle is referring to the reduction in the speed of the tidal stream, nothing to do with vessels.

Flimsy moored structures as opposed to wholly subsea structures like the Atlantis turbine look like they could be a recipe for disaster in the 'once in a hundred year' storms that seem to come around every two or three years now. No doubt they are much cheaper to build and deploy than seabed structures.

[DaveS]

That looks cheap and nasty. There is no way that an array of these should be allowed in a navigational channel.

[Nick]

That looks cheap and nasty. There is no way that an array of these should be allowed in a navigational channel.

I can see your point, but it isn't much of a detour to go round the outside of Sanda. I do agree with the 'cheap and nasty' comment.

[Telo]

.The reference to speed reduction and a gap down the middle is referring to the reduction in the speed of the tidal stream, nothing to do with vessels.

Errm, yes. Which is why I wrote 'one of the options mentions the reduction in current speed being much less severe "as a result of leaving a free channel in the middle of the Sound".'

[Nick]

.The reference to speed reduction and a gap down the middle is referring to the reduction in the speed of the tidal stream, nothing to do with vessels.

Errm, yes. Which is why I wrote 'one of the options mentions the reduction in current speed being much less severe "as a result of leaving a free channel in the middle of the Sound".'

It looks like a pretty tiny gap and with mooring lines etc I wouldn't fancy it.

On the Sanda front itself good news - from the owners' website:

Re-opened in April 2011
Sanda Island, south of Campeltown, Mull of Kentyr has a new owner, Sanda Island Ltd, in Oben, Michael Meier and Berna Civeleker from Sweden, they fulfil a dream of having an own island in Scotland. They like the wildness and nature and want to develop the existing infrastructure on the island and the neighborn island Sheep Island.

During the renovation time the island is close for the public. In April 2011 will be the opening for the new B&B with Restaurant, open for non residences. On the farmhouse-side of the island we offer three nice furnitures Cottages with sea view. An open long invites yachts for lunch, dinner and drinks with food, fresh and simple prepared. Fresh and simple is the “Motto” of our Byran Darnten Tavern.

The 3 cottages (formal Lighthouse-Keeper-Homes) offer a luxury interior and a breathtaking view to the Sanda-Lighthouse and the coast of Nordireland. Our crew is looking forward to welcome our guest and we are offering three new pontoons for anhering yachts.

[Rowana]

I take it that English is not their first language.

An opening for you, Nick?

[Nick]

I take it that English is not their first language.

An opening for you, Nick?

The new owners are Michael Meier and Berna Civeleker from Sweden. The site is http://sanda-island.co.uk/ - it is a Wordpress-powered site so I doubt if they will need my talents, they seem to have a handle on it. It is bilingual in English and German.

[DaveS]

I can see your point, but it isn't much of a detour to go round the outside of Sanda.

The trouble is that that's the thin end of the wedge. OK, going round Sanda only adds an hour or less to a rounding of the Mull, but suppose someone comes up with a proposal to fill the Sound of Islay with on-surface turbines? Going round the Oa would add a day to that passage. And what about a similar proposal for Corran narrows? Do we just abandon the Caley Canal?

As I see it, the starting point should be a presumption of no interference with navigation, with an extremely well argued and persuasive case being required if a scheme does involve any degree of interference.