A couple posts ago I highlighted a lovely Winter Walk on the beach.
It is only fair to come “clean” with the dirty truth of my beach, as it exists, thanks to the unknown and ongoing effects of the Deepwater Horizon tanker explosion. Thirty-four months later. Long after the contracted cleanup dudes have “done their part” to make a good-faith show that they cared about a place they weren’t from.
Granted, I have no shots of pelicans covered in oil. The major gunk is under control, so we are told.
They supposedly scooped up all the tarballs that washed up, back in 2011:
But here is how my winter walk wound up, for real:
Nice, clear tidepool. But can you spot the the tarball, now in 2013?
No cleanup crews around, and we noticed in the parking lot that the hazmat bin that was there since the explosion was notably absent this time.
More parking spaces.
But no place to deposit the new tarballs.
Pardon my unpainted piggies. I give them a rest Nov-Jan. But BP gave them a new coat.
Shall we call it “Radioactive Red?” or perhaps “Precancerous Pink?” “Petroleum Piggies?”
Or….“Glamorous Gunk?”
Feet are fairly gross to begin with. And, as the commentaries followed the last post about jelly fish, two peas in a pod here:
(Ick)
What I notice, however, is how the petroleum clung to my feet and the jellyfish appeared immune to the effects. My body was prone to the Klingon effect, the jelly fish was by default unable to absorb the intruding chemicals.
I am perplexed how many of the local research entities are split between the effects of the oil spill: some of the most nature-friendly groups have sided with BP, and some of the most “nah, no-big-deal” groups have unearthed some disastrous effects. Some are out-of-state, some are local, some are international. It’s mind-boggling to sort out who has what financial hooks in which group. I got tired of trying to keep track.
It is what it is….
Nevertheless, a fractured scallop shell makes for the most efficient means of scraping errant petroleum off one’s sole:
Am I gonna die?
When will my beach get right?
Is there any place free of the threat of peril?
That whole episode, watching the oil flow freely out of that pipe, day in and day out, in our beautiful ocean made me sick beyond belief. It got to the point that I couldn’t turn on the TV for fear I’d see it. I knew it was a big fat lie when a few months later, after they stopped the flow, they reported that it was all cleaned up. Seriously? They must think we’re total idiots. I suspect we’ll be stepping on tarballs for years to come. It really is upsetting to me, and obviously to you, too. Thanks for posting this – it’s so easily forgotten, isn’t it?
I was hoping it was forgotten until this walk. I was in denial until I could no longer ignore the little shards of shell sticking to my insoles and had to go and look. BP continues to offer large settlements to large entities like local school districts, cities and such, but the tarball-gatherers have all but disappeared. And the tarballs themselves continue to wash up. Thank you, AGL, for your heartfelt comments in a saga not forgotten.
~~ssm
Oh man, how distressing. We are treating our oceans like toilets. I saw the massive trash/plastics gyro in the Pacific. The size of Rhode Island. What insanity. Good, important, disturbing post~
Thank you, Ms. Cindy. It is most disturbing when it’s attached to your body. Otherwise it always seems to be someone else’s problem.
~~ssm
How sad. This is a good reminder that what we do to our earth, has consequences for a long time to come, even if some people pretend it doesn’t.
Oh no, don’t die on us!!!
We do need to be more vigilant and careful to preserve the beauty of our nature…for our kids and theirs.
I was able to degunkify enough to cause me to believe there will be no long-term effects. Agreed, we’re called to practice good stewardship over His dominion. I’m no environmentalist-extremist, but this oil spill on my beaches sure got my goat.
~~ssm
Um, no. I’m not one of them, either. Don’t get me started on that subject… government, regulations…nah. It’s Sunday, want to enjoy the beautiful day! Have a good one!
They are somenice pics of your ocean. Sorry the beach isn’t the same. Its like a good beach walk stained. Ours is still pretty in tact but you never know.
Thanks, 3D…in other news, red snapper is up in record numbers, so it’s not all gloom and doom! Hope your move is going well.
~~ssm
UGH, on the one hand: poor feet. Follow the money on the other. Not a pretty picture and I HATE it.
Thanks, Ms. Tess – me too.
~~ssm