Baltimore bridge collapse

Wade Caves

26 Mar 2024 — 5 min read

Early Tuesday morning, a major disaster struck Baltimore when a large cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a catastrophic collapse that sent vehicles and construction workers plunging into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River below. [1] The Singapore-flagged container ship Dali, which had just departed the Port of Baltimore minutes earlier around 1am, lost power and veered off course, slamming into one of the bridge's main support pillars at approximately 1:28am. Within seconds, a large section of the 1.6 mile bridge crumbled, creating a dire emergency.

As the Sun rose over the devastating scene, a massive search and rescue operation was underway to locate the missing victims, which included members of a road repair crew who had been working on the bridge deck at the time of impact. Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said first responders had already pulled two people from the river, with one transported to the hospital in serious condition. [2] However, he estimated at least seven more remained unaccounted for in the icy, debris-filled waters as rescue divers and helicopters combed the area. With the Port of Baltimore temporarily closed and the governor declaring a state of emergency, officials pledged to do everything possible to rescue survivors and support the families of those affected by this shocking tragedy.

The use of the nodes

The lunar nodes have a specific role in astrology, one that is often reduced to karma or other spiritual components. However, it is useful to understand how to work with them in a practical, grounded way that corresponds with events on this plane.

But first, what are the nodes? The North Node, where the Moon crosses the Sun's path on its journey north, represents growth, progress, and ascending imagery. Conversely, the South Node, where the Moon crosses the Sun's path on its journey south, symbolizes descent and diminishment. Historical astrologers often advised using the North Node when electing times and dates to begin the construction of buildings, while the South Node was encouraged for tearing them down.

"The Lunar Nodes in Practice" – this webinar was first delivered January 27, 2023 to a private audience. It has now been made available for the public.

In general, the South Node indicates old, comfortable habits and choices that are familiar and easily accessible, but often lead to disappointing results. It represents the point where we succumb to choices we know won't work, and often look back on as clear mistakes. Just as gravity helps us fall, there is little effort required in choosing South Node activities.

In contrast, the North Node requires more effort, much like rising up takes more energy than falling down. It represents the point where we step into a higher version of ourselves and make difficult but wise choices.

Often, the nodes operate in a way that is quite literal, indicating things rising or falling in a physical sense. A conjunction to the North Node might signify an elevator's upward journey, while a conjunction to the South Node could represent a tumble down the stairs.

The bridge collapse

The astrology behind the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore reveals a powerful and literal manifestation of the lunar nodes' influence. The event chart features an angular Moon in Libra, ruler of the 8th house of destruction, conjunct the South Node – a mere half a degree apart. The Moon governs shipping, logistics, and travel by sea. Together, this conjunction indicates that a critical error in navigation was made, leading to the devastating collapse of the bridge, a vital component of Baltimore's infrastructure.

The Moon's opposition to Mercury further emphasizes the bridge's significance, as Mercury is often associated with connecting two seemingly disparate places. This aspect underscores the bridge's role in facilitating transportation and communication between different areas of the city.

The chart features a square between Venus and Saturn, both in Pisces, to the ascendant and descendant axis. The presence of both Saturn and Mars in Pisces, with Cancer on the 8th cusp and Scorpio on the 12th, collectively indicate problems in waterways.

The 4th house Sun, ruling the intercepted sign of Leo in the 8th house, further emphasizes the potential for devastating loss. The 8th house is often associated with death and destruction, and the 4th with drowning and submergence in water, suggesting that the incident would have severe and far-reaching consequences for the community. The Sun's placement in Aries, a sign that corresponds to the head or breast of a ship, reflects that the collision involved the front end of the vessel.

Jupiter, the ruler of the ascendant in this chart, is positioned below the horizon, conjunct Uranus. This alignment suggests a disruptive and unexpected influence, as Uranus is known for its unpredictable and erratic nature. With all planets, except for the Moon, located below the horizon, the chart implies that the underlying causes of the incident may not be immediately apparent or visible to the public eye, and reinforces themes of watery immersion.

Marking 47 years of service

When the bridge first opened on March 23, 1977, at 10 am [3], Neptune formed an opposition to the bridge's Gemini ascendant. At the time of the collapse, the bridge's natal angles were inverted, with its inception Neptune at 16° Sagittarius conjunct the collapse ascendant. The bridge's future was dissolved because of the current crisis. The transiting South Node is conjunct the bridge's natal Pluto, signaling a transformation of the most destructive sort, and the end of a cycle.

The bridge's natal Sun at 2° Aries was opposite the recent lunar eclipse at 5° Libra, which is notably conjunct the collapse's midheaven at 10° Libra. This alignment highlights the public nature of the event and its significant impact on the reputation and legacy of the bridge itself, and the vessel.

In the collapse chart, the Moon opposes Mercury, which turns out to have particular significant as Mercury occupies the degree of the bridge's natal Venus and South Node. At the bridge's inception, Venus was retrograde and conjunct the South Node, making 23°-24° Aries a zodiacal ‘weak zone’ for the bridge.

Perhaps the most remarkable connection is the bridge's current Mars return. At its inception, Mars was at 2° Pisces, the exact degree where Mars is positioned at the time of the collapse.

Revisiting old injuries

According to reports, the Dali container ship involved in the catastrophic collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday had previously been involved in another incident at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium in 2016. While departing the Antwerp container terminal en route to Bremerhaven, Germany, the Dali's stern swung around and scraped against the side of the quay wall, causing significant damage to several meters of the ship's hull. [4] The incident, which occurred in good weather conditions, was attributed to a mistake by the ship's master and pilot on board, according to Vessel Finder. The Dali was subsequently detained by authorities for repairs.

While no injuries or pollution resulted from the 2016 incident, the ship did sustain damage to its stern and the berth. The Dali had to be detained for repairs following the collision with the Antwerp port's stone wall. At the time, the vessel was owned by a Greek company, Oceanbulk Maritime, but was being chartered by shipping giant Maersk. The recent revelation of the Dali's previous accident adds another layer to the ongoing investigation into the devastating Baltimore bridge collapse.