Ducklings On Møllendalselven

Ducklings In Møllendalselven (tributary). 30/05 16:47

New Traffic Cone

Shiny New Traffic Cone. 30/05

Large Eel

This large eel (believe it or not) was observed 28/05 18:53

Structure / observation

From this point I will try to blog simple images and captions straight from my phone as I observe stuff. In addition, I will post a list of fish/wildlife sightings each month.

Grime

Grimey water. 27/05 14:47

Location - Bridge and Tributary

Here I have posted a map to show where Gamle Nygårdsbro is in Bergen, and also to show the tributary, Møllendalselven, that runs into the fjord / lake from the Svartediket reservoir.

It wasn't until my recent sightings of what appear to be some kind of trout - or perhaps Char - that I began thinking about this as an important relative of Gamle Nygårdsbro and it's environment. It so happens that I work right next to Møllendalselven, so I have made many interesting observations there too.

When I started working there in the summer of 2009, there were usually small trout hanging out in a pool under the bridge by my work place. Since the construction of new student apartments began on the opposite bank of the river, however, that pool has been deserted - although I have seen the local heron catch a trout, and there are still very small "minnows" to be seen regularly in the river. Not only have the construction company shovelled unwanted rubble into the river (they stopped when I came out with a video camera) but they have various drains pumping into it. Occasionally the water gets very cloudy, which may be the result of drainage from the construction site or perhaps something further up stream.

If the fish that I have seen from Gamle Nygårdsbro are trout or char, then I expect that they spawn up the river, although "river" feels like a bit of an overstatement, as it's so shallow for most of the summer that it could almost be called a stream. It is easy to imagine that spawning will be harder during the ongoing construction project, but hopefully not bad enough to have long term consequences??

Location of Gamle Nygårdsbro and Møllendalselven

Cloudy water in Møllendalselven (Møllendals River)
24/05/12, 17:31

Hernon Shit?

This Goldberg installation is proving that it still looks pretty
good, even with birdshit... Does this mean that it's surface is
still suitable for the local heron to fish from? We'll see  

Fish Sightings, April / May

Fish were perhaps the most definite reason that I became interested in observing this site. There used to be several cod swimming about at any given time. I have also seen flat fish and eels.

It is currently quite rare to spot any fish here, but here are some photos and observations from the few sightings I have made over the past few weeks:

Lone Starfish. 10/05/12, 9:47

At one time there were thousands of star fish all over the sea-bed, now there are none… well almost…

Cod Sighting 29/04/12

As Gamle Nygårdsbro has actually been fished from very regularly in recent years, it seems no surprise that other places around the tip of the lake/fjord, Store Lungårdsvann, are as good for spotting fish. This cod seemed clearly visible at the time although you kind-of have to take my word for it in this shot. Taken just behind the bus stop at Florida.

Multiple Fish Sighting (honest!) 16/05/12

On the 16th of May, at around midday, I saw a couple of healthy sized cod, as well as what looked like some very young sea trout swimming in the current. Also a third type of (small) fish with a rounder body. Wish I had a zoom on my phone-camera but hey…

Here it is possible to see one of the "trout". 

Actually I  don't know much about different types of anadromous (migrational) trout. There is a small river that meets the fjord not far from the bridge, but I don't know how likely it is that such small trout would be leaving fresh water territory already??

Cod Sighting 16/05/12

Here you can see a cod.

Unidentified small fish:

On the 26th of May, I saw a whole shoal of small fish (unknown species) playing in the current, as the tide went out. About the length of a hand span.

On the 27, again I saw a couple of these fish. 

Trash

Another interesting aspect of the marine environment by Gamle Nygårdsbro are the various objects that are thrown into the water from the bridge, washed up against it's coulombs or otherwise mysteriously appear. These objects have included many bicycles, shopping trolleys, and traffic cones - staple pollution in many urban waters - swell as other objects/materials.

When I see electronic goods, such as the old modem below, this saddens me particularly as I am concerned that such products may contain harmful substances such as various heavy metals. I have no idea weather or not any of this litter can have significant consequences for the environment and marine life. Bicycles and shopping trolleys can be interesting to observe as they are slowly consumed by the sea bed. My intention here (as with the Gamle Nygårdsbro blog in general) is to present an objective documentary of any developments. This may serve as a reference to those with a more particular environmental interest, or simply as an interesting historical catalogue in it's own right.

Typical trash by Gamle Nygårdsbro

Typical urban trash. Many traffic cones and related objects ended up on the sea bed here during the extensive roadworks involved in constructing the light railway which opened in June 2010.

Disapearing Bikes (re-traced). GN 04/05/12

Bikes In Water @ Gamle Nygårdsbro 29/04/12

Over a period of several years, there were numerous bikes thrown into the water by the bridge. Some of them looked so good that I was tempted to try salvaging them with rope and hooks. Some have disappeared again, likely savaged from a boat or from the bridge. These are on the verge of disappearing in another way…

Modem In Water @ Gamle Nygårdsbro 10/05/12

This electronic device (I think it's an old sort of telephone modem) has been lying on the sea bed for some months. Close to the bridge is a site for domestic waste sorting… there may be a connection.

Birch Tree Under Gamle Nygårdsbro 10/05/12

This birch may have come from beside the nature trail that goes around the fjord.

Birch 04/05/12

Watercolours

The colour of the water and other factors, like how far one can see through it, depends a lot on the time of day, and the strength of the wind and the current.

Common Water Colour. 29/04/12

Murky water with yellow tint. 22/05/12, 14:17
This was a particularly warm, sunny day (about 27°)

10/05/12

Neptune with a twist. 29/04/12

Thorsten Goldberg Installation, 60°N 05°E

Thorsten Goldberg's installation, entitled 60˚ N 05˚ E, is now undergoing it's very last finishing touches. The work is part of a public art program to celebrate Bergen's new light railway. It was the winner of a limited competition in which five artists were invited to design a new work for this site. The work began in April.

Here are some pictures from the construction over the past two months:

Welding the supporting structure. 24/04/12, 12:58

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 24/04/12

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 29/04/12

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 29/04/12

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 29/04/12

Mounting the facade 60°N 05°E  04/05/12, 11:21

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 04/05/12

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 04/05/12

Thorsten Goldberg installation under construction 05/05/12

View towards installation. 10/05/12, 09:39

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 10/05/12

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 10/05/12

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 10/05/12

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 10/05/12

Installation close to completion. 13/05/12, 15: 08

Installation at night. 16/05/12, 01:18

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 16/05/12

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. Construction 16/05/12

Thorsten Goldberg Installation. Almost Complete 22/05/12

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. 22/05/12, 14:11

60°N 05°E by Thorsten Goldberg. 22/05/12, 14:12

Boat Trouble

This boat ran aground under the road bridge,
but managed to come loose and find the right route.
26/05 18:25

Intro Post - The Begining!

I first moved over the bridge (house that is) in 1998. Since then I have walked over the bridge many times over the coarse of an average week, and at all times of day.
I have always been fascinated by the marine and wildlife that live around this bridge, and have enjoyed following the various bicycles, shopping trolleys and other stuff that has been thrown in and (occasionally) fished out again.
When I first started paying attention to this area, staring into the water every time I walked past, there were always fish to be seen. This was part of the initial fascination.
Since then, the site has been through periods when people fished there very actively from the bridge, and now I spot fish more seldom there.
The Sea bed has also changed dramatically several times; at one point there were thousands of starfish all over the bed, and at other times there have been many more muscles. Perhaps these changes have been due to various building projects, such as the installation of the new light railway that now drives along the rout, perhaps due to municipal projects to clean the fjord, or most likely a combination of parameters at various times.
Now that I have a decent camera on my phone, I have decided (finally) to start this blog that is committed to documenting all environmental changes and observations made along Gamle Nygårdsbro.
The most obvious change taking place at the point of this post, is the construction of a large public art installation by Thorsten Goldberg. It replaces a rather interesting natural feature that has been a favourite spot for the local heron, and for the undergraduate arts students from "KiB" who are annually challenged to create something site specific in the area. This is an area that has been subject to relentless change over the past 10 years or so, and I expect such changes will continue, but what they might entail remains to be seen!