Another Island Added ...
Harry Rose was a reporter for The Royal Gazette during the '50s and '60s.
Another island added, but it sways with the wind.
By HARRY ROSE
One more island has been added to the Bermudas — a mysterious and odd-looking island in the shape of a tower which looks a bit like the Eiffel Tower of Paris down below and the superstructure of an aircraft carrier aloft.
It's called a Texas Tower. It's 30 miles off Bermuda's shores and it opened for business Wednesday. What sort of business? Much of it will be kept secret, but what could be divulged was outlined yesterday by the U.S. Navy.
At a press conference apparently designed to allay the natural curiosity of Bermuda about the strange-looking apparatus out at sea which has been assembled quietly and efficiently during the past months, these facts were disclosed:
Argus Island is the name of the lonely outpost upon which the tower stands. It is a project of the US Navy's Task Force United 7.3.1. At this stage its chief purpose is described as oceanographic survey work, but there's much more to it than that.
Pressed for further details of its functions. Navy spokesman could only say with a good-natured smile: "It is a platform for conducting research projects. And, with an even broader smile. "it's an excellent landmark for fishermen."
The tower is 141 feet high from the sea's surface to the antenna and there's another 190 feet of it down below resting on Bermuda's coral limestone.
The tower maintenance personnel comprises a crew of five men belonging to the organization under contract to the Navy known as "Landair."
The "jacket” or, in layman's language. the tower leg, or to make it clearer still, the main support of the structure. rises 190 feet from the surface and is 34 inches in diameter. At the top is a structure consisting of Iwo buildings, one providing quarters and recreation area for the crew.
The Texas Tower was built to withstand any possible hurricane winds which may threaten the Colony. It can be whipped by 124 m.p.h. winds and lashed by 50 foot high seas without its occupants feeling any serious pangs of anxiety.
All this information came yesterday from the following group of officials connected with the unique construction, the first of its kind to be put into experimental service:
Cmdr. R. E. Thurman. commanding officer of Task Force 7.3.1.; Lt. William Snell, his assistant; Lt. Cmdr. Robert E. Tyler, project officer; Cmdr. B. S. Merrill, resident officer in charge of the Argus Island project; Mr. M. C. Saylor, mechanical engineer and Mr. J. W. Malone, project manager for the Area Public Works Office, New York City.
Admiral Martin W. Kehart designed and supervised the project which was constructed by the J. Ray McDermott company.
The Argus Island tower was described at yesterday's press conference as being "the largest and in the deepest water ever Constructed."
Tackled again for more elaboration on its purpose one spokesman for the group put it this way: "We know more about the moon than the bottom of the ocean. And oceanographic survey is its primary purpose." But in reply to a question he admitted: "It could be used to detect how much radioactive waste material there is in the sea." or for "keeping an eye open for submarines.” There were many other purposes intended for the tower, he vouchsafed, but these were not for discussion at present.
In a lighter vein it was pointed out that the tower is an ideal point from which to observe fish. Already the crew had spotted a 70 foot whale as well as enormous tuna, barracuda and other game fish attracted by food waste, noise and the shadow cast by the massive structure.
The Argus Island tower is the only one of its kind except for a smaller one off Panama City. It was pointed out. "This is a one-shot as far as we are concerned." said an official. "It is a unique experimental station." Instruments will be brought aloft for measuring waves and tides and the population of fish will be studied too, it was said.
What does it feel like to be perched on the top of a tower 30 miles from the nearest land? One reaction:
"If there's a 'barge or ship below and you look down, you'll swear the vessel is stationary like a dock and the tower is rolling like a ship. I started to get real seasick."
Another thing the crew has noticed: The water around the tower is much cooler, at a permanent 72 degrees, than the sea which sweeps Bermuda's shores.
The tower's personnel will work shifts — eight weeks on Argus Island and two weeks ashore in Bermuda. But it was pointed out that in terms of food and luxury, life aloft on the tower is better than that on any ship.
Helicopters can land on the structure but to get to the top of the always slightly swaying tower you have to climb laboriously up the entire distance by stairs exposed to wind and wave — if you start from a surface vessel.
"It's no job for anyone afraid of heights,” said one of the officials. For one thing, even though the winds ashore may be blowing at eight to 12 knots, there may be an eight to 10 foot swell running around the tower.
The US Navy hopes that Bermuda may benefit from weather information which the tower will be able to relay back to shore from its advantageous position. And the Colony's fishing fleets may have the comforting knowledge that if trouble comes and they're anywhere near the tower, there is constant radio communication with the U.S. Navy Station.
By HARRY ROSE
One more island has been added to the Bermudas — a mysterious and odd-looking island in the shape of a tower which looks a bit like the Eiffel Tower of Paris down below and the superstructure of an aircraft carrier aloft.
It's called a Texas Tower. It's 30 miles off Bermuda's shores and it opened for business Wednesday. What sort of business? Much of it will be kept secret, but what could be divulged was outlined yesterday by the U.S. Navy.
At a press conference apparently designed to allay the natural curiosity of Bermuda about the strange-looking apparatus out at sea which has been assembled quietly and efficiently during the past months, these facts were disclosed:
Argus Island is the name of the lonely outpost upon which the tower stands. It is a project of the US Navy's Task Force United 7.3.1. At this stage its chief purpose is described as oceanographic survey work, but there's much more to it than that.
Pressed for further details of its functions. Navy spokesman could only say with a good-natured smile: "It is a platform for conducting research projects. And, with an even broader smile. "it's an excellent landmark for fishermen."
The tower is 141 feet high from the sea's surface to the antenna and there's another 190 feet of it down below resting on Bermuda's coral limestone.
The tower maintenance personnel comprises a crew of five men belonging to the organization under contract to the Navy known as "Landair."
The "jacket” or, in layman's language. the tower leg, or to make it clearer still, the main support of the structure. rises 190 feet from the surface and is 34 inches in diameter. At the top is a structure consisting of Iwo buildings, one providing quarters and recreation area for the crew.
The Texas Tower was built to withstand any possible hurricane winds which may threaten the Colony. It can be whipped by 124 m.p.h. winds and lashed by 50 foot high seas without its occupants feeling any serious pangs of anxiety.
All this information came yesterday from the following group of officials connected with the unique construction, the first of its kind to be put into experimental service:
Cmdr. R. E. Thurman. commanding officer of Task Force 7.3.1.; Lt. William Snell, his assistant; Lt. Cmdr. Robert E. Tyler, project officer; Cmdr. B. S. Merrill, resident officer in charge of the Argus Island project; Mr. M. C. Saylor, mechanical engineer and Mr. J. W. Malone, project manager for the Area Public Works Office, New York City.
Admiral Martin W. Kehart designed and supervised the project which was constructed by the J. Ray McDermott company.
The Argus Island tower was described at yesterday's press conference as being "the largest and in the deepest water ever Constructed."
Tackled again for more elaboration on its purpose one spokesman for the group put it this way: "We know more about the moon than the bottom of the ocean. And oceanographic survey is its primary purpose." But in reply to a question he admitted: "It could be used to detect how much radioactive waste material there is in the sea." or for "keeping an eye open for submarines.” There were many other purposes intended for the tower, he vouchsafed, but these were not for discussion at present.
In a lighter vein it was pointed out that the tower is an ideal point from which to observe fish. Already the crew had spotted a 70 foot whale as well as enormous tuna, barracuda and other game fish attracted by food waste, noise and the shadow cast by the massive structure.
The Argus Island tower is the only one of its kind except for a smaller one off Panama City. It was pointed out. "This is a one-shot as far as we are concerned." said an official. "It is a unique experimental station." Instruments will be brought aloft for measuring waves and tides and the population of fish will be studied too, it was said.
What does it feel like to be perched on the top of a tower 30 miles from the nearest land? One reaction:
"If there's a 'barge or ship below and you look down, you'll swear the vessel is stationary like a dock and the tower is rolling like a ship. I started to get real seasick."
Another thing the crew has noticed: The water around the tower is much cooler, at a permanent 72 degrees, than the sea which sweeps Bermuda's shores.
The tower's personnel will work shifts — eight weeks on Argus Island and two weeks ashore in Bermuda. But it was pointed out that in terms of food and luxury, life aloft on the tower is better than that on any ship.
Helicopters can land on the structure but to get to the top of the always slightly swaying tower you have to climb laboriously up the entire distance by stairs exposed to wind and wave — if you start from a surface vessel.
"It's no job for anyone afraid of heights,” said one of the officials. For one thing, even though the winds ashore may be blowing at eight to 12 knots, there may be an eight to 10 foot swell running around the tower.
The US Navy hopes that Bermuda may benefit from weather information which the tower will be able to relay back to shore from its advantageous position. And the Colony's fishing fleets may have the comforting knowledge that if trouble comes and they're anywhere near the tower, there is constant radio communication with the U.S. Navy Station.
ARGUS ISLAND — More of the Texas tower on the Argus Bank is below water level than above, as this blueprint shows. The water !evel is shown by the arrow. Also clearly visible are the radio antenna, crane and whaleboat. The tower is open for a considerable distance above the surface to allow waves to pass freely. Here is the caption for the photo below Right, (in case it is too small to read). AND AFTER – Here’s the way it now looks 30 miles southwest of Bermuda. This aerial photo shows the oddly-shaped structure from which the Navy will do oceanographic research. (U.S. Navy Photo) Note 1. the third line of the script writing in the upper left corner states "... miles West of Bermuda, BWI,,," It's a miracle that the tower didn't end up 1,000 miles to our South, off the coast of Barbuda!! Note 2. The caption wording "AND AFTER -" is not quite correct. The living/working unit was built in 2 sections, which were bolted together once they were in place on the leg unit. This photo shows one section of the living/working unit in place on the legs, and the other still sitting on the barge! Note 3. There must have been a second barge for the journey from the US mainland - possibly the ship in the upper centre of the photo, The barge with the crane on it towed the leg structure, and had the additional upper section of legs on it's deck - as shown in the upper right photo. So the 2 housing units must have come on another barge, and were transferred to the crane barge once the deck was clear of the additional piece of the legs, Note 4. The script in the upper left reads:- " Photo of Argus Island " "?? Constructed?/contracted? on site " " South West of Bermuda, BWI " "?? --tude 400' Full length 84" " "?-15-60 1400Q " " AB 3231 " |
Here is the caption for the above photo (in case it is too small to read).
BEFORE – Here is the equipment being towed to Argus banks to build Argus Island, site of the U. S. Navy’s research tower which is now in operation. The Navy’s spokesmen would not elaborate on the work to be done there. (U.S. Navy Photo) Note 1. This photo gives credence to Bill Adams' statement that they towed the legs from the US, and 'flipped them upright' once on site! Note 2. It seems that once the main body of the legs had been flipped into place, a further section of legs (seen lying upside-down on the deck of the barge) was added to the top, before the housing and labs were put in place. 
|
Return to Argus Island Main Page Return to Home Page Posted Jan 2021