Category: Environment

Gulf Coast–January 2011 Summary

Gulf Coast–January 2011 Summary

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My first day out, January 10th, yielded major oil at the surf zone. But this time in the form of a hardened shelf of crude. Recent winter storm waves had exposed the shelf and deposited oil from the bottom of the Gulf, according to a supervisor on one of the clean-up crews, on the beach. It was as bad as I’ve seen the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge since I begin documenting this disaster in May 2010. The only difference was it was 60 degrees cooler than the July and August temperatures that made it a living hell on the beaches with horrible smells; thick, gooey, melted petroleum coated sand and mats of oil floated in the Gulf then. Now at least it is hardened. It seems reasonable that NOW would be the time to remove the oil from the beach…right? But the clean-up crews are understaffed and sometimes not even present.

Two days later and sand, from a hefty north wind, had nearly covered the oil shelf. People might be tempted, in looking at this sight, to say, “It’s not so bad.” They just need to see what lies just beneath the surface to fully comprehend the amount of oil still present on the beach at the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.

Ft Morgan beach had some small tar balls but nothing else evident. But understand this: It depends on the day you visit, the way the wind is blowing, and the strength of the waves to see the truth about the amount of oil on the beach. My two visits to the national wildlife refuge clearly proved that.

The day I visited Ft. Morgan the wind was out of the north at 35mph and the temperature was 41 degrees coming across Mobile Bay. Thank goodness the North Carolina mountain winters have taught me how to stay warm in such conditions. There was a fair amount of shore birds on the Gulf beach including sanderlings, brown pelicans, willets, ruddy turnstones, and gulls. It was heartening to see a nice-size bird flock at Ft. Morgan, especially since the oil-laden beaches at the wildlife refuge, 10 miles east, were nearly vacant of birdlife.

Gulf State Park Pier beaches had been, or were in the process of being, deep-cleaned. There was some light oiling washing up on the beach but not many noticeable tar balls. There were birds present, although not in the typical winters numbers I would expect.

The foot ‘issues’ I have been documenting were evident in one gull in the flock there at Gulf State Park.

On this trip I was able to spend one day enjoying the coastal treasures I grew up with. Romar beach had been deep-cleaned and looked pretty good. Very few birds were present but the water appeared quite nice.

Alabama Point and the Gulf Islands National Seashore provided me with delightful hours that nurtured my weary spirit. I thought, as I wandered along the beaches, how strange it was that an ecosystem still struggling to recover and heal could provide me with such healing. It was nice to spend time connecting with the raw, intense beauty of the Gulf Coast.

My visit was a study in contrasts. One beach was heavily covered in oil while another might look okay. There was bird life on some beaches while it was absent on others. It’s difficult to form much of an opinion from four days of beach visits but it was very telling to see so much oil exposed one day and almost completely covered two days later. The summary for my January visit is this: There is much that remains hidden about the oil spill and recovery…and I mean that on many levels.

A Day of Treasures

A Day of Treasures

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I was walking in a 35 mph wind while the thermometer hovered around 40 degrees on a gray sky morning. I felt the incredible life force around me, within me and within every creature, in the Gulf waters–even in the air. Making the commitment to document the oil spill and recovery has had one very positive effect on me: I have been outside more this year than I have in decades. Not every day has been pleasant and many have been physically and emotionally exhausting, but I have connected with nature in a very deep and personal way and as usual, nature has gifted me endlessly.

Today there were many gifts and the first one was the element of wind. The north wind brought moisture-laden air across Mobile Bay and buffeted me with full force as I walked along the bay beach at Ft Morgan. It was challenging to walk against it but when I turned around, it pushed me along…almost lifting me out of my boots until I felt air-borne between steps.

There was minimal surface oil on the beach apparent on the bay side of Ft Morgan but I realized that each day’s wind can deposit sand to cover oil or use its force to uncover what lies hidden. After yesterday’s discovery of large amounts of hardened oil just ten miles east of here, I felt a slight reprieve from the sadness of finding more oil on these sensitive land areas.

After walking a couple of miles along the Ft Morgan peninsula, I needed to thaw out so I drove back to civilization. The car ride thawed my chill so by the time I arrived at Romar Beach in Orange Beach, Alabama, I was eager to get back outside. The deep cleaning and grooming had removed all traces of oil on this beach…even the tiny tar balls were gone. The beach was once-again snow-white and birds had returned to enjoy its beauty.

Alabama Point had some tar balls but it had also been cleaned and the oil that was washed up was minimal or well-hidden. I noticed many sanderlings and gulls and so this beach reminded me of the typical winter beach experiences of years past where shores birds are numerous and the north wind flattens the Gulf into a beautiful, rolling body of water that appears to sigh as its golden waves roll ashore.

Finally, I visited Gulf Islands National Seashore at Johnson Beach in Florida. Many folks were working on the beaches, still cleaning up tar balls but the water there was clear and beautiful. The white sand reminded me of snow and I soaked up the peace found there among the dunes. I saw a flock of about 100 canvasback ducks on the sound side of the peninsula which a delightful treat.

As I walked along the water’s edge I expressed gratitude for the coastal recovery that is taking place. I grieved about areas like the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge that continue to be heavily oiled. But today, I was given many gifts from nature and I gratefully accepted them with a deep realization of the treasures we have along our Gulf Coast. I can think of no more satisfying work than to help protect such sacred places.

Caught in an Unholy War

Caught in an Unholy War

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As I was walking along the shore at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, I saw a layer of oil exposed from the incoming tide. I was photographing it when one of the four-wheelers stopped and the guy started calling out to me. Because of the wind I couldn’t hear him so I walked over to hear what he was saying.

He told me he was a supervisor from Crowder, the current BP contractor corporation providing clean-up on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Just today, he said, he found that particular layer of oil at the water’s edge. He had marked it with flags and had shown his crew, who he related wanted to immediately scoop it off the beach. As he was telling me about everything he and the contractors were doing to make the beach better, he stopped talking for a moment, looked down the beach and said, “Those wildlife officers are watching us.” “So what?” I replied. He went on to tell me that the wildlife officers employed by the US Fish and Wildlife agency did not particularly like the contractors. “Oh,” I pondered out loud.

As the contractor was driving off, I looked up and saw the most amazing clouds over the dunes. Like a magnet, they drew me in. While avoiding sea oats, I walked to the base of the dune and took a few photographs. I turned and walked back toward shore and the wildlife officers were wheeling toward me. In a friendly wave, I greeted them.

I had missed the signs professing the area was closed. Maybe it was the rapture of beautiful clouds or my foggy brain still in recovery from food poisoning Sunday night, regardless I was approached by both armed officers who asked if I had seen the signs. The signs are spaced at 100++ foot intervals along the dune line and I had wandered between two signs, no more than 20 feet into the ‘closed’ area.

Okay, of all the people who visit the refuge I’m the last person who would do anything to harm the environment or wildlife there. I’ve walked through 100 degree temperatures for miles through the center of the refuge to get images and video of the heavy machines hauling the beach away during the invasion of the oil. I’ve written passionately about wildlife and wild places and included my work from the oil spill in my recently published book, Place of Spirit. Not intending to do any harm but rather capture the beauty of this place was no excuse. I had entered the NO NO zone. But seriously. Not a warning or verbal reprimand? I wasn’t on the dune, was careful about where I stepped and had barely entered closed area.

When I explained all of this to the officers they said they had a lot of trouble with the contractors and so had to be very strict about anyone crossing the (invisible) line. Oh….so I was being made an example of for the contractors. And it worked. As the officer was writing me a ticket, a tractor driver came up and the officer stepped out of the way…INTO THE FORBIDDEN ZONE. I made a comment about being careful not to step into the closed area, with humor, and he realized he also was in the no trespassing area and so stepped back out of it while continuing to write the ticket…the $75 ticket.

As I walked back to my car I knew that in ‘normal’ times I would have received a verbal warning, not a ticket. I have no issue paying the fine. Each of those 20 feet cost me $3.75, a small price to pay for realizing just how stressed relations are between people trying to protect the environment and those who work for people who nearly annihilated the environment on the Gulf Coast. It seems that wildlife officers have it ‘in’ for contractors, some of whom are careless. And people like me, who adore nature and work diligently to document and share the seriousness of this on-going oil spill event (paying our own expenses) get caught in the middle of some unholy war between the good guys and those who work for the bad guys.

The contract workers are not the enemy Mr. Wildlife Officers (please tell your bosses). Neither are nature-lovers enraptured by beautiful clouds.

Deep Cleaning (?) the Gulf Beaches–December 6 Update

Deep Cleaning (?) the Gulf Beaches–December 6 Update

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The assault of noise and clamor on the winter-quiet beach was overwhelming as I stood at the water’s edge and witnessed the ‘deep cleaning’ of a beach near Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The process involves a super-sifter machine that is fed ‘soiled’ sand, shifts the sand, spits out tar balls or any firm object and then spits out cleaner sand. The sheer number of bulldozers, monster dump trucks, front-end loaders, and track hoes was mind-boggling. Endless beeping and buzzing of machines and diesel engines grinding through sand was at the very least disturbing to the senses.

But what was more disturbing was the tar balls washing up at my feet. I looked out over the Gulf and thought of the bottom that seems to hold an endless supply of tar balls ranging in size from pin-head to fist-sized. All it will take is one winter storm over-washing the beach or a hurricane next summer to completely coat these beaches they are spending millions of dollars to clean. I shook my head in disbelief, in disgust. Once again folks are concerned with appearance, not a long-term solution to the problem.

From the beginning of this disaster, the intention was to sink the oil–to hide it. Now that the dispersant worked and much of the oil lays coating the bottom (reference the shrimper last month who brought up nets coated in oil….this guy is being ‘forced’ to pay for cleaning up the oily mess on his boat, nets, etc). Shrimpers drag the bottom to harvest shrimp so when this Bon Secour shrimper ‘struck oil’ and shrimp, it was finally proof to those of us who have suspected that the oil is coating the Gulf bottom. So why aren’t we spending the millions of dollars used in deep cleaning the beaches to get the oil off the bottom of the Gulf? Do the people making decisions to clean the beaches not realize that by next summer they will likely be coated again due to off-shore oil that will come ashore with high tides and waves that are typical of winter on the Gulf Coast?
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And at another end of the island, the sand is brown with tar balls uncovered by the strong wind blowing from the northwest. As this mighty wind slams into the point at Fort Morgan beach, the top layer of sand is blown off revealing a beach completely covered in tar balls.

After walking on the bay side and rounding the point, I witnessed workers hand-sifting sand on the Gulf side of the point. I think this is perhaps the best way to clean the beaches. It is certainly less invasive and less destructive to the coast. And it is less invasive and disturbing to wildlife. But that’s just my opinion. I tend to favor less destructive and invasive procedures, especially when it comes to environmental impact and impact on wildlife.

I don’t claim to have all the answers and I understand public officials wanting to give the appearance that deep-cleaning the beaches will make them ‘safe’ for tourists. But they are completely missing the point when it comes to long-term solutions of issues the Gulf of Mexico is facing. We need to stop using only bandaids and really work on a solution that truly removes the mess created by BP.

Clear Cut

Clear Cut

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What if you came home and found that your neighbor had clear cut beloved trees from your yard…thirteen of your friends that gave you shade, buffer from winds, and helped keep the slope above your home from eroding. One of my neighbors experienced just that this week and our neighborhood is truly sick about it.

In order to improve her view, the resident above the clearcut had a guy cut 33 trees from her view–20 of her trees and 13 of the neighbor below…going 22 feet into the other person’s property to cut trees over 38 inches in circumference. What would you do? How would you handle it?

I was called in to document through photographs and measurements this rape on our mountain. I called on a sister spirit and neighbor to go with me to visit our other neighbor who was completely devastated by this arrogant and mindless event. Thank goodness it was pouring rain while we were working as I was so angry the rain cooled my temper.

We have a convenant that clearly states that clear cutting is not allowed. We have fines in place for cutting trees over 24 inches in circumference. But this homeowner, in an effort to improve her view, cut trees that were holding an already-eroding slope. When her home slides down the mountain perhaps she will be able to put two-and-two together to realize that the covenant rules are not to make life difficult, they are to protect the slopes and homes of our neighborhood. Or maybe she’s preparing to sell the house and wanted to improve her chances of selling by improving her view. Regardless, we are heartbroken at this act of selfishness.

As I tromped through the wasteland of trees and mud I felt like I was at the Gulf Coast, reliving the emotions created by the selfish, arrogant acts of a corporation we know as BP. That same sick feeling came over me as I felt the common thread of humans that lay waste to the environment and act irresponsibly, answering to no one.

There is no clear cut way to handle something like this so I keep asking for strength and courage to face such devastation and work even harder and more diligent to educate the ignorant and encourage those who already care. Every act of violence on the planet and on our neighbors must be met with dedication to caring for the Earth and each other.