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WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and his family will vacation on Florida's Gulf Coast next month, the White House said Thursday. The Obamas are scheduled to travel to the coast on Aug. 14 and stay the weekend. More details about precisely where they would stay were to be released later, the White House said. Obama has made four trips to the Gulf region, including one overnight stay, since an underwater well began spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico in April. First lady Michelle Obama is making her second visit to the area on Friday.

I've always liked the rare and unique coastal waterfall. This one is Alamere Falls, on the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Norwegian coast (click for full size) Adriatic coast (click for full size) Another on the Adriatic, under moonlight

COVINGTON, La. (May 28) - BP's chief executive cautioned Friday that it will be two more days before anyone knows if the latest fix attempt will stop the oil spewing into the sea, and President Barack Obama arrived on the Gulf Coast to tell residents they are not alone in dealing with it. The spill has already become the worst in U.S. history, and there are no guarantees the so-called "top kill" being tried for the first time 5,000 feet underwater will work.

The Night Beat: Obama To Lousiana Coast? Apr 30 2010, 9:43 PM ET | Comment What matters tomorrow ... tonight. Read it and sleep. President Obama plans to visit the catastrophe zone off Lousiana's coast within the next 48 hours as SecDef Gates mobilizes the Lousiana National Guard and WH convenes a principal-level homeland security response meeting. Republicans begin to question speed of Obama's response. Hannity: "They did nothing for nine days." ... Why is this oil spill unlike other oil spills? Ecologist Willy Bramis notes that there's no ship hull here to limit the amount of oil that's spilled......

WHOA: Oil Spill May Be 5X Previous Estimates, And Could Pass Exxon Valdez TOMORROW Gus Lubin Apr. 30, 2010, 4:17 PM The Deepwater Horizon oil leak could be leaking at a rate of 25,000 barrels a day, five times yesterday's estimate. The leak rate is 25 times BP's initial estimate of 1,000 barrels per day. If the new numbers are correct, the Gulf of Mexico spill is will pass Exxon Valdez tomorrow. The 1989 spill involved 260,000 barrels of oil.[snip]

We should all know by now that the Obama administration’s plan to spend up to $200 million on civilian trials for terrorists is dangerous. It’s also wasteful. Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, is a site perfectly suited to such trials—and detentions. If not there, then Adak, in the middle of the Aleutians would do just fine. The Washington Post shows us why that $200 million is also a waste of money. The U.S. Coast Guard should play an important role in our homeland security. After all, that was the stated reason for moving the Coast Guard out of the U.S. Transportation Department...

More than 50 oil tankers are anchored off Britain - pieces in a game in which the only winners are market speculators. The losers are the millions of British motorists paying over the odds for their petrol and diesel. After yesterday's report in the Daily Mail on how several so-called 'oil shark' tankers were moored near the Devon coast, dozens more vessels were revealed to be loitering off-shore. Some are carrying aircraft fuel or fuel for homes. Others are empty, waiting to be restocked before setting off around the globe. But according to industry experts, a significant number are 'oil...

3 great whites are ID’d off coastTags put on 2 sharks; some beaches closed By Meghan E. Irons Globe Staff / September 6, 2009 The fisherman had just one shot to mark the great white. Captain Bill Chaprales walked to the front of his 22-foot harpoon vessel, raised the 12-foot-long tagging pole, and threw it purposefully onto the back side of the enormous shark, which was 4 to 5 feet below the surface. Tagged. “He did it in one shot,’’ said state biologist Greg Skomal, whose team tagged two great whites yesterday. “We don’t swing the bat unless it’s a...

Just some striking and serene seashore shots. Bow Fiddle Rock, Scotland The rest of these were taken from Cave Rock on Sumner Beach, Christchurch, New Zealand. The last one shows what Cave Rock looks like; it's a Panoramio picture, so click for full-size.

Poll: Most coastal residents unprepared for hurricanesMay 2009 hurricane awareness poll results BY CURTIS MORGAN Hurricanes may flood entire cities, rip off roofs and level trees every year, but when it comes to overcoming public apathy, they're stunningly powerless. Two-thirds of residents in Florida and other coastal states feel no threat from storms. More than half would not evacuate in the face of a major storm unless ordered to do so. Nearly half don't even know whether their homeowner's insurance covers storm damage. Those are some of the key findings from a new poll released Thursday at Florida International University...

OC Family Grateful Editor: Saturday, April 25, 2009 was a beautiful day, and it was made even more wonderful by the outpouring of affection expressed toward Captain Robert S. Craig at his Beach Memorial Service. The Craig children and family appreciate all that was done to honor our “Pop,” a man so many in Ocean City have known and loved for so many years. The Beach Memorial was truly memorable and more special than we could have possibly imagined. We have many people to thank for their efforts in making it happen. We learned very quickly that organizing such an...

(At right) Flanked by friends and family members, a wreath is carried down the beach to be released into the ocean in memory of Craig, "founding father" of the Beach Patrol. Carrying the wreath is the current head of the organization, Capt. Butch Arbin, who is flanked by Craig's son, Robert Craig, and grandson, Christopher Craig. (Above) Sean Williams pushes a surf board, carrying the wreath and the ashes of Capt. Craig, toward a Coast Guard boat, which released the wreath farther from the shore.

News Release: April 8, 2009 Memorial Service planned to honor Captain Robert S. Craig Ocean City, MD – A memorial service for Captain Robert (Bob) S. Craig will be held 3 p.m. Saturday, April 25 on the beach at North Division Street. Captain Craig passed away on Saturday, March 28 at the age of 90. Captain Craig joined the Ocean City Beach Patrol in 1935 and served as its captain from 1946 until retiring in 1987. Captain Craig is credited with building the Ocean City Beach Patrol into the professional organization it is known as today. When Captain Craig turned...

(April 3, 2009) The man who not only epitomized the Ocean City Beach Patrol, but also built it into a serious and professional organization, passed away Saturday. When Capt. Robert (Bob) S. Craig turned 90 last July, a competition, dinner and slide show honored him for his 52 years as a town employee and member of the Beach Patrol. Thousands knew Craig from his years guiding the Beach Patrol and taking it from a small, relatively unskilled group of young men to a large group of highly skilled young men and women. Capt. Butch Arbin, the current head of the...

OCEAN CITY – Ocean City lost a treasured icon this week when Captain Robert S. Craig, who shepherded the Beach Patrol through decades of change and inspired his young charges for half a century passed away at the age of 90. Captain Craig, as he was known for decades not only by the thousands of lifeguards who worked with him and for him but also by the countless millions of local residents and visitors to the resort area, passed away last Saturday at the Coastal Hospice in Salisbury at the age of 90. A former schoolteacher and coach, Captain Craig...

First picture comes from the link in the header. Others I found. Got inspired when I found an old National Geographic at the dentist's office. Click for larger size Speaking of NatGeo (half-size, click for full. Desktop download) Next two are the only size I could find; wow.

Another shot from the talented Danny Burk: I wondered how Monument Cove looked to other photographers: Find the monument:

MUMBAI: M V Alpha, a ship which is suspected to have carried the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks, was today found 112 km from here by the Coast Guard, officials said. A CG spokesman said that searches were being carried out on board the ship but declined to elaborate. The Coast Guard had launched two aircraft, choppers and its vessels after receiving information that the ship could have carried the terrorists from Gujarat to Mumbai.

I always post these to the Arts/Photography group, even though I check to see if they're in the Science group. I decided to emphasize art for a couple of weeks. So don't get bored with the pictures from this site. I won't. (Note: current events may influence my choices). Rock formations and sea surf at Dyrholaey, Iceland