Mystery Slick Spotted On Charles River, Cambridge, MA - (ewe! Gross!)

[Breeze54]

Mystery Slick Spotted On Charles River

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/16273734/detail.html

Crews Trying To Find Source Of Chemical

POSTED: 11:34 am EDT May 15, 2008

BOSTON --

Crews are working to figure out the source of a chemical spill on the Charles River on Thursday.

Raw Video: Mystery Slick On Charles River: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/16273890/index.html

The slick, which stretches for about 300 yards, is between the Longfellow Bridge and the Charles River Dam.



Crews said they believe a barge on the Cambridge-side of the river might have leaked some kind of chemical.

"The barge is on the Cambridge side that we think is the source of the leak. The barge on the Boston side doesn't seem to have anything leaking," said Boston Fire Lt. Michael Towns.

A spokesman for the barge company that is working on the Longfellow Bridge, New England Bridge Contractors, said they have checked their barges and they are not the source of any leaks on the Charles River.

Boston fire said the chemical could be either gas or some kind of hydraulic fluid.

"Both barges supposedly have containers of different types of fluids -- gasoline and maybe diesel fluid and hydraulic fluids. We are going to investigate further," Towns said.

State police have asked amphibious sightseeing vehicles and other boats to stay in the center of the river so crews can determine the source of the leak and identify chemical.

[Javaman]

1. Oh, I love that dirty water....oh oh boston you're my home!" nt

[Breeze54]

2. LOL....

:spray:

Actually, this really sucks, as the river has been cleaned up enough to swim in, they say. :(

Not anymore! :(

[Javaman]

3. Also being from the northeast myself, it's truly sad the state of the rivers,

bays, inlets, etc. up there now.

you take your life in your hands if you eat "fresh" caught shellfish.

[Breeze54]

6. That's not true at all... there are chowda contests coming up this week!

ME & MA and a few other states are experiencing 'red tide' but that happens
anyway in the spring, from ME to FL. Hopefully it will clear up by summer!

---------

Shellfish areas closed due to red tide

May 01, 2008

http://www.wickedlocal.com/orleans/news/x1880417330

Orleans - Town Cove and the Nauset Harbor area are closed to shellfishing due to red tide.

Nauset Estuary, south of a line drawn from Weesit Point east to the town boundary marker on
the north end of Tern Island, is closed to the taking of any and all shellfish until further
notice due to red tide in the Pleasant Bay area.

Meetinghouse Pond, north of a line drawn around the floating docks at Nauset Marine East,
is open for the taking of all shellfish. Lonnies Pond, from the launching ramp at the town
landing to the herring run, is open for family permits only.

The entirety of Paw Wah Pond and the creek road is closed for the taking of all shellfish.

Quanset Pond and Little Quanset Pond to a depth of 3 feet as measured at low water is
open to the taking of shellfish for family permits only.

Pochet Creek, north of a line drawn from the "No Shellfishing" sign on Pochet Neck to the
"No Shellfishing" sign on the opposite shore (Nauset Beach), is closed for the taking of
all shellfish.

The remainder of the Pochet Inlet area will be open.

The Rock Harbor, Namskaket and Little Namskaket creeks, inside lines drawn across the mouth
of each, are closed for the taking of all shellfish.

The entirety of the inter-tidal flats from Rock Harbor to Namskaket Creek out to the
low-water mark is open for the taking of all shellfish.

Any questions should be directed to the shellfish department, 508-240-3755.

For the most up-to-date information, visit www.town.orleans.ma.us.

Some area's in that town are closed but not all. - PDF file
http://www.town.orleans.ma.us/pdf/departments/harbor/pspclosurenotice2.pdf

----------------

What is Red Tide?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_tide

"Red tide" is a common name for a phenomenon known as an algal bloom, an event in which estuarine, marine, or fresh water algae accumulate rapidly in the water column, or "bloom". These algae, more specifically phytoplankton, are microscopic, single-celled protists, plant-like organisms that can form dense, visible patches near the water's surface.

More...

[Javaman]

10. I guess it really depends on the area. The L.I. sound is really scary.

as a kid I would think nothing of digging for clams, now not so much.

[coriolis]

5. That's the problem...somebody (Rove?) DID swim in it!

:rofl:

[Breeze54]

7. He doesn't come here that often!

:P

[Sabriel]

4. That's nothing new

We came back from a practice row once with "gunk" on all the oar blades and bottom of the shell. Nasty, greasy, gray stuff that didn't wash off easily. Yecccchhh.

[gatorboy]

8. In other news, Paul Wolfowitz just washed his hair near the Charles River...

[Breeze54]

9. That would explain all the chemicals!

:P

I didn't know all those asshats were here today! :P