The man in the moon and tidal power

I read Judith Hilditch's letter on restoring tidal mills for green energy. In October, I wrote a song about this weatherproof source – you can listen to it on my website: www.seymourstudiodevon.com.

The biggest issue for tidal range, or "Lunar Power," is financing the up-front cost of building the sea walls. But unlike nuclear, wind, and solar, once built, they’re there forever if properly maintained. It’s an economic conundrum; there’s still work to do on that.

Using the same principle that drove the old tidal mill described on the wall-sign at Dartmouth Market, it’s a modern twist on ancient – rather than rocket – science. There’s even been an electricity-producing tidal barrage near St Malo in France called La Rance, run by EDF since the 1960s!

The May government rejected a pathfinder tidal lagoon project in Swansea Bay, despite their own independent review recommending it should go ahead on a no-regrets basis (the Hendry Report, January 2017). Subsequent larger-scale projects in Cardiff and Bridgwater Bays would produce power at a fraction of the cost per kWh.

Hopefully, the new government will find a way. Moves are afoot with proposals for a tidal project in Liverpool, a revised Swansea Bay scheme, and a Government Commission to review the Severn Barrage – though don’t hold your breath on that one; it’s been studied to death already! Think ecology, shipping, and sand.

Here are the lyrics to my song:

The Man in the Moon (Twice Daily)

Verse 1:The Man in the Moon keeps turning the tide, Just churning the milk some folk have implied. But that is not all – for he brings to the seas Much more to his churning than making the cheese.

Chorus: Haul away! Heave away, though, The Man in the Moon works for you – twice daily. Haul away! Heave away, You Fishers have still work to do.

Verse 2:(Oh) The Man in the Moon keeps turning the tide, It moves up and down, and we’re all mystified By the wonder it brings to all manner of things –Marine life, and fishes, and things that have wings.

Chorus: You Crabbers have still work to do.

Verse 3:(Oh) The Man in the Moon keeps turning the tide, We sail and we surf, but it’s not just the ride. There's plenty more ways to make use of the sea –From its tidal range, draw electricity.

Chorus:An Engineer’s calling for you.

Verse 4:(Oh) The Man in the Moon keeps turning the tide,(It) Comes in and goes out with power undenied. Whatever our leaders would will theirs to be, As King Cnut said, you can’t stop the sea!

Repeat Verse 1

Extended Chorus: You Fishers and Crabbers, Drifters and Draggers, Shrimpers and Spinners, and Life-boating Skimmers, Rodliners & Trollers, Molly Maloners, and Go-it-Aloners…Marine Biolers diving below us, Lighthouse preservers and fish stock conservers, Engineers, Auctioneers, Packers and Shippers, Economists, Politicians, and Governments too –You all have still work to do, While the Man in the Moon works for you…Twice Daily!

Enjoy!

Derek aka Sandquay

Dartmouth

TQ6 9GB

I wish I hadn’t bothered

As I didn’t understand a thing

As medicine is going backwards

When at one time

To our very own cottage Hospital

Our illnesses we could bring

I didn’t understand it when people

I have moved here from away

Only take up every medical position

In our Medical practice

When not one person under sixty

Could attend that day

The room was full of comply wealthy

pensioners

But not local mums and dads

Because the meeting needs to start

At 1 o’clock not 6 o’clock

So as a heterogeneous mixture

Of the local medical centres

Customers / patience might be hard

And when I suggested sea swimming

As a way to meet people

And to make good health and mental

Health

I was shot down by another stranger

Saying they liaise with the friends of the Dart

Which wasn’t people like me

But another group full of people of wealth

I think it’s fair to say

But I almost died one day

Over in the hospital at Torbay

Only to wake up seven weeks later

Down in Derriford 30 miles away

My wife she died in Dartmouth hospital

As did my parents

My grandparents

And my father-in-law the same

And now we’ve lost our hospital

Paid for by

The residents of Dartmouth

Not those that don’t know the half of it

Who took their cosy comfy pensions

And sold their city houses

For millions and millions and who are

In the good idea strangulation game

You don’t have to like me I don’t give

A single strand of my tired old grey hair

But I know we had a fantastic cottage

Hospital now we have to travel all over

To people that see us as numbers

And frankly don’t in anyway truly care

It’s right the consultants come out to us

And we don’t travel to them

That’s what used to happened 30 years ago

And they are talking about having happen

Yet again

But where were the people who use food banks

And live up on the estate

Because this town is being strangled

By comfy retired pensioners

And we need to stop it especially medically

Before it’s over and far too late

Oh I have been as ill as it’s possible to be

Then by a miracle I have lived

Reason one because was I supported

By good teams of doctors

And reason , two because it’s not in my heart

To be Revengeful or bitter or

Not to want to help or indeed not to forgive !

You see self-help is the answer

I’m not always little round pills

Together with mental physiotherapy

And physical physiotherapy

And never becoming a slave to any of your ills

Now add in a bit of euthanasia

If the time should be right

Because we’ve got this completely wrong

While veterinarians and animals

Have much better kinder rights

A Poem by Kevin Pyne

Dartmouth