Oil in the Pass and ICW 6/10/10

"The Boom Stops Here!"

Today, Thursday, 10 June, there's oil in Pensacola Pass. This section of boom is tied off to the range marker across from the pass and protects the beach eastward toward Barrancas beach. Unfortunately, there isn't any more boom in place between this point and Sherman Cove to the west. The shoreline is unprotected!

This is one of the NASP's oil skimmers. The skimmer and another boat were encircling some oil on the surface with the boom. What you can't see is a Channel 3 film crew taking some video that will probably make the 10 O'clock news.

At first glance, looking westward down the beach, things appear normal. BUT, looks can be deceiving! When you take a closer look at what makes the high tide line you begin to see the problem that is beginning to develop.

This photo gives you a idea of the relative size of the "tar balls" that came in on the incoming tide.

The tar balls really aren't balls. They are flat clumps of this brownish oily material. This is what it looks like close up.


Looking closer along the shoreline, the problem becomes more obvious. This is oil washing up on the beach!