# Op Open Spirit



## Halifax Tar (28 May 2018)

News article of the Op we are just wrapping up. 

Estonia is awesome, if you get the chance I highly suggest a visit. 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-navy-divers-clear-mines-1.4676109


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## Oldgateboatdriver (28 May 2018)

Four old mines detonated this year ... 100,000 to go. So we're in business for the next 25,000 years.

Yep!  Our jobs are secure.   ;D


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## CBH99 (3 Jan 2019)

Question more from the technical side...

Detonating 2 mines, out of an estimated 100,000 seems...well intentioned.  And absolutely BZ to FDU folks who did so.


It seems to my untrained mind that if there are 100,000 of these things on the sea floor...they'd be fairly easy to find??  Or have they become more or less 'engulfed' by the sea floor, barnacles, growth, etc etc that accessing them is the difficult part?  Environmental concerns?

Just seems - again, asked innocently & fully aware I have zero experience in this - that if there are roughly 100,000 of them...we should be finding more than 1 or 2?


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## Halifax Tar (3 Jan 2019)

CBH99 said:
			
		

> Question more from the technical side...
> 
> Detonating 2 mines, out of an estimated 100,000 seems...well intentioned.  And absolutely BZ to FDU folks who did so.
> 
> ...



I am no diver but I was there on this OP supporting the FDU(A) folks.  Its my understanding that most/many/lots have sunk into what is a soft sea floor.  Also some of those contacts are not mines but mine chairs, other mine accouterments; and other magnetic anomalies found by the mine sweepers.  

Also we found two but there were a slew of other countries dive teams who found some as well, if my memory serves me correct.


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## Blackadder1916 (3 Jan 2019)

CBH99 said:
			
		

> Just seems - again, asked innocently & fully aware I have zero experience in this - that if there are roughly 100,000 of them...we should be finding more than 1 or 2?



For comparison

Baltic Sea - 377,000 km2 (146,000 sq mi)

Nova Scotia - 52,942 km2 (20,441 sq mi)

So, needle meet haystack.


https://navaltoday.com/2018/05/28/baltic-sea-mine-warfare-drill-open-spirit-draws-to-a-close/


> Baltic Sea mine warfare drill Open Spirit draws to a close
> 
> The Estonian-hosted mine warfare drill Open Spirit concluded in the Baltic Sea on May 25.
> 
> ...


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