What's This?

[Paddlesac]

Was on Shields pier again this afternoon, blowing a bit but plenty of room and took a pair of nice plump mackerel first chuck,then a single one about 30 mins later. Nowt for a couple of hours after that then lost one at the wall.

Anyway, spotted this away up to the north:


Anyone know what it is?

It looks like something to do with wind turbines maybe?

[lingking]

guessing its some sort of test drilling rig

[Paddlesac]

I thought that but when you blow the picture up a bit ( the camera was on full 26x zoom) the crane or gantry on the top looks huge, then again, it might just be a test rig with a really big crane

[d-a]

binoculares

looking through my binoculares its a big structure with a radio mast on and a wind turbine it is taken wind readings a tide flow for the new 100 pce wind farm planned

[mackem_steve]

I wondered this when fishing off Blythe pier.

[splishspash]

its a weather station me thinks.

[Bushwhacker]

About the size of one of Roker Rons floats....

[Charlton]

if you watch it at night it sometimes burns gas off

[big phil 123]

About the size of one of Roker Rons floats....

Cant be rons float there is fish around it lol

[BLUEJASPER]

its the guard beacon for the new wind farm 5miles off blyth

[Kev1n]

It's a test and observation rig for a new wind farm. SeaRoc successfully installs anemometry platform for Narec Blyth offshore wind demonstration project | Natural Power

[FISHERMAN]

Don't mind those wind turbines me think they should have more and out at sea I think they could make more habitat for fish to shelter and to encourage life of different species

[Paddlesac]

Thanks for the replies lads, as I thought originally then; wind turbine related

I also quite like the things, even the ones on land but the idea of a decent sized farm off shore sounds pretty good to me, as long as the local economy gets a boost from it.

Are there any restrictions for angling/charter boats once these things are up and running then?

[Pete from shields]

if you watch it at night it sometimes burns gas off

I've seen this, always did wonder what it was.

[Wee Ver]

Here's a close up I got of it

http://i.imgur.com/2DA0r.jpg