In my second week as a new producer for Rhode Island PBS, I found myself with an unexpected opportunity few can claim: traveling by boat to Cape Cod’s offshore wind farm to capture drone images for a collaborative public media story.
As I hopped aboard the “Islander,” chartered by Patriot Party Boats. I was eager for an exciting experience. Accompanying me were over a dozen journalists from Connecticut Public, Cape & Islands, New England News Collaborative, WBUR, and Maine Public. We were also privileged to talk with experts Sanjay Arwade, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a civil engineer, Amber Hewitt, senior director of Offshore Wind Energy at the National Wildlife Federation; and Michael Moore, whale expert and biologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
For me, this felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see and document an offshore wind farm from a dynamic perspective, offering our communities a glimpse into the developments off Cape Cod.
Vineyard Wind Farm is located 15 miles off the Massachusetts mainland. The site was chosen by an intergovernmental task force for its optimal conditions of powerful and consistent wind speeds. I was intrigued to learn that the wind turbines are spaced one mile apart from one another, showcasing the size of the offshore wind farm.
While aboard the “Islander,” my goal was to capture the scale and beauty of the turbines through a series of wide and close-up photography and videography. As we embarked on the two-hour journey to the site, the distant “toothpicks” slowly revealed themselves as massive turbines. We were in awe as we approached.
To truly appreciate the scale of these structures, I launched my drone from the boat, capturing a soaring view of the wind farm. The drone performed perfectly, providing a phenomenal perspective of the turbines’ size and the vast field they situated. As I piloted the drone to the top of the turbine blades, clouds were visibly grazing the tops. I found myself astonished by the sheer magnitude of the turbines and the project.
This experience not only broadened my understanding of renewable energy; it also deepened my appreciation of the innovative spirit driving this project. I look forward to learning how much of the electricity generated by these turbines will power the state of Massachusetts. I’m also curious how the project will impact the way other New England states approach offshore wind farming. I am grateful for the opportunity to travel off the coast of Cape Cod and document these offshore wind turbines with my colleagues. I am eagerly waiting for my next adventure with RI PBS!
