Large Tar Balls Wash Ashore in Vero Beach, Officials Deny BP Oil Spill Link

[IndianaGreen]

Large Tar Balls Wash Ashore in Vero Beach, Officials Deny BP Oil Spill Link

Source: WPTV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach

Lifeguard says he's never seen anything like these slimy, rust-colored tar balls in 8 years on duty.

Read more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE_2E09-XAY

[Raven]

1. Vero beach is on the east coast of FLA!!!!

[Change Happens]

2. And way up north too!

[IndianaGreen]

3. and Zachary Taylor state park is on the Atlantic side of the Florida keys

and they got lots of tar balls there today.

[HockeyMom]

4. They are also denying it in Ft. Myers

which IS on the Gulf Coast. "We don't know what they are, but they are not Tar Balls."

Maybe BP has been sending payments of those $M's for tourism.

[ProSense]

5. Reuters:

<...>

Many experts believe oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill may have already been caught up in the powerful Loop Current curling around the Florida Peninsula, which could take it into the Florida Keys and possibly up the East Coast.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Jane Lubchenco said that since a southeastern tendril of oil from the slick was close to the Loop Current, it was likely to be swept up in the current, if it was not already.

"When that occurs, oil could reach the Florida Straits in eight to 10 days," she said.

"The possibility for a major ecological disaster in the fragile Keys ecosystem cannot be ruled out," forecaster Jeff Masters of Weather Underground wrote in a blog.

A Coast Guard helicopter and NOAA experts planned to scour the Florida Keys for signs of additional pollution after rangers at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park found 20 tar balls on the shore on Monday. The balls ranged from three to eight inches in diameter.

link

[Beacool]

6. I'm heartbroken about the damage that the spill is causing.

This is going to be far worse than the Exxon Valdez.

:cry:

[Raster]

10. It is already far worse than the Exxon Valdez. This is the equivalent of a Exxon Valdez "spill"

...approximately every 3 days that the "leak" not sealed off. Every. three. days.

[Beacool]

15. Oh, boy..............

:(

[applegrove]

7. So the dispersants change the oil slick into balls? Is that right?

[IndianaGreen]

8. Dispersants created the oil plumes

I don't think the dispersants are the ones that created the tar balls, which occur in any spill.

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. I've lived in Fla and the ships dump their bilges illegally all the time

I've seen tar balls from the keys to Jacksonville. I only hope it's that.

I've surfed Vero many times in my youth which had a decent break.

The only thing I really liked about Florida was nature.... What a crying shame

[peekaloo]

11. True. I've seen tar balls at Cocoa Beach.

if there's a sudden increase I'm sure BP will use your point. It is sad.

[watercolors]

14. Have seen them on Cape Canaveral beaches for years

Lived on the beach over 30 yrs, it was not unusual so see or step in them. Kids always had to check thier feet and we kept a container of wesson oil on patio for them to clean them. So I don't think we should be so quick to label it as being from oil spill!

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

12. I'm in Sarasota

and haven't seen anything yet but you can smell the stench. Last night walking my dog my eyes started to tear up. What a foul smell. As soon as you go outside you can smell it.

[tavalon]

13. I went to school at New College

I was never much of a beach baby, but that still hurts to hear.

[SarasotaDem]

16. Me too

Here in Sarasota as well .... and about 9 miles inland.
Wife and I could smell it too.
Thought it smelled like melting crayons with some creosote mixed in.

Sore throat this morning. :(

[ensho]

17. the bad smell is a big clue - they say that in N.O. the smell is so strong

its hard to breathe