In the North Sea, 50 years ago

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In summary, the CBS Sunday Morning news magazine had a story about the Aurora, a cruise ship built in 1955 that is now being restored as one of the last of its type. The ship brought back memories of a trip 50 years ago to Helgoland, an island that has a current population of about 1300 people and which bans automobiles except for emergency vehicles.
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Today, the CBS Sunday Morning news magazine had a story about the Aurora, a cruise ship built in 1955 that is now being restored as one of the last of its type.



When I heard its original name, the Wappen von Hamburg, and its original service, carrying tourists between Hamburg and the island of Helgoland in the North Sea, my ears perked up. Could this be the ship that I rode on a day-trip to Helgoland with a group of students from my college in 1972, while we were in a study-abroad program in Hamburg?

It turned out, it wasn't. The ship that we rode was actually the third of that name, built in 1965. It served the route to Helgoland 1966-2006. Afterwards it was renamed the Mercator II and was supposed to be converted to a luxury cruiser for Mediterranean and Caribbean service. But that project failed, and the ship was scrapped in Denmark in the winter of 2010-11.

But it brought back memories of that trip to Helgoland, 50 years ago next September.

helgoland.jpg


WappenvonHamburg.jpg


hafen.jpg


I think the Wappen von Hamburg is at the far left of the lineup above, in the harbor. Passengers from all ships had to transfer to shore in smaller boats.

helgoland2.jpg


klipppen.jpg
 
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Those weird red cliffs prompted me to skim the wiki article about the island. It has a current population of about 1300 people. Probably the most peculiar thing I read is that along with cars, bicycles are forbidden on the island. I wondered why they would ban bicycles until I saw on Google Earth that the longest straight line distance is only a mile.
 
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You really didn't have to remind us 1972 was 50 years ago. That was uncalled for.
 
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I love the small craft transferring everyone to shore. I guess cruise liners are bigger than the warships that used to be stationed there.
 
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OmCheeto said:
Probably the most peculiar thing I read is that along with cars, bicycles are forbidden on the island. I wondered why they would ban bicycles until I saw on Google Earth that the longest straight line distance is only a mile.
The whole island is only about 1 km2 according to Wikipedia. A lot smaller than Mackinac Island (11 km2) in Michigan, which also bans automobiles, except for emergency vehicles, but does allow bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, and has a lot more vegetation.

We had plenty of time to walk out to the far end of the island to see Lange Anna ("Tall Anna"):

tall-anna.jpg


The Wikipedia article about Helgoland reminded me of its physics connection: Heisenberg formulated his version of QM while on vacation here to alleviate his hay fever.
 
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1. What was the state of marine life in the North Sea 50 years ago?

The state of marine life in the North Sea 50 years ago was significantly different from what it is today. The North Sea was heavily overfished and many species, such as cod, herring, and plaice, were in decline due to commercial fishing practices.

2. How did pollution affect the North Sea 50 years ago?

Pollution was a major issue in the North Sea 50 years ago. Industrial and agricultural waste, as well as oil spills, had a detrimental impact on the water quality and marine life. This led to significant declines in fish populations and other marine species.

3. Were there any conservation efforts in place for the North Sea 50 years ago?

Conservation efforts were minimal in the North Sea 50 years ago. The focus was primarily on commercial fishing, and there were no regulations in place to protect the marine ecosystem. However, there were some early efforts to establish marine protected areas in certain regions.

4. What were the main causes of change in the North Sea 50 years ago?

The main causes of change in the North Sea 50 years ago were overfishing and pollution. These human activities had a significant impact on the marine ecosystem, leading to declines in fish populations and other marine species.

5. How has the North Sea changed in the past 50 years?

The North Sea has undergone significant changes in the past 50 years. Conservation efforts and regulations have helped to improve water quality and protect marine life. Fish populations have also started to recover, and the North Sea is now considered to be one of the most productive marine regions in the world.

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