ORANGE COUNTY ALMANAC : That Sinking Feeling
In 1907, Huntington Beach brothers Bert and Moris Stearns developed the Wavemotor, a device that was supposed to generate electricity from ocean waves.
They built a pier to operate the device, which was powered by large paddles connected to a generator. But with the first heavy swells, it was ripped loose from the pier and quickly sank beneath the waves.
Source: “Reflections in Orange,” by Merle and Mabel Ramsey
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
