You guys like explosions right?

"thebigbossyboss" (thebigbossyboss)
03/09/2015 at 08:05 • Filed to: None

Not car related. But yesterday due to the impending arrival of spring time, they took the dynamite to the Rideau River. Luckily I was on hand to record some of it. Enjoy my friends!! I am standing on the Sussex St. bridge over the Rideau, the last bridge before the river goes over the waterfall and into the Ottawa River.

DISCUSSION (13)

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > thebigbossyboss
03/09/2015 at 08:11

Is this done to break up the ice? So the ice won't cause problems further down?

thebigbossyboss > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
03/09/2015 at 08:14

Yes. We are preparing for spring my friend. If we leave this ice all the houses on the left hand side of the video would be flooded since that is the rivers natural flood plain. Since the Prime Minister of Canada's house is off to the left that is not really acceptable so this happens instead!!

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > thebigbossyboss
03/09/2015 at 08:16

Hehe, and here I thought we had awesome winters in Norway.. Norway ain't got nuffink on Canada it seems :)

pip bip - choose Corrour > thebigbossyboss
03/09/2015 at 08:18

thank you for the explanation.

as i was thinking , WHY?

thebigbossyboss > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
03/09/2015 at 08:47

We are truly blessed with all the activities winter provides us!!! The ice on the river was 3 feet thick this year.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > thebigbossyboss
03/09/2015 at 08:59

Did somebody say explosions?

I worked at Park City for a winter. When you heard blasting on the way up the chairs in the morning you knew it was going to be a good day. One morning I was sitting in the top shack of a lift and totally zoned out because it was well before opening. They blasted on the face across from me and it scared the crap out of me because I wasn't ready for it. They shot a double and I suspect they were bigger than two pounders because the glass on the lift shack bowed in at me and the blast was about a half mile away.

450X_FTW > thebigbossyboss
03/09/2015 at 09:34

Arent they killing a ton of fish setting off underwater explosions like that?

thebigbossyboss > 450X_FTW
03/09/2015 at 09:41

Most fish aren't directly under the explosion when it detonates, although this crossed my mind.

thebigbossyboss > 450X_FTW
03/09/2015 at 09:44

This is what I have found on the internet:

As for the fish, "the blasting must be done with care to avoid scarring the riverbed and killing wildlife," the BBC says. The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority has been using an amphibious excavator in recent decades to reduce the amount of explosives that are used, and lessen the impacts to wildlife and nearby bridges and structures.

So yes as we figured it's not really great for the fish.

450X_FTW > thebigbossyboss
03/09/2015 at 09:44

not sure how far shock waves travel, but with explosives that size I'd assume they'd be pretty powerful and travel a fair distance in water

BaconSandwich is tasty. > thebigbossyboss
03/09/2015 at 10:21

"amphibious excavator" - now that'd be quite the sight!

thebigbossyboss > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/09/2015 at 10:52

I will try to get some pics of that thing if you'd like, it's an awesome little beast. They are made in quebec.

Margin Of Error > thebigbossyboss
03/13/2015 at 15:19