Yesterday, the Sea Based X-Band Radar (SBX) was towed out of Vigor Shipyards on Harbor Island (f/k/a Todd Shipyards) into Elliott Bay to allow the Kulluk (owned by Shell Oil Company), an oil derrick drilling rig, to be towed into the shipyard for repair. The oil derrick drilling rig was towed to Seattle from Alaska. The SBX Radar was towed back into the shipyards to continue repair and upgrade and will be in Seattle for another month. The radar is an imposing structure, at 280 feet tall, it is like viewing a 28 story floating building. The SBX radar arrived in Seattle on May 10, 2011, a few days later I drove to Jack Block Park on the Duwamish side of Alki Beach to take some photos of the radar at night. The radar is part of the sensors deployed by the USA to protect from ballistic missile attack.
Their were four large Foss tugs, one on each corner of the radar rig, to keep it from drifting around in Elliott Bay. Washington State Ferry traffic, barge traffic, tug boats and pleasure craft were required to give the radar a wide berth. To ensure that margin was maintained, the U.S. Coast Guard had three vessels on duty to enforce a 500 foot safety margin around the radar. The boat at the base (right corner) of the radar platform with the orange stripe along its side, is a fast USCG boat with a machine gun mounted on the bow (although on this day it was not manned).
Just COOL!
Thanks Sally… it is massive and an imposing awesome floating structure! :-)
The lighting in this shot is perfect, Madge.
Thanks Bruce, the sky was dark and threatening… I sat and shot off and on for a couple hours to catch the sun falling just on the radar and not on the downtown skyline beyond.
Madge,
Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. Always nice to hear from people! I love the lighting contrasts in this photo with the dark broody back ground and the sun hittting the white ball, making it glow in comparison!
Thanks Susan… I too, enjoy and appreciate people visiting and commenting… it is a joy!
Very impressive.
It really is impressive… it is almost 300 feet tall, like a 30 story building floating around! :-)
That came up the water by us a while back and it was pretty cool to see it in person! It is just huge and drew a little crowd.
Huge doesn’t really describe it well enough does it?? ;-)
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