With Memorial Day Weekend behind us, here's my question. Anyone seeing oil on the beach (shoreline, marsh, delta, etc.) in your trips yet? Let's do a running tally. Where were you and roughly the date, if and when you saw oil on the beaches. Is your favorite spot still clear? Anyone hear of valid opportunities for volunteer help?
QUOTE(FosterImposters @ Jun 4 2010, 06:03 PM) [snapback]22386[/snapback] With Memorial Day Weekend behind us, here's my question. Anyone seeing oil on the beach (shoreline, marsh, delta, etc.) in your trips yet? Let's do a running tally. Where were you and roughly the date, if and when you saw oil on the beaches. Is your favorite spot still clear? Anyone hear of valid opportunities for volunteer help? I'd like to go volunteer, too! I think a web site has been set up, but I forgot where it was. JJ
I know absolutely nothing about the credibility of this website, but it was posted on the msnbc.msn.com website. http://www.oilspillvolunteers.com/
Very interesting website. Thanks! B) Confirms what I read this morning regarding the management of all the folks who wish to help. Most of us do not own the type of boats (or rigging) that is currently needed. Basically we need to be patient for the time being.
QUOTE(Texasrvers @ Jun 4 2010, 09:36 PM) [snapback]22393[/snapback] I know absolutely nothing about the credibility of this website, but it was posted on the msnbc.msn.com website. http://www.oilspillvolunteers.com/ Dang! Florida doesn't need out of state volunteers. JJ
Just got back from Navarre Beach Fla. No oil on the beaches there. Same for Pennsacola, but lots of booms in the water. Reports were that most of the oil was staying west of the Panhandle of Fla.
having been a Red Cross volunteer for over 30 years, being there after typhoons in Guam, hurricanes in Hawaii, hurricanes in Florida, floods and tornadoes in Oh/Ky/In area, I can tell you that UNLESS YOU ARE INVITED, unless YOU have your own "room and board" (as any good RV'er would have)... do not go there. "Volunteers" put a heavy load on the infrastructure, always contact the local agency before you just show up.
Being a Florida Native and have seen many. many tar balls in my life, I can say that these are not nearly the problem that bulk is. Tar balls are fairly solid. Many years ago, they were pretty common on the East coast from ship discharges and barge clean ups. Motels would put out buckets and soap to clean your feet before entering the motel. The globular oil that comes up on the beaches and marshes is the huge problems. Bacteria are eating up the oil while it is in the water and the longer it stays out there, they more will be eaten. I just wish we could have had the skimmers out there from the beginning.
QUOTE(Lindsay Richards @ Jun 20 2010, 08:24 PM) [snapback]22643[/snapback] Being a Florida Native and have seen many. many tar balls in my life, I can say that these are not nearly the problem that bulk is. Tar balls are fairly solid. Many years ago, they were pretty common on the East coast from ship discharges and barge clean ups. Motels would put out buckets and soap to clean your feet before entering the motel. The globular oil that comes up on the beaches and marshes is the huge problems. Bacteria are eating up the oil while it is in the water and the longer it stays out there, they more will be eaten. I just wish we could have had the skimmers out there from the beginning. I remember as a kid, the first time we camped in San Diego... talk about oil/tar balls! The Navy was constantly spilling.
Some months ago FL had picked up thousands of tan balls off the Gulf beach's. All were tested and not one come from the BP well in Gulf. Tar balls have been around for thousands of years now.
Russia, China, and strangely enough, Viet Nam are all drilling or preparing to drill in the Florida Straights. They do not take the safeguards that we take (even with recent events). They also can slant drill and get "our" oil. The sad part is we have a whole lot of oil that is easier to get, but is off limits due to political reasons. I do think the problems with tarball from ships and barges has gotten a lots better in the last few decades in the Florida area.
