Japan -- Serious Trouble

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Reactor Problems

Charles:

We have been following the news about the Fukushima reactors with growing concern.

What _should_ have happened was that the plant crews covered the reactor cores with water, and cooled them down until the reactors could be "entombed".

What _has_ happened is a succession of failures to accomplish that goal. The latest report is that one of the containment vessels has "probably" ruptured, and a pool holding "spent" fuel rods under water is running out of water.

This suggests an escalating series of failures to contain the problem. It's nobody's "fault", except the people on the design team who didn't anticipate the effect of a Richter 9.0 earthquake and the resulting tsunami.

The danger, of course, is that the reactor cores (and spent fuel) will continue to heat up, and eventually explode, spreading radioactive debris over a wide area. It won't be a "nuclear" explosion, but the radioactive cloud will probably be large and widespread.

Decision

We are now in Kyoto -- arrived on Tuesday. We're about 350 miles SW of the reactors.

With everyone around us calm, and going about their daily business, it's difficult to say:

. . . "This trip is over."

But when we heard that crews were being pulled out of the reactor area because of rising radiation levels, my gut said:

. . . Get out now!

So we have booked flights leaving from Osaka airport this Friday (18 March)(Thursday in North America), heading back to Vancouver.

We'll be writing up some unfinished logs, and taking a tour of Kyoto tomorrow.

We hope our fears are groundless. And we'll be thinking about the Japanese we've met and liked.

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Comments

[sharon ramsay]

sad news
I am sad to think that circumstances have made your choice necessary but, very happy you made the decision to come home. I will be very happy to hear that you have landed safely in Vancouver. love S

[john and mary java]

So glad you are safe
We just updated your situation and think you made a good decision. You have to follow your gut reaction. Your pictures are great and know this is a trip you will remember forever!

[Molly]

Your return
I've read your 3/16 blog post and passed along to Aviva, Richard and David the info that you are returning on 3/18. You have certainly had a unique trip.

[Barbara Halparin]

Good decision. Safe trip home, Sandra and Charles.