Angry Planet

JOURNAL - AUGUST

 Aug. 31 2009 - Upcoming Expedition

Crystal Cave of Giants - For almost 2 years, I have been trying to get into the Crystal Cave of Giants in Naica, Mexico and it looks like persistence has paid off. I depart for the cave later this week. The Crystal Cave is known for 2 reasons:

1) It is home to the largest crystals in the world. The biggest ones measure a whopping 11 meters and weigh 55 tons. They are made of selenite, which is crystallized gypsum. These formations have taken about a half a million years to form and only under the most unique of conditions.

2) The cave is SO HOT, that it is impossible to survive inside for more than about 15 minutes before overheating, passing out and dying. The air temperature is 45C with a relative humidity of 95%. which makes for a humidex reading of 90C !!! The heat comes from a nearby magma chamber, deep below the surface. I will be wearing a special cooling suit which incorporates chill packs and a special breathing apparatus that will allow me to breath chilled air. Even with this technology, I will will only be able to remain inside for no more than 45 minutes at a time.

This is probably one of the most extreme places on Earth and it was only discovered in the year 2000 when silver miners accidentally broke through and discovered this hidden treasure. The extreme conditions inside the cave make it very difficult to use camera equipment so we are in for a unique challenge as we attempt to film a brand new episode of Angry Planet. More details can be found here.

Aug. 27 2009 - High G Centrifuge Testing

I had the great opportunity to go for a spin in the DRDC (Defense Research and Development Canada) human centrifuge. Although I have been in a centrifuge before, this one brought me up 5 G's in the Z axis head to toe), previously, I had done about 3.5 G's. To keep from blacking out and experiencing G-Loc, I had to learn very specific and strenuous muscle flexing and breathing techniques that help to keep the blood flowing to my brain and heart. Assisting me with these efforts was a Canadian designed G-suit which is basically a pair of pants with air bladders that are hooked into a compressed air system and automatically inflate at high G. This helps to squeeze your legs and push the blood back up where you need it the most. The experience was very intense and I can't imagine how a fighter pilot could actually operate a jet under those extreme conditions. I was hoping to try for higher G forces but the base doctor was worried about my retinas detaching. 

Aug. 26 2009 - Back From Bill

I finally got home last night after what ended up being a marathon chase from Toronto to Nova Scotia and back in under 5 days. In total, I put over 4200 km onto the chase vehicle. I have now added photos and more details from the Hurricane Bill chase here and it looks like the Atlantic is still active. Tropical storm Danny has formed and you guessed it, it's headed right for the Nova Scotia area... I just got home! Mother Nature seems to be pulling a prank on me it seems. I don't expect Danny to become a major hurricane and right now, a chase is unlikely, but if there is one, it will be this weekend.

In other news:

• Today I was in Pickering, Ontario filming some new material for Angry Planet. This time it was hang gliding. I was out for a tandem hang glide a few weeks ago and loved it so much, we are incorporating it into one of the episodes. It was a clear day with great visibility and I was up at an altitude of over 1600 feet.
• Tomorrow it's something completely different. I'll be up at the Defense research And Development facility in Toronto where I'm going for another spin in centrifuge. This time, I'll be wearing a G-Suit which will help me withstand extremely high g-forces. The last time I was in a centrifuge, I was subjected to 6 g's.
• I am very proud to announce that I have been nominated for a 2009 Gemini Awards. These are the Canadian equivalent to the Emmy Awards and they celebrate the best in Canadian broadcasting. I am nominated in the "Best Host or Interviewer in a General/Human Interest or Talk Program or Series" Category. The awards will be held this year on November 14th in Calgary, Alberta.
• Angry Planet now has a U.S. Broadcaster! - I am pleased to welcome Halogen TV to the Angry Planet family. I'm not sure when they will begin airing episodes but I will pass on more information when it becomes available. Angry Planet is now seen in over 35 countries, worldwide.

Aug. 23 2009 - Hurricane Bill, Nova Scotia Coastline

Most of today was spent along the Nova Scotia southern coast, finding interesting spots to film the storm. Bill came in as a category one hurricane with plenty of rain, gusty winds and some large, dangerous waves. We tracked northeast of Halifax, all the way up to Sherbrooke. The storm was not as damaging as many had feared, but it still packed a punch, especially when the waves slammed me in the leg with a piece of wood with nails sticking out of it that used to be part of a staircase. Luckily, the nails were on either side of my leg when it hit me... I will post some photos and more details when I return to Toronto.

Aug. 22 2009 - Montreal, Heading Towards Hurricane Bill

Just a quick update while on the road. Yesterday was a crazy day. After the Ontario tornado outbreak, the media was very interested in having me comment on what happened and to get my perspective on the situation. Well, It got so crazy that my phone started ringing at 5 A.M. and never stopped all day. I did 5 TV interviews and I lost count of all the radio interviews. All this took the entire day, then it was time to depart for Nova Scotia to meet up with Hurricane Bill. As of last night, the team (consisting of myself, Mark Robinson and Florida storm researcher, Tim Millar who flew to Toronto to meet us) made it as far as Montreal before packing it in for the night. It looks like Bill is going to probably make landfall east of Halifax and not stay out to sea. The wind, rain and waves should be wild but I need to get there first and I have a 14 hour day of driving to get there by tonight... Time to run.

Aug. 20 2009 - Tornadoes in Ontario!

What an unexpected turn of events today. Whew, What a day. I was chasing in Brampton and saw the wall cloud on the storm that would go on to produce the tornado in Vaughan. I tried following it but traffic was nightmarish. I HATE urban chasing in the GTA. By the time I got to Vaughan, the damage had already been done. I surveyed the area and there were MANY roofs ripped off & destroyed, and I couldn't even got to the worst hit area due to roadblocks. While en route, I was overtaken on the 401 by one of the nastiest, green rain cores, I've ever seen in Ontario and I from the looks of the cloud motion, I was hoping that I wasn't about to drive into a rain wrapped tornado. Cars were stopped everywhere, visibility was almost nil and the lightning was intense. After doing a bunch of interviews, I'm finally home and tomorrow, I head out to Nova Scotia for hurricane Bill, which I have not even checked the latest forecast for since I've been running around due to all the tornado warnings. I'll upload some pictures to my site when time permits and I'll put together a full page with more details as well. This was only one of numerous tornado reports across Ontario including a very damaging one in the town of Durham where there has been at least one fatality reported. There were even reports of a possible tornado in downtown Toronto. Tomorrow morning, I'll be making 2 more TV appearances, first on the CBC news, then on CTV's Canada AM. Only then can I begin the long drive to Nova Scotia for Hurricane Bill. I'm exhausted so I'm off to bed.

Aug. 20 2009 - Watching Hurricane Bill

Hurricane Bill has grown into a very powerful and dangerous category 4 storm and for the time being it is no threat to any land mass, but that could change. It is forecast to continue strengthening as it passes just west of Bermuda, then begin weakening as it continues towards the Atlantic provinces of Canada. Right now, Bill is looking very good on satellite with a well defined eye and extremely cold cloud tops. It has sustained winds speeds of over 210 km/h with higher gusts. If it can hold itself together and keeps on track towards Nova Scotia, then an intercept is likely. It might curve out to sea or veer towards Newfoundland, so I will be keeping a very close eye on the situation. One thing is for certain, Bill will not stay at this intensity level as it approaches Canada, but the question is... How strong will it remain? Check back for all the latest on a possible maritime storm chase. UPDATE: It now looks like I WILL be chasing Hurricane Bill in Nova Scotia. Even if Bill does not make a direct hit, I believe that this will still be a significant event for the maritime provinces. I will likely depart on Friday, the 21st.

Aug. 18 2009 - The Canadian Military to Get Angry Planet

It is my great pleasure to announce that OLN and CFRT (Canadian Forces Radio and Television) will be partnering to bring the Men and Women of the Armed forces, stationed on Canadian bases around the globe programming including seasons one and two of Angry Planet. We are proud and excited to be able to offer programming to make our troops feel closer to home. Also tonight I am a guest on The World Tonight radio show on CHQR in Calgary. I'll be talking about hurricane Bill and how I got into storm chasing.

Aug. 17 2009 - The Tropics Heat Up

After a slow start, the 2009 Atlantic hurricane is finally getting started. Tropical Storm Claudette came ashore near Pensacola, Florida bringing heavy rain and wind. Tropical Depression Ana is has weakened from a tropical storm and is working its way through the Caribbean and is poised to hit Hispaniola. Hurricane Bill is steadily gaining strength and is expected to eventually become a major hurricane, but its track will probably keep it north of the Caribbean islands before it curves north, missing the U.S. A strike on Bermuda is possible and I am monitoring the situation closely for a possible intercept. Bermuda is a very small target so flying there would be quite a gamble.

Aug. 10 2009 - CP24 Interview

Today, I was invited to come in to be interviewed live for the lunchtime show on the CP24 news channel. We mainly talked about storm chasing in general and the intense line of thunderstorms that plowed through Toronto the night before.

Aug. 09 2009 - Tornado Warning for Ontario

I ended up hooking up with Mark Robinson, Dave Sills, Bob Berry & Dave Patrick for what turned out to be an interesting chase. We got onto the tornado warned storm between Clifford and Fordwich. It was struggling to get better organized and it looked like it had tornado potential, with several good lowerings and plenty of motion in the base, but what it lacked in tornado production, it more than made for in lightning.
 
I don't think I've ever experienced such an electric storm in Ontario. It was spitting out an unbelievable number of CG's in rapid succession. One hit RIGHT behind us as we were parked. Maybe two power poles away, then a few seconds later, yet another one hit in the same area. My ears were ringing.
 
As we kept chasing the storm, I experienced an odd thunder effect I've never heard before. A relatively close CG struck, and a second or two later, the loud thunder clap came, but then it immediately cut off, as if some sound editor had clipped off the end of the audio. There was no decay at all. It just struck, then choked off a half second later. In all my years of chasing and with over 10 years of working as a sound engineer in the pro audio field, I've never heard anything quite like this "truncated" thunder.

Aug. 06 2009 - Discovery Channel

A brand new series "Raging Planet" is about to premiere on the Discovery Channel. Not to be confused with my own series "Angry Planet" which is currently in its third season of production.
 
I was involved with the production of this new series. Last year I helped guide one of the film crews to the Quinter, Kansas tornado on May 23rd. We were in an excellent position to document the tornado as it approached the highway where we were. The crew were able to gather excellent, high definition images of the tornado.
 
The tornado episode will be airing on August 9th. Several of my friends and colleagues will also be featured throughout this series.
 
In other news, The planet is angry right now.

• Wildfires are still burning out of control across much of British Columbia.
• Hurricane Felicia is currently at Cat 4 strength and is headed towards Hawaii, although I expect it to weaken dramatically over cold water as it gets closer to the islands.
• Typhoon Morakot is making its way towards Taiwan right now and is expected to make landfall in about 36 hours. It's too late for me to attempt an intercept from my current location in Canada.

Aug. 04 2009 - New York City

I've just returned from a one day whirlwind trip to New York City where I visited the headquarters of The Explorers Club to pick up one of their expedition flags. They periodically loan out the flags to explorers who are embarking on unique journeys. There are flags that have been to the North & South Poles, to the tops of mountains, to the bottom of the ocean. Several have even been to outer space and the surface of the Moon!
 
The one that I picked up has a long history of expeditions including The Amazon, Greenland, whale research trips, and it was even on board a ship that was being pursued by Nazis during World War Two.
 
What will I be doing with this flag you might ask? That will become clear towards the first week of September...All I can say right now is that it is going to a place that is almost too strange to be real. It is a great honour and privilege to be allowed to carry one of these flags.