CHAPTER IV, SECTION 4 Figure 4-32. Landing Barge near Barge Stations for Helicopters determined the mooring scheme as shown on Figure 4-33 it was determined that the movement of the center point of the barge could be kept within a 2 foot radius. Effectiveness of the mooring was well established with Station 90, which was placed in position on 8 March 1954 and expended on 27 March 1954. During this period, rather heavy weather was encountered with frequent wind velocities to 35 knots, yet the center point of the barge was retained within the permissible movement tolerances. For laying the moorings for the test barges, ar LCU was fitted with a special heavy wood covering on the after well deck and a heavy steel “A” frame installed at the stern to facilitate the dropping off of the 13,000 lb. anchors and chain. Each anchor was dropped over & Marker buoy which had been pre-iously planted in the position determined by a survey party. With the anchors planted prior to the arrival of the test barge. the tying-up of the tect harge and final positioning was accomplished in three to four hours. The harges were moved from Eniwctok to Bikini, an LCU and three LCMs were used in transfer the barge to the LSD at Eniwetok. At Bikini an LCU and three LCMs were used in undocking and final movement to and tying up to the mooring buoys. On the trial run with Station 30 in late January, the barge was undocked from the LSD off Fox near its final position. With a wind velocity of approximately 20 knots prevailing, the relative movements of the LSD and the harge while it was waterborne within the ship were excessive and hazardous. Due to this experience, all the test barges thereafter were unloaded from the LSD in the leeof tow and then towed to their mooring Stations. This proved entirely satisfactory for all barge Stations. During March of 1954, consideration was given to the feasibility of conducting a different test operation, using a barge Station outside the lagoon and beyond ground tackle depth. Two sea anchors were made of heavy canvas, forming an open-end cone ten feet long, ten feet in diameter at one end and sixteen inches in diameter at the other end, hich was fitted over one inch pipe spreaders a’ quipped with a manila line bridle 20 feet lor. he depth of sea anchor was controlled by usc of two buovs. These sea anchors were tested in the deep entrance of Eniwetok Lagoon and were found to hold the stern of the barge within 245 degrees of the wind direction. After completion of this test of sea anchors, the proposal for the test in the open sea was abandoned. Barges were used for Stations 10, 30, 40 and 90. They were also used for scientific purposes as follows: Station 1840.01 - Moored close in off How. Station 650 - First moored off Ursula for the Echo event and then, when this was cancelled. it was moored in the western end of Eniwetok Lagoon for the Nectar event. Decontamination Barge - Fitted out as a decontamination Station and generally tied alongside the USNS Ainsworth. A landing barge for helicopters in the Bikini Lagoon is shown in Figure 4-32. The high winds and heavy seas generally prevailing in Bikini Lagoon during the operational phase was the cause of considerable recovery, repair and replacement work on the series 250 Stations. These S‘ations, designed and originally planted by Project 2.5 personnel, had too light a mooring gear for the rough Page 4-43