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I don't think you're stupid. Not at all. I get some of my best data from your compatriots in the Channel area. I few years ago we located a couple of Thiokol boosters that had sunk to the bottom because of reported snags. And the fishermen have helped some of our biologists locate hard bottom areas or sites to send out side scan sonar.

I think your account is facinating. Maybe you could provide me with some Loran coordinates or GPS coordinates next time you observe seepage.

Yeah, the locals have always been aware of where the Montebello went down. I am pretty sure it was observed sinking from shore. And of course the crew had taken to the boats. The folks at MBARI, some old friends of mine, like to get stuff into print. Others are looking for research grant money, so they "discover" and impeding crisis. Fact of the matter is, the oil still in the Montebello probably is denser than seawater by now, so it won't float. It will just flow on out on the seafloor around the wreck and be slowly destroyed by baterial and other biological activity.

Speaking of fishing, our "friends" in Fish and Game are dead set on ruining the commercial rock cod business ... at least south of you folks.

I'll tell you what I'll do. I will try to plot the general location of your siting with my geologic maps of the area. The geologic maps don't have the good bathymetry you work with, and you clearly have a much better knowledge wrecks and the hard bottom area .. so I'll take your word for it. I wonder if WE might be able to find a fault plane along which the oil is seeping?

P.S. Before I went back to college, I had my Z card (USMM)and was working toward a rating. There's not a salty phase you could turn that would cause me to blush! ;^)