The Explorer from Dora Still Relives His Big Dive
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C M C M Y K Y K COURTROOM DRAMA DRAMA ON COURT Olympian reduced to tears in court, A9 Marshfield holds on for first league win, B1 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2013 theworldlink.com I $1.50 Anybody seen a big anchor? I Subsurface float used to find buoy anchor for wave energy system seems to be missing BY THOMAS MORIARTY The World REEDSPORT — A wave energy company’s multimillion-dollar buoy anchor may be missing off the Oregon Coast. Ocean Power Technologies installed an anchor for a PB150 PowerBuoy wave energy system about 2.5 miles offshore last fall. Two more anchors were scheduled for installation this spring. But now the company says its uncertain of the location of the first anchor’s subsurface float. The float, which is designed to be located at a By Benjamin Brayfield, The World depth of approximately 30 feet, serves as an Don Walsh,81,is still getting asked about his historic dive nearly sixty years after the event when he and a Swiss engineer took a submersible seven miles intermediary between the buoy and a 450-ton below the ocean’s surface. anchor on the sandy sea floor. It’s also the com- pany’s main way to keep track of the anchor. “We’re not certain of its disposition,” said CEO Charles Dunleavy. The company did not give an exact cost for the The explorer from Dora anchoring system. The float’s disappearance could have several explanations. It could indicate a shift in position of the anchor. Another possibility is that the tendon still relives his big dive line connecting the float to the anchor has become fouled, pulling the float downward. Dunleavy said the company will send down a BY DANIEL SIMMONS-RITCHIE restroom. The man in the next stall was remotely operated vehicle to check on the device. The World talking on a cellphone.“And I immediately The buoy system is intended to be the first of “If you want to go to an start laughing because I have this visualized 10 OPT plans to install off Reedsport. The Feder- Sixty years after his historic dive, Don unknown part of the planet, picture of this guy on the other end of the al Energy Regulatory Commission issued OPT a Walsh is sick of talking about it. He has phone: ‘Charlie? What is that? Thunder?’” told the story a thousand times, a thou- then simply go 30 miles Walsh can’t remember his own cell- SEE BUOY | A10 sand different ways. west of where we are ... phone number. His 99-acre Dora ranch He’s told The Washington Post. He’s ” doesn’t have cell coverage. He’s proud of told The New York Times. He’s been Don Walsh that. Dora, population 250, is remote even squeezed, he says. Deep-sea exploration pioneer “Squeezed dry.” by Coos County standards. But for 19 Walsh is hit with an interview request years, this forest enclave has been base at least once a month. The calls follow a camp for Walsh and his wife, Joan. Their numbers. He has visited 112 countries and house is a long, skinny affair of wood and pattern: Walsh’s 1960 expedition is men- worked in 65. He saw 26 polar bears on a glass, built in 1978, nestled along the east tioned in a newspaper. A reporter rings, recent trip to the Arctic. About three times fork of the Coquille River. asking him to relive his journey to the a year, he sees Hollywood director James Walsh’s office sits atop the garage. In ocean’s deepest point. Cameron, a friend whose credits include the hallway, a plaque from National Geo- It’s exasperating, he says. “Avatar” and “Titantic.” graphic commemorates his record- “So many of them are not very prepared, Walsh’s humor is deadpan. When he breaking dive. Next to it, a photo of so we sort of have to rewind the tape to jokes, he grins but rarely laughs. But he Walsh, age 27, shaking hands with Presi- The Associated Press zero,”he said. “You sort of try to be polite chuckles — and chuckles heartily — when dent Eisenhower. In this photo taken from a dashboard camera video, a but I get calls from all over the world.” talking about cellphones. He thinks peo- Walsh wasn’t looking for fame in his meteor streaks through the sky over Chelyabinsk, about Walsh, 81, is 5-foot-10, with white hair. ple are addicted to them. 930 miles east of Moscow on Friday. He speaks rapidly and has a penchant for He recounts a recent visit to a men’s SEE DIVE | A10 Exploding Tai chi can help keep seniors from falling meteor BY GAIL ELBER will choose a location. The World Stennett has been practicing tai chi on his own for more than a decade. Although he’s not a tai chi NORTH BEND — The older you get, the more likely instructor, he’s certified to teach tai injures 1,100 you are to fall, says Matthew Stennett, a licensed chi for fall prevention. physical therapist assistant with Innovative Physical Studies have shown that tai chi Therapy in North Bend. practice can reduce the risk of falls, MOSCOW (AP) — With a blinding flash and a But practicing the ancient Chinese martial art of tai and the technique is recommended booming shock wave, a meteor blazed across the chi can strengthen the muscles that by the Centers for Disease Con- western Siberian sky Friday and exploded with keep the body upright. trol. the force of 20 atomic bombs, injuring more than Stennett will demonstrate tai chi ‘Tai Chi for Fall Stennett said that as we 1,000 people as it blasted out windows and “forms,”or movement sequences, for Prevention’ demo move around, our muscles are spread panic in a city of 1 million. that purpose at 6 p.m. on Feb. 20 in the always catching ourselves to While NASA estimated the meteor was only 6 p.m., Feb. 20, Myrtlewood Myrtlewood Room at the Coos Bay Room, Coos Bay Public Library, 525 keep us from falling. “When about the size of a bus and weighed an estimated Public Library. we’re kids, those muscles 7,000 tons, the fireball it produced was dramatic. Anderson Ave. The demonstration is a preview of a To learn more, contact Innovative are always acting automati- Video shot by startled residents of the city of class aimed at people over 60 that Physical Therapy, 1890 Waite Rd., cally, like your heartbeat,” Chelyabinsk showed its streaming contrails as it Innovative Physical Therapy plans to North Bend, 541-756-4941. he said. “They fire at the arced toward the horizon just after sunrise, look- offer soon. right times. ing like something from a world-ending science- Like the class, the demonstration “As we age, that fir- fiction movie. will include forms that can be done by people of any ing can get miscommunicated, so the The largest recorded meteor strike in more level of physical ability and mobility, including seated, muscles don’t fire at the right time.” than a century occurred hours before a 150-foot chair-assisted and standing forms. Injuries and surgeries can fur- asteroid passed within about 17,000 miles of The class will run twice a week for three months. ther disrupt the body’s ability to Earth. The European Space Agency said its Based on how many people come to the demonstra- Contributed photo tion and express interest in the class, the company Matthew Stennett SEE METEOR | A10 SEE TAI CHI | A10 demonstrates a Tai Chi form. Positive changes Police reports . A2 Sports . B1 Peggy Moeller, Coos Bay T S S Y E Eloise Freauff, Estacada Group says that ‘nurturing A H E D What’s Up . Go Classifieds . C6 I Bess Rice, Coos Bay parenting’ improves quality C T N E A S Chance of rain Opinion. A4 Comics . D3 John Thompson, Coos Bay O of life and make employees E R N 54/39 M I D South Coast. A7 Puzzles. D3 Obituaries | A5 more productive. Page C1 O F Weather | A10 C M C M Y K Y K C M C M Y K A2 •The World • Saturday, February16,2013 Y K South Coast City Editor Ryan Haas • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 theworldlink.com/news/local Thefts & Mischief A bridge not too far COOS COUNTY Feb. 13, 11:57 a.m., theft of four wheels/tires from pickup truck, Feb. 13, 1:09 a.m., van stolen and 58300 block of Lee Valley Road. two other vehicles broken into, 90800 block of Windy Lane. Feb. 13, 4:59 p.m., theft of fenc- ing, 87500 block of East Beach Feb. 13, 9:02 a.m., cellphone and Loop Lane. vehicle manual stolen from vehicle, 500 block of Miluk NORTH BEND Drive. Feb. 13, 7:35 a.m., unlawful entry Feb. 13, 9:33 a.m., woman report- into motor vehicle, 3400 block edly taking things from proper- of Fir Street. ty, 64300 block of Welch Road. Feb. 13, 7:37 a.m., man threw a Feb. 13, 9:47 a.m., assault, 64300 brick through a car window, block of Welch Road. 1600 block of Hayes Street. Buuyy AnyAny OneOne Regular Menu Item & Get One By Alysha Beck, The World Water in Coos Bay flows softly under the historic McCullough Bridge, photographed from Jordan Cove Road at sunset on Wednesday. b. 17th Fe ! to 20th % Divers get a chance at clams 50OFFF*F* 11:30am to 5:00pm THE WORLD to submit an application, and interest in engineering *Restrictions apply.