Tuesday, February 17, 2009

WELL THAT'S A SURPRISE



Can anyone ever believe big business? Don't bet the farm on it.  Wolfe Island was promised that March 31 would be the end of the construction of wind turbines. We were assured that our roads would be back to normal, the workers would be gone, and our lives would be back to normal. Well, sort of normal, except for the 86 gigantic turbines spinning through the air above our heads.

The latest news is that the current crop of windmills will not be completed until the end of June. The excuse, according to the official spokesperson, is that construction has been delayed because of the unusually bad winter!  Only this morning we were discussing on the boat how tame a winter we have been having compared to previous years.  The lake is smooth enough to skate to town--if you were crazy enough to try--we recalled winters where the frozen lake took on an otherworldly look.  I can only wonder how much Canadian Hydro pays their weather experts. I really hope it isn't too much. 

Of course the extension is good news for the people who are renting out properties to the construction workers; the restaurants who feed them; and the young women who are seeking love in the hordes of heavily accented, fair haired Danes. Which makes me wonder... will there be a surge of little windbabies?  Turbotots?

But there is a spanner added to the works.  During the month of March, the MTO dock in Kingston will undergo an upgrading, no doubt necessary because of the abuse rent by the heavy construction equipment. At the same time, the Wolfe Islander III will go to St. Catherine's for it's five year refit, leaving residents with the considerably smaller Frontenac II. What this means is longer line-ups, longer waits to get home after a hard day's work, more cutting in line and most of all, short fuses. It is a recipe for disaster, and I can only hope the ones most affected can go home and picnic under the shade of their wind turbine!

As of today, Sea Wreck is proudly announcing there are 45 turbines erected, but not yet running. This represents slightly over half of the intended number, 86. Needless to say, the skyline of Wolfe Island will never again be photographed as an example of unblemished nature.  

5 comments:

  1. From the NY side....we feel your pain as it is soon to become ours as well. I hope the land owners that sold us out to the wind companies enjoy their new landscape and the daily reminder of what they have done to our beautiful River.

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  2. I lived in this area all of my life except for a 4 year stint in Rochester going to college. My feelings for this area go soooo deep but there are a lot of people out there that don't feel like you or I do.

    I vowed not to take my tourist friends and family across to Kingston on the ferry and drive through a maise of turbines. Well, hearing about the Kingston to Marysville ferry, I had not better recommend it. So, so sad. I feel for you people.

    I LIVE IN CAPE VINCENT AND HAVE OUR OWN PROBLEMS REGARDING TURBINES....

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  3. We are saddenned at the skyline of beautiful Wolfe Island from our view from the Cape. You may see the same from your view of Cape Vincent, from Wolfe Island.. All due to greed.

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  4. HI, I just stumbled upon your blog and decided to mention some things. First, you make some good points, Ill give you that. If your trying to outreach in your community, you failed because your blog is anonymous--basically it makes you look like a coward and are afriad to back up your opinions with a face. Especially, concidering how everyone already knows who's for and against the windmills on the island. Its not THAT big you know?

    Umm, so, Im thinking your one of those idiots who don't believe in global warming either? Sustainability is unbelievable without tapping natural resources: our Earth will be around for much longer. Even a small contribution can make a huge impact.

    So to me, you have alot of little complaints,pointless ones about gravel, the look of them and pot holes from large trucks- are you really thinking about what this contribution will do for the Earth? Your complaining for the sake of complaining.

    So not only does your blog make you look like a coward, but an idiot too. An opinion only matters when you state both sides which you have not done. You just look close minded and uneducated. You have not SERIOUSLY weighed the pro's and con's- makeing your opinion irrelevant.

    I don't care if they are ugly, or if they cause a couple more pot holes-- at least Im in support of saving our Earth. Bet you cant say the same.

    Niki Madore supporter of Windmills on WOLFE ISLAND.

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  5. I am a resident of Cape Vincent a tiny community located across the St. Lawrence River from Wolfe Island. I have had the opportunity to observe the transformation of the beautiful Wolfe Island into an industrial zone thanks to the construction of the monstrous industrial wind turbines. We have our own war on wind; greedy developers are tearing our community apart. I am sending you a link to a newspaper article in the Watertown Times I thought you might find interesting.
    K.
    http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20090312/OPINION02/303129977/-1/OPINION02

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