The Shoreline Is My Home...

...and The Shoreline is in trouble.


Sea Level is rising.

What should we do?

As an independent boat carpenter, my existence has long revolved around Earth's Shoreline.

This personal interest led to an intense study of Sea Level Rise via the web.

Along with reading hundreds of articles and reports, I've been fortunate enough to correspond with the top people in the field when questions arise.

There's a lot of spurious info/data being spewed by various media outlets.

Dialog with these experts allowed me to sort the media hype from the science.

The material below is well researched and substantiated as thoroughly as possible, given the current state of Sea Level Rise knowledge.

My goal is to present a realistic idea of what is likely to happen v. agenda driven, alarmist speculation.

Here's my take on Sea Level Rise...the real skinny...with solutions...from someone who truly loves and respects Earth's Shoreline...can't beat that!

Introducing The 21st Century Nexus

Sea Level Rise...

"A Deeper Look at Sea Level Rise" will provide greater understanding of Earth's expanding Ocean.

For starters...

The North Pole, South Pole, and Greenland are not going to melt and overflow The Ocean.

The Ocean is expanding because it's absorbing heat from Earth's Atmosphere.

Warming and expansion are changing the flow of Ocean water in the upper layer, causing regional Sea Level Rise in predictable areas.

Sea Level Rise is not the entire Ocean suddenly bulging upwards.

It's all about repetitive, localized surges and upswells, caused by winds, changing currents, and rising temperatures.

Some areas of Earth's Shoreline will experience considerably higher sea level than others due to the confluence of these factors.

The above outlook is based upon newly collected satellite info/data.

Sea Level is determined by floating altimeters relaying Ocean depths to satellites and back to the scientists.

This method began in 1992 with the launch of Earth observation satellites.

Comparisons are then made with earlier, less accurate measurements to determine long range info/data.

As you can imagine, this correlation leaves a large margin of error when looking back Centuries for figures to compare.

At this point, Sea Level Rise is not a very precise science.

The error factor is close to the total measured change thus far.

But...

Here's one thing you can bet on.

The US East Coast is one of the areas where Ocean warming leads inevitably to rising Sea Level.

Look at this map of Atlantic Ocean Currents



You'll see that The Gulf Stream consists of warm water traveling North.

As The Ocean warms and expands, more warm water at the surface will travel North with The Gulf Stream.

We've all seen the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

Picture the same scenario with Ocean depths a foot or two higher.

These Climate Change driven storms will be regular events within the lifetime of half the people on Earth.

The warming Ocean, moving North, will enable Hurricanes to sustain their power as they head Northward along The East Coast.

The expected pattern will no longer be 'watch until the storm reaches Cape Hatteras' as winds start to weaken and the brunt of the Hurricane heads out to Sea.

Soon, it will be more like 'watch until the storm reaches NYC' before we can expect winds to diminish and the storm to break apart.

As we all know, Hurricanes don't always diminish and drift out to Sea after reaching Cape Hatteras.

Some seem to have minds of their own as they wreak havoc along the Northeast Coast.

These same conditions will continue to happen, except NYC will take over the hot spot from Cape Hatteras.

Full strength Hurricanes will regularly make land over NYC before proceeding Northward with their full tropical force intact.

They will be pushing tides that may start out two feet higher before the storm.

That, my friends, is not a pretty picture for the Northeastern United States.

Imagine the economic chaos!

This single predictable effect of Sea Level Rise alone is enough to start taking this seriously.

There will be countless more effects of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise to confront as we Forge Ahead

Many are pure speculation, but this one is for real and it's NOW...!

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This beautiful beach will soon be the enemy.

Sea Level Rise threatens to turn Earth's Shoreline into a never ending battleground.

Us against the Sea.

Not a good idea.

Sea Level Rise (SLR ) is a brand new issue.

The data is raw, and there's a lot of it.

Nobody knows what's going to happen.

But Government and Business are betting that SLR is real and it's effects could be catastrophic.

How can we STOP the water?

Right now, plans for dealing with SLR are based on Coastal Remediation.

Proposals consist of dams, dykes, canals, locks, and all manner of innovative barriers designed to prevent the rising tide from inundating coastal locales.

Then what?

Do we protect the Jersey Shore and NYC with an enormous barrier while destroying much of Cape Cod as the diverted tidal surge moves North?

The Ocean has to go somewhere.

There is nothing else on Earth with the relentless thrust of the tide.

Holding back The Ocean is right up there with stopping Asteroids on the futility scale.

That said, we must adapt to these changes.

Here's to Earth's New Shoreline...let it rise...learn to love it...!

Nobody can stop it.

Planet Earth is changing.

That's nothing new.

Earth has been changing since day one, and will continue to do so forever.

It's the natural course of events.

You've heard people say, "...go with the flow."

The flow is inland.

Tap into our natural instinct for survival, take time to observe, and start changing in harmony with our Environment.

Adaptation got us this far...!

In the long run, pulling back will also prove far more economically practical than trying to hold back the Sea.

Earth's Ocean is expanding.

The Shoreline is changing.

Here's another old phrase that rings true in this situation, "...like shoveling shit against the tide."

Keep it in mind as we Forge Ahead.

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Sea Level Rise is a function of Climate Change.

Climate Change is a vast and fascinating concept.

The countless variables and potential scenarios attached to Climate Change will provide us an exciting new outlook toward Planet Earth.

Our growing sense of Stewardship and new found awareness will prove good for us in the long run.

But this period of change is not going to be a walk in the park.

There will be some very real hurdles to leap as we encounter new and unexpected challenges on a regular basis.

For example...

SLR is certain to emerge as the ultimate Climate Change Boogeyman.

SLR presents a Clear and Present Danger to The Global Economy.

It’s happening as you read this.

Maritime Commerce is essential to the success of today’s Global Economy.

SLR threatens Shorelines everywhere on Earth.

Maritime Commerce starts and ends at The Shoreline.

The constant flow of goods over Earth’s Ocean makes the big wheel turn.

The flow will grind to a halt if SLR inundates our seaports.

Make no mistake, the effects of SLR are being felt at this instant.

Simply put...

Ocean expansion is part of a lengthy natural process.

We are not going to wake up any morning soon to find The Ocean has suddenly risen.

But we will awaken to ever increasing prices on virtually everything we touch.

Because everything we touch is part of the Global flow of goods over Earth’s Ocean.

Humanity’s success in The 21st Century relies on decisions we make today RE SLR.

Making those decisions will be much simpler if we know what’s actually happening.

First and foremost...

Nobody has enough info to claim certainty.

Those who do so are pushing an agenda.

Here at Shoreline Earth our goal is to provide Humanity with info and solutions as we progress into...

The Climate Unknown

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SHORELINES...on Earth and beyond...

Earth has two shorelines.

The Ocean meets the beach at the shoreline we all recognize.

The horizon is the shoreline of Near Space.

It’s time to recognize this second shoreline as part of our environment.

Our future well being depends greatly on Near Space and Earth’s Ocean.

The 21st Century Nexus touches both shorelines and The Ocean between

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This is the view I love...serene...natural...just plain beautiful.

Here's a dose of reality.

Here's another view I love.

The dose of reality.

Near Space is The Shoreline of Outer Space.

We've been exploring and developing Near Space for a little over fifty years and the place is already a dump.

It took us thousands of years to mess up our Shorelines on Earth.

Humans roamed and procreated for generations before settling along waterways and coastlines, where we immediately started dumping anything and everything into the water...out of sight, out of mind.

Early entrepreneurs saw streams, rivers and outgoing tidal flow as natural sewers.

We know where that leads.

In Near Space, our satellite technology and its attendant debris have become a problem in half a Century.

Once again, the early entrepreneurs showed little or no concern for the environment in their quest for profit.

Tax dollars will pay to clean up the mess in Near Space.

The price is escalating by the moment.

If Space Junk goes critical while we debate the issue it will be too late.

Right now, only those with a stake in the outcome are paying close attention to Space Junk.

Launch industry periodicals, special interest websites, all major defense agencies, defense contractors, and launch insurers are all heavily involved in the early remediation discussions.

These entities have a presence in Near Space.

They created the problem, and are now jockeying for position in the clean-up sweepstakes.

The cleanup will be very expensive for the taxpaying public and very profitable for those who pay attention and position themselves well early in the game.

Do we really want to rely on those who made the mess to perform the cleanup for profit?

The perpetrators should step up and do it FREE.

Their beach needs tending.

Right!

It would be like expecting DuPont to voluntarily clean up all the plastic garbage lining our Shorelines on Earth.

That's not going to happen any time soon.

Let's cut to the chase.

Near Space is polluted and we did it!

Read that again and think about it for a minute.

We polluted The Shoreline of Space in only fifty years!

***

We've all heard the bad news about our Shorelines on Earth.

Rising sea levels, severe coastal storms, and mounting pollution pose an ever increasing threat to our endeavors.

Planet Earth is going through climate changes...maybe affected by us...maybe not.

No one can say for certain if the rise in sea level and rapidly increasing storm activity is our doing.

Debate over the cause of Global Climate Change rages.

The pollution is all our responsibility.

There's no question about that fact.

Now comes a new threat.

Near Space...The Shoreline of Outer Space...is cluttered with Space Junk.

The public has some awareness of the problems created by defunct satellites and orbiting launch debris.

But, the story is not well reported and we certainly have not arrived at any general understanding on the subject.

***

Right now...TODAY...

Here's what you can do.

We have the opportunity to deal with Space Junk before it goes critical.

This is an evolving situation.

Let's take preventative action and avoid the dreaded and ridiculously expensive REACT/RESPOND stage.

The impending Space Junk Crisis can be averted before it creates havoc with The Global Economy.

Every international transaction relies on Satellite Telecommunications.

Space Junk threatens the Global Satellite Network and thus the entire Global Economy.

The World's Powers reacting and responding to Global Economic chaos is not a pretty picture...believe me!

The following links will take you through the process, and bring you up to date.

You'll learn about Space Junk and why you should care.

The connection between our Shorelines on Earth and The Shoreline of Outer Space will become clear.

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Here's my solution...click G2...text links below will fill you in.

SPACESYMBIOSIS   the latest...all about Telecommunications Satellite Gaia Two..aka G2...along with a suggestion that we begin to treat Near Space with a sense of Symbiosis...you'll get the idea...

LYNN MARITIME FUTURE CENTER   more G2...a proposal for a venue in Lynn, Massachusetts, USA...featuring Lynn Harbor...the ideal location for G2 development and testing...

UPCYCLELYNN   more on the Lynn proposal...thoughts on how to make this happen in Lynn Harbor...

NOTHSHOA   includes the entire region...we all face the same 21st Century issues...it's all the same Ocean...

SPACE JUNK NEWS   my earliest posted commentary on Space Junk...4.22.11...it still rings true...

SPACEHUGGER   sentiment...some of the thoughts and feelings that led to the Space Symbiosis Concept...it's time to move forward and get away from our current approach...

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If you like what you've seen so far...STAY TUNED!

Support Shoreline Earth and brighten your indoor horizon with these beautiful Shoreline Images.

These graphics celebrate our Maritime Past in support of our Maritime Future.

Click the logo to learn more...

contact... smythspace@gmail.com ...copy/paste

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Thank you for reading...here's a bonus...the people of AARRGHH!!! will inform and entertain you...click the schooner...you'll smile...betcha...!