•6:26 AM
June 5, 1020 6:27 a.m.
So sad today about Pensacola Beach.
Pensacola Beach, of all places. It is hard to believe. Gooey sticky tar balls that you can barely wash off your hands. White powder being transformed into a yellow globby cake, coming in with the suddenness of a single morning when beach lovers discovered it on their early morning walk.
Will this beach ever be the same in our lifetimes?
We knew it was happening; after all, the media have plastered this story all over the place. I think part of me was hoping that this was subject to some of the same hype that the MSM has applied to other stories, especially since this pertained to "Big Oil". We were hoping it wasn't really as bad as they made it sound. It was out there. Somebody else's problem.
But as quickly as a wave crashes onto land, this story became reality when it started affecting one of our famously pristine beaches, and the first beach in our state. All in the suddenness of a single morning.
We just spent Memorial Day weekend in Pensacola, but we didn't go to the beach. We were visiting my MIL in her nursing home. During some free time, we met with Self-Reliant Man's uncle, a beach lover, who had been there. We asked him if he had seen any oil, and he shook his head vehemently while uttering a staccato "No!"
Five days later, it has all changed.
Memorial Day weekend may have been the last weekend that Pensacola Beach was clean.
And you all missed it.
This fills me with anger and I don't know where to direct it. In fact, I am surprised at my reaction to this. I guess I am more of an environmentalist than I realized. Now, as reality hits, I do find myself wondering if it really could be carried around our coast by the Gulf stream. I find myself wondering what would happen if a typical summer tropical storm or hurricane -- you know, the kind that hits that part of the gulf nearly every year -- were to bring about a big storm surge right now. I am wondering when, and where, it is going to end.
It is unspeakably sad.
Saturday Morning Update: As daylight hits the Gulf Coast, they are now reporting sheets of oil coming ashore at Gulf Shores, Alabama, just to the west of Pensacola and Navarre. Residents of the area are in tears. I'm afraid it's over, folks.
So sad today about Pensacola Beach.
Pensacola Beach, of all places. It is hard to believe. Gooey sticky tar balls that you can barely wash off your hands. White powder being transformed into a yellow globby cake, coming in with the suddenness of a single morning when beach lovers discovered it on their early morning walk.
Will this beach ever be the same in our lifetimes?
We knew it was happening; after all, the media have plastered this story all over the place. I think part of me was hoping that this was subject to some of the same hype that the MSM has applied to other stories, especially since this pertained to "Big Oil". We were hoping it wasn't really as bad as they made it sound. It was out there. Somebody else's problem.
But as quickly as a wave crashes onto land, this story became reality when it started affecting one of our famously pristine beaches, and the first beach in our state. All in the suddenness of a single morning.
We just spent Memorial Day weekend in Pensacola, but we didn't go to the beach. We were visiting my MIL in her nursing home. During some free time, we met with Self-Reliant Man's uncle, a beach lover, who had been there. We asked him if he had seen any oil, and he shook his head vehemently while uttering a staccato "No!"
Five days later, it has all changed.
Memorial Day weekend may have been the last weekend that Pensacola Beach was clean.
And you all missed it.
This fills me with anger and I don't know where to direct it. In fact, I am surprised at my reaction to this. I guess I am more of an environmentalist than I realized. Now, as reality hits, I do find myself wondering if it really could be carried around our coast by the Gulf stream. I find myself wondering what would happen if a typical summer tropical storm or hurricane -- you know, the kind that hits that part of the gulf nearly every year -- were to bring about a big storm surge right now. I am wondering when, and where, it is going to end.
It is unspeakably sad.
Saturday Morning Update: As daylight hits the Gulf Coast, they are now reporting sheets of oil coming ashore at Gulf Shores, Alabama, just to the west of Pensacola and Navarre. Residents of the area are in tears. I'm afraid it's over, folks.
2 comments:
I hear you my friend. We live on the east coast of Florida and were talking about the effect that it would have if it made it's way around here.
That is going to devastate the economy over there and ruin the beautiful beaches and the fact that Mr. President is shutting down the space program over here means thousands of jobs lost on this side of the state. And all the while I'm wondering what's in store for our great state of Florida. It's all so sad.
Know that you're not alone in your thoughts.
HUGS
Kim
It is so dreadful. People here are ashamed that it is 'British' Petroleum.