Fireworks in Alton??

Alton Bay · 07-03-2011, 08:56 PM

Anyone know what's going on with the fireworks in Alton??

upthesaukee · 07-03-2011, 10:25 PM

...so they went back to the dock, ran up to Amilynn's, and then back.

Actually pretty close. I think they had a problem with that needed something from shore, and the fire boat idled its way back to the dock, was there for a few minutes, and then returned to the barge. The spot on the fire boat was used for lighting, and then they had to make sure the surrounding area was clear. Finally after almost half hour delay, KABOOM, and the fun was on.

Pretty good, I thought.

Slickcraft · 07-04-2011, 05:44 AM

We were sitting on the bank next to the fire boat dock close to the Harley (fast exit plan). When the boat came in one firefighter fetched a small box (tools maybe) out of the trunk of a car and they went back out. About 15 min after that (just after 10) the show went on. Pretty good show as upthesukee noted.

We did note that the fire boat was running without a green nav light. Now if that was our boat the MP would have been all over us. The police boat also had some lighting problems. Maybe next year there will be a extra effort put into pretesting all systems.

Alton Bay · 07-04-2011, 07:36 AM

Hmm...must have been better the closer you were to the fireworks. From my vantage point, the smoke from the previous ones blocked the view of the next display. Weird, but the air was so heavy and still last night so I guess that caused the problem??

nicelydunn · 07-04-2011, 07:49 AM

Strangest Alton fireworks display I've seen. It didn't get started until just after 10 - then seemed to be over at about 10:15 and boats started leaving - then started up again for a few more rockets - then stopped again for a long time. This is when the boats in the bay started leaving in earnest (including us). Then more rockets - then none for another several minutes-then a few more. By the time of the actual grand finale, 80% of the boats had left. It was wierd.

upthesaukee · 07-04-2011, 09:21 PM

In the old days, the fireworks guy walked up to the tube with a flare, lit the fuse and got the heck out of Dodge. The shell went up in the air (hopefully) and then the scene was repeated. Unless he walked by a shell and lit the next one, it was highly unlikely that there were shells unfired at the end.

However, there are some displays that fire electrically that for whatever reason have unfired shells at the end. Usually, it is only a few (literally one or two). Given the initial delay, having to get tools, and further delays after the tools arrived at the barge, I think it is fair to assume that the firing system had some problem. Given the number of unfired shells at the end, I suspect the initial problem was not fully solved.

I hope the Baysider will have a few answers in the next edition, actually next weeks.

Strange, perhaps, but still a lot of fun. Just another collarary to Murphy's Law: No matter how many firework shows you may have done, you are bound to have one that has its misfires.

Sorry some didn't have a good view. We were by the bandstand in the bay, and smoke had no effect on us.

Rattlesnake Guy · 07-05-2011, 02:13 AM

I was sitting in my hotel in Shanghai China this morning and got the play by play from RG who went to the fireworks with the Boys plus girlfriends. She mentioned the same timing issues but said how much they enjoyed them. She really likes the echos off the bay walls. It gives the booms a extra dimension.

AB_Monterey · 07-05-2011, 10:21 AM

1/2 hr late starting.

Then, the finale was nearly 40 minutes after people had started to leave thinking they had ended. I guess many people never even saw them or were sitting in traffic when the last hurrah was in the sky.

07-03-2011, 08:56 PM	#1
Alton Bay Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 188 Thanks: 73 Thanked 24 Times in 21 Posts	Fireworks in Alton?? Anyone know what's going on with the fireworks in Alton??

07-03-2011, 10:25 PM	#2
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,597 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,457 Thanked 1,979 Times in 1,080 Posts	Someone forgot the matches... ...so they went back to the dock, ran up to Amilynn's, and then back. Actually pretty close. I think they had a problem with that needed something from shore, and the fire boat idled its way back to the dock, was there for a few minutes, and then returned to the barge. The spot on the fire boat was used for lighting, and then they had to make sure the surrounding area was clear. Finally after almost half hour delay, KABOOM, and the fun was on. Pretty good, I thought. __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

07-04-2011, 07:49 AM	#5
nicelydunn Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Timing faux pas Strangest Alton fireworks display I've seen. It didn't get started until just after 10 - then seemed to be over at about 10:15 and boats started leaving - then started up again for a few more rockets - then stopped again for a long time. This is when the boats in the bay started leaving in earnest (including us). Then more rockets - then none for another several minutes-then a few more. By the time of the actual grand finale, 80% of the boats had left. It was wierd.

07-04-2011, 09:21 PM	#6
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,597 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,457 Thanked 1,979 Times in 1,080 Posts	Still think a problem with the firing system. In the old days, the fireworks guy walked up to the tube with a flare, lit the fuse and got the heck out of Dodge. The shell went up in the air (hopefully) and then the scene was repeated. Unless he walked by a shell and lit the next one, it was highly unlikely that there were shells unfired at the end. However, there are some displays that fire electrically that for whatever reason have unfired shells at the end. Usually, it is only a few (literally one or two). Given the initial delay, having to get tools, and further delays after the tools arrived at the barge, I think it is fair to assume that the firing system had some problem. Given the number of unfired shells at the end, I suspect the initial problem was not fully solved. I hope the Baysider will have a few answers in the next edition, actually next weeks. Strange, perhaps, but still a lot of fun. Just another collarary to Murphy's Law: No matter how many firework shows you may have done, you are bound to have one that has its misfires. Sorry some didn't have a good view. We were by the bandstand in the bay, and smoke had no effect on us. __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

07-05-2011, 10:21 AM	#8
AB_Monterey Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 293 Thanks: 86 Thanked 78 Times in 49 Posts	Pretty good? Yeah, what you saw of them, I suppose. 1/2 hr late starting. Then, the finale was nearly 40 minutes after people had started to leave thinking they had ended. I guess many people never even saw them or were sitting in traffic when the last hurrah was in the sky.

07-04-2011, 05:44 AM	#3
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and The Taylor Community Posts: 3,301 Thanks: 1,222 Thanked 2,088 Times in 955 Posts	We were sitting on the bank next to the fire boat dock close to the Harley (fast exit plan). When the boat came in one firefighter fetched a small box (tools maybe) out of the trunk of a car and they went back out. About 15 min after that (just after 10) the show went on. Pretty good show as upthesukee noted. We did note that the fire boat was running without a green nav light. Now if that was our boat the MP would have been all over us. The police boat also had some lighting problems. Maybe next year there will be a extra effort put into pretesting all systems.

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upthesaukee (07-04-2011)

07-04-2011, 07:36 AM	#4
Alton Bay Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 188 Thanks: 73 Thanked 24 Times in 21 Posts	Hmm...must have been better the closer you were to the fireworks. From my vantage point, the smoke from the previous ones blocked the view of the next display. Weird, but the air was so heavy and still last night so I guess that caused the problem??

07-05-2011, 02:13 AM	#7
Rattlesnake Guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,254 Thanks: 423 Thanked 366 Times in 175 Posts	I was sitting in my hotel in Shanghai China this morning and got the play by play from RG who went to the fireworks with the Boys plus girlfriends. She mentioned the same timing issues but said how much they enjoyed them. She really likes the echos off the bay walls. It gives the booms a extra dimension.