Sail-World.com : Qingdao algae has disappeared

News Home

Text Only News

Marine Business News

Powerboat-World

World Cruising

2008-09 Volvo Race

Sail-World.com : Qingdao algae has disappeared

Qingdao algae has disappeared

'Beijing 2008 - the best use for green algae' Doyle Sails Qingdao China Click Here to view large photo

Olympic sailing event organisers appear to have won the battle to clear the giant algae bloom that disrupted preparations for the Games regatta at the Chinese coastal resort of Qingdao.

Australian Tornado sailor Darren Bundock reported yesterday that the green slime was no longer an issue in the Olympic sailing course area. ‘The algae has gone’ he said ‘Its back to normal, big tides and very little wind.’

In June and early July, large areas, including more than 30% of the course area was covered with stinking green algae, disrupting training for Olympic sailors and prompting an intensive clean-up operation involving around 1,500 fishing boats, heavy machinery and around 10,000 army troops.

Blue-Green algae disappearing from Qingdao - Mark Fullerton Click Here to view large photo

Collectively by mid-July they removed what was reported as hundreds of thousands of tonnes of algae, but long strands remained in the water fouling rudders and daggarboards.

The local government has laid 56km of oil spill containment booms and have boats doing regular inspections to make sure clumps of algae does not drift back onto the course area.

It was initally feared that the heavy winds blowing from the south east caused by Typhoon Fung Wong would bring in more algae but that proved not to be the case.

Workers clean up blue-green algae from the sea as windsurfers sail behind, at Qingdao, June 2008 -

by Rob Kothe 7:29 PM Tue 5 Aug 2008 GMT

Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.
If you want to send this story to a friend, please use link below
http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Qingdao-algae-has-disappeared/47296

Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:

Click for further information on
2008 Olympics Qingdao

Related News Stories:

15 Nov 2008	Elliott 6 metre selected for 2012 Olympics
13 Nov 2008	ISAF Specialist Committees agree Olympic Equipment
12 Nov 2008	Ainslie and Sensini win ISAF Rolex Sailor Awards
05 Nov 2008	Boost for RS:X sailing down under
03 Nov 2008	Not time to change Olympic windsurfer says Pryde
21 Oct 2008	Tornado moots one design for 11th Olympic medal
06 Oct 2008	ISAF Working Party support NZ design for Olympics
26 Sep 2008	Day 1 of Nations Cup Qualifier - AUS and NZL
25 Sep 2008	Slingsby stumbled in Qingdao. What Happened?
23 Sep 2008	British Olympic success just not all about money