How has the Gulf Oil Disaster Affected You?

[Trollnheel]

A Keys trip in February may be out of the question now

[PCPursuit]

I've been affected by the spill in that I, too, am unable to fish the areas I have fished my whole life-the east side of the Biloxi marsh all the way to Southwest Pass and around to West Bay west of the MS River. I've seen "tarballs" by the thousands and small areas oil-soaked sand along the east side of Southwest Pass as well as emulsified or dispersed oil in the surf along this beach. Nothing is being done down there to clean it up, at least as of a week ago, and I can't imagine they would be able to stop this emulsified slop from coming ashore due to the fact that it is suspended in the water column. There are thousands of feet of boom along that area and oil still gets ashore, so I have no confidence in the effectiveness of this line of defense to protect our coastline.

My biggest pet peeve in all of this is the ridiculous estimate of oil leaked in the beginning. While they were claiming one to five thousand barrels of oil were leaking per day and that the environmental impact would be modest, they are now claiming the containment cap is capturing eleven thousand barrels a day and that this could be a third to half the volume flowing from the BOP. I realize the flow increased after cutting away the riser, but it still reflects BPs failure to give accurate information, i.e. downplaying the significance of the spill. I don't trust much that comes from Tony Hayward's mouth. I can't believe he hasn't been replaced. Then again, doing so would be an admission of BPs mistakes.

I believe drilling should continue, but I believe Louisiana should quit being the whipping boy for the oil companies, as Louisiana has the commodity everyone wants and, to a certain extent, they hold the cards. I am not talking about over-taxing the industry, but I do believe LA could do a much better job of forcing oil companies to be better stewards of the land and environment. Louisiana is disappearing quickly due to oil exploration and, although they are supposed to mitigate their damage, take a look at a satellite picture of south Louisiana sometime and look at the endless miles of canals dug for the purpose of oil and gas exploration. What this has done is destabilize the marsh, allowing erosion and more and more salt water intrusion, as well as the removal of coastal buffers of storm surge. It would take trillions, not billions, of dollars to reclaim this land and protect what is still there. Cutting a couple of holes in the bank of the MS River and opening a few of the diversion canals will never keep up, especially considering the fact that the river carries only a fraction of the land-building sediment it did when these areas were created, due to flood control and bank stabilization revetments.

Edited June 9, 2010 by PCPursuit

[bravura25]

Pensacola Area.

I am in the boat repair business and I have lost work. It seems it is going to get much worse. I know dive boat skippers who are doing lawn care for $8 hourly just to get by.

While the oil has not entered Pensacola Bay - YET - It will soon. Boom are ready as are some oil skimmers. Then our fishing industry is dead!

Today, 9 June, state waters are open for fishing, but people are afraid. It was reported today that we have lost millions in local bed tax. Tourists are cancelling their reservations at Pensacola Beach hotels and their charter boat fishing trips.

This is/will devastate our already damaged local economy.

[CC Rider]

Depressed,angry,sad. I hope deep-water drilling gets a lot more heavily regulated. Accidents happen, but this is ridiculas.

[gmack]

I believe drilling should continue, but I believe Louisiana should quit being the whipping boy for the oil companies, as Louisiana has the commodity everyone wants and, to a certain extent, they hold the cards. I am not talking about over-taxing the industry, but I do believe LA could do a much better job of forcing oil companies to be better stewards of the land and environment. Louisiana is disappearing quickly due to oil exploration and, although they are supposed to mitigate their damage, take a look at a satellite picture of south Louisiana sometime and look at the endless miles of canals dug for the purpose of oil and gas exploration. What this has done is destabilize the marsh, allowing erosion and more and more salt water intrusion, as well as the removal of coastal buffers of storm surge. It would take trillions, not billions, of dollars to reclaim this land and protect what is still there. Cutting a couple of holes in the bank of the MS River and opening a few of the diversion canals will never keep up, especially considering the fact that the river carries only a fraction of the land-building sediment it did when these areas were created, due to flood control and bank stabilization revetments.

This is basically what I said. Let us get out fiar share of oil royalties so we can combat coastal erosion, and better our public healthcare/school systems.

[TVBX]

How has the Gulf Oil Disaster Affected You?

I know we have several members from the Gulf Region here. Are you seeing oil on your shores? Has it affected your boating and fishing?

Has it changed your views about energy, oil drilling, Corporate America, Corporate UK??

Over on the Southeast Florida Coast we have our alert out in case the loop currents bring the mess over this way.

Thoughts?

All my problems are small compared to those living there. I was on my way to FL to look at houses. (W Coast south of St Pete). I have postponed my trip to await the current course of the spill. I would think waterfront West Coast sales are slowing. I am also getting myriad calls from brokers trying to sell me BP bonds. OY! God's grace to all of you effected by this.

[Loulan]

I have a fishing camp below Montegut,La. Just got word that fishing is closed in the area. No boats in the water. All boat launches are closed. Can't even fish or crab off the dock. As the crow flies I'm about 15 miles from the Gulf in the open grassy marsh. The bad part is we don't know how long it will last. We are praying that it will have a good ending....

[Chisox]

I have a fishing camp below Montegut,La. Just got word that fishing is closed in the area. No boats in the water. All boat launches are closed. Can't even fish or crab off the dock. As the crow flies I'm about 15 miles from the Gulf in the open grassy marsh. The bad part is we don't know how long it will last. We are praying that it will have a good ending....

That sucks...

[DFreedom]

Besides the anguish I feel for everyone directly impacted in that area and the animals being killed and the environmental destruction, it has not effected me at all. Unless, you count the number of times my kids have asked me if our July trip to Key Largo is going to be ruined. I was born in Pensacola so it was really hard seeing shots of the pass with brown goo floating in it.

[jws]

Makes me think man better be very careful when fooling around with mother nature. Her powers are immense and the consequences can be a huge disaster.