Posted on 06/15/2010 3:37:52 AM PDT by jackietree
SNIP
Two men spotted what they think could be oil from the BP disaster off a Pinellas County beach while returning home from a fishing trip Sunday morning.
The men, Steve Weiss and David Mokotoff, said they were about four to five miles off Pass-a-Grille beach when they spotted what they believed was an oil sheen on the water.
“We saw this ribbon of orange brown material,” Mokotoff said. “Steve initially thought it might be discharge from somebody’s boat, but then when we got closer it was so long, even though it wasn’t wide we thought about the oil spill and decided to take a closer look at it.”
The men also said they smelled the substance.
“It smelled like oil, so we went back to investigate and, unfortunately, it felt like oil,” Weiss said. “We touched it; you couldn’t get it off your hands.”
SNIP
But these fisherman aren’t as confident [as the Coast Guard].
“I’ve been fishing here probably 23 years since I’ve been living here. This was different, I mean it smelled like oil,” Weiss added. …
Good thing they didn’t taste it!
Oh gee, I wonder how this will affect the drug smugglers?
Floating bales of MJ soaking in crude oil?
Those floating bales are nicknamed "square groupers". There is a restaurant on Cudjoe Key Fl named The Square Grouper.
This is not confirmed as of yet. I live in Pinellas county, and they’ve assured us that this is not confirmed as oil. If you look at the picture, it almost looks like algae, and given the high temperatures lately, it’s entirely possible that algae blooms are present off shore. ‘Tis the season, as they say.
As for the “brown water” on shore at Tampa, from the bottom clip:
It’s definitely not oil, but the dissolved oil could cause algal blooms.
I’m thinking about taking my granddaughter to Sanibel in about 2 weeks - what do you think? Are they giving your area that much time before it hits in that area?
I’m north of Sanibel, but I’m telling EVERYONE to come over here. I was out at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island (voted #1 beach last year) a few weekends ago on the kayak, and the water was gorgeous! Not a spec of oil or anything in the water.
Sanibel is even farther away from the oil (eastward and southward), and we’re so far away from the continental shelf, I don’t worry about oil in this part of the area. So c’mon down and enjoy yourself! The fiancee and I are going on vacation down to Sanibel in a few months, and we have no intention of canceling our plans at this point.
I’ve been going to Sanibel with family fairly regularly since the late 70’s - a great slow paced island. I’m actually going to Anna Maria Island this summer - next week in fact, so I’ve been watching the NOAA spill track just like a hurricane. Based on the rate of advance I’ve been seeing, I’d think you’re ok, but keep checking this link.
PS - I’d definitely go, because you never know what the longer term impact is going to wind up being, so it’d be nice to go once last time before then.
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/book_shelf/2195_SOFM72-2010-06-14-1900.pdf
Thanks! Her parents took them to Hilton Head and there were almost no shells. The beach was great - wide, shallow, flat, sand hard enough to ride a bike.
No better shelling than a Sanibel beach right after a thunderstorm!
I was thinking about it - I have a T-shirt from the Hungry Heron (is it still there?) and pulled it out to wear - and started thinking about how long it’s been since we were there. I think it’s been 10 years - we went for our 25th anniversary and had our 35th this year. (Old t=shirt - not to mention the person wearing it LOL)
Yep, still there. If it’s been 10 years, you’ll probably miss all the Australian pines that the island lost along Periwinkle during the hurricanes. And I can’t remember how long it’s been that the San-tiva pass area has been completely filled in with sand? (Heck, I still think of Jerry’s as the “new” grocery store - compared to Bailey’s!)
Have fun!
Ok, I’ve just been reminded that they dredged the pass back open a year or two ago!
Have to go to Ding Darling too.
My daughter lives on Sanibel, go for it still pristine!!!
We’ll be there during the same time frame. I’ve been watching beach reports, all seems fine (no oil). My fav is Island Cow, yummy! Last year they dredged Blind Pass (we found a junonia!), looking forward to seeing water under the bridge this year. Go and have a great time!
Thanks! A junonia -wow - I’ve found some olives, and I did find a scotch bonnet? is that the name? lots of sand dollars.
A real President would have had cleanup crews headed toward the rig immediately, regulations be damned...
The problem is that zero wants to shut down the oil insustry. We should all be walking or riding bikes to work. He is letting this go on so the rats can pass crap and tax.
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