Haddonfield - after the great flood?

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,826
3,007
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
I just watched the Spielberg movie AI again, and with some of the recent talk here about global warming I remembered something which bothered me about the details the first time I saw that movie.

The film is evidently set somewhere near Haddonfield, where Spielberg lived for awhile when he was a kid; they mention Haddonfield and Trenton. When they go to "Rouge City" they cross the Delaware River.... I'm guessing that's what has become of Philadelphia. OTOH, maybe I'm wrong and they're actually somewhere in Upstate Jersey because you can see mountains outside the apartment windows (or maybe the designer just didn't know any better)?

At the beginning of the film the narrator says it's set in a time in the future when greenhouse gasses caused the polar ice caps to melt, destroying the great cities on the coasts, including New York. Later in the movie they go to New York where the sea has risen all the way to the bottom of the torch on the statue of liberty.

Now if New York was flooded that deep then surely Haddonfield, the Delaware and Philadelphia would also be submerged under hundreds of feet of water too. I think most of Haddonfield is only around 60' elevation.

OK, OK, it's only a movie and obviously a fantasy. But for a fun mental exercise... where would the new beachfront property be if the oceans really rose that high? The Poconos and Catskills? They certainly wouldn't have to rise very far to put the pine barrens back at the bottom of the sea, like they used to be :)
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,952
8,695
It will happen one day, but I don't think we have that to worry about that. At least lets hope so.

Guy
 

Trailhead00

Explorer
Mar 9, 2005
375
1
48
Haddonfield, NJ
The ice caps are already in the water, so nothing happens besides new shipping lanes. It's when the glaciers melt that are on land that could cause a problem my adding water to the oceans. Let an ice cube melt in a glass and see if the water rises.
I did not see Al Gore's movie but if he said that the ice caps melting would cause the sea levels to rise, he is an idiot. If you are going to make a movie like that it better be specific and be truthful.
Thank god Al Gore invented the internet so I could do research on the subject.
Honestly though, if the sea levels did rise Haddonfield would be okay. They have so much money they would build some sort of wall around the town or elevate the area, haha.
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,826
3,007
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
Heh, if the ocean level rose 20 feet I don't think it would quite reach the torch on the statue of liberty. That would have to be a couple hundred feet... could that even be possible?
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,054
3,327
Pestletown, N.J.
The ice caps are already in the water, so nothing happens besides new shipping lanes. It's when the glaciers melt that are on land that could cause a problem my adding water to the oceans.

I did two weeks on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska 4 years ago and did some minor hiking around what is known as the Exit Galcier. Here is a link: http://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/exit-glacier.htm
As you drive up to it, there are signs along the road marking where the glacier was at various points in recent history.
Pretty amazing to drive by signs that say 1900, 1940, 1970, etc. and you haven't seen the glacier come in to view yet.
We were there in July, so the galacier was melting anyway but it was impressive.
Everyone should try and see Alaska at least once before they kick the bucket.
Scott
 

LARGO

Piney
Sep 7, 2005
1,553
134
54
Pestletown
However it will work out for us in NJ, I am comforted that we have boats. :)


A South Jersey & Jersey Pines character trait... some piece of crap broken down boat for sale on any given corner or every so many houses along the way. Heck if the worst happens, maybe they'll all find homes. Or be homes.

G.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,662
4,841
Pines; Bamber area
The ice caps are already in the water, so nothing happens besides new shipping lanes. It's when the glaciers melt that are on land that could cause a problem my adding water to the oceans. Let an ice cube melt in a glass and see if the water rises.
I did not see Al Gore's movie but if he said that the ice caps melting would cause the sea levels to rise, he is an idiot. If you are going to make a movie like that it better be specific and be truthful.
Thank god Al Gore invented the internet so I could do research on the subject.
Honestly though, if the sea levels did rise Haddonfield would be okay. They have so much money they would build some sort of wall around the town or elevate the area, haha.

I don't know Trailhead, I think ice caps are over land. You know, like putting a cap on something? You dig?
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,054
3,327
Pestletown, N.J.
Antarctica is a land mass so all that melt off would be added to the water level.
Anyway, if it got that bad, couldn't we just offset it with a nuclear winter? :rolleyes:

Steve

Meet you on top of Apple Pie Hill when the S hits the fan. Should be high enough.
I got the wine and I'll bring the smoked deer meat.
Scott
 

lgench

Explorer
Jan 19, 2005
125
0
Bristol, PA
A South Jersey & Jersey Pines character trait... some piece of crap broken down boat for sale on any given corner or every so many houses along the way. Heck if the worst happens, maybe they'll all find homes. Or be homes.

G.

Especially the old wooden ones you see everywhere. Yeah, they're worth saving in the yard. Keeps the bugs happy though!

Len
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,620
564
Galloway
King,

Do you have any links to studies which support your claim? I'd be interested in seeing that.

Trailhead,

As Bob pointed out, ice caps cover land. You ice cube in a glass analogy is fatally flawed, I'm afraid to say.
 

Trailhead00

Explorer
Mar 9, 2005
375
1
48
Haddonfield, NJ
I agree that any glaciers that melt could cause the ocean levels to rise and if all the snow and ice melted off of Antartica the same would happen. I was just thinking of the North Pole area, that ice cap is suspended in water, so if it melts, nothing happens.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,952
8,695
So it appears the only way Haddonfield could be underwater is if there is an earthquake.

Guy
 

kingofthepines

Explorer
Sep 10, 2003
268
7
the final outpost
USS Nautilus
1958: Journey under the ice cap to the North Pole by submarine.
Because of the ability to remain submerged for long periods, the nuclear-powered USS Nautilus was chosen to make the first crossing under the North Pole. Under command of Captain W. R. Anderson, she left Pearl Harbor on July 28, 1958, travelling through the Bering Strait and under the Arctic ice pack. After reaching the geographic North Pole on August 3, the submarine then completed her trans-polar voyage, arriving in Portland, England on August 12.

Paddler you don't need a study. Fill a glass to the top with ice cubes and then fill the glass with water. Come back in 3 hours and see how much the water level has risen and spilled all over. Answer................absolutely none.
 
Top