Hey southerners! Anyone else want to go wash oily birds?

[Melissakins]

Lots of out of town traffic down here this weekend - folks coming down to look at the beaches before (if/when) we are heavily impacted by this spill.

It is sadly more than just lives/family members/loved ones lost, it does heavily impact the environment as well, which in turn affects the economy. This area is full of spawning grounds for all sorts of wildlife; fish, crustaceans, mammals, birds, etc etc. It is home to the very livelihood of MANY people who depend on that very thing, what the gulf/rivers/bays etc that are being impacted by this mess provide daily. Let's not forget the tender grassy areas that are already being decimated by pollution, etc. If the creatures of the water get killed by this mess which is coming this way then our society/economy goes downhill too. White beaches of Florida, the sunny sands of Gulf Shores, etc etc. Woosh, gone. This spill far outweighs what happened with the Exxon Valdez disaster that happened 21 years ago. They still find oil on beaches up there! That was one ship. This is oil pumping uncontrollably out of the earth. Crude oil (last I saw was over 210,000 gallons per day) in a slick I last heard that is the size of Puerto Rico? I'm not sure if it's really that big but that was one thing I heard (you know how hearsay goes, though).

Commercial fishing has been closed in a pretty big area for the next 10 days from Louisiana to Florida as has Recreational fishing. There are HUNDREDS of places just here in Alabama/Western Panhandle of Florida along the coast that specialize in fresh fish/shrimp/oysters etc that go out into those waters to fish. These are the fish, etc that restaurants here along the coast and inland rely on to carry on day to day business.

Not to forget we're just on the horizon of the beginning of Hurricane Season. I can't imagine a major storm coming in behind this crap. We have friends who live along some of the rivers that feed into Mobile Bay (I'm right in between Mobile and Pensacola, FL) whose homes flood when it RAINS. When Hurricane's come, forget it.

I will volunteer my time to help out in any way I can to save creatures, etc from this muck. Gladly.

 

[OccamsTazer]

Ok, got some update

Called the hotline number and left my info. The hotline goes to a call center that BP set up and then they send the info to the wildlife cleanup organizations.
The woman taking my information was either hearing impaired or in a very loud room. I *think* she got the correct name, phone number and email. She said the bird groups will contact me in the next couple days by phone and email. I didn't mention that we potentially have a small posse, not just me. We were having enough communication problems. I will elaborate more about our small group when I get in touch with the bird people directly.
*checks email*
Nothing yet! I'll let you guys know when I get some info.

 

[CountryMom]

I am not a cold person, but have been so upset with the media on this one. Many people making sure to state this is BP's responsibility and that they are not getting this cleaned up fast enough. Also that the government stating that they will keep their boot in the neck of BP to make sure it is done. If we all could sit back and give BP some time to get things into place we all would realize that they have been from the beginning and to date working their butts off to do what was necessary. The media does nothing to help us as a public understand that because of location, depth, equipment, and conditions, this is not something that is quickly and easily fixed.

This was not a terrorist attack, or something that was predictable. This is not something that happens every day. This is not from lack of regulations or safety inspections or the rig not passing any of such. And that goes for the BOP that failed also. The media has really gotten out of hand here and report so many things are a just basically wrong. This was not a platform that blew up. A platform is a fixed station. This was a drill rig which is a floating rig guided by dynamic positioning that drills wells but does not pump the oil. A drill rig in fact that just 6 or 7 months ago made a world record of drilling the deepest well to date. This crew were humans and hard working ones at that. They were not stupid and did not fail. Reports are that there was absolutely no warning. The well had gone as routine and perfect as any that they had drilled. The workers were busy as usual when things blew. The first explosion was that of gas and drilling muds being pushed up with massive force. So massive that even when the driller (rest in peace) was frantically trying to shut in the BOP, there was no stopping it. The BOP was damaged from that first blow that was how much pressure was that came from that well. The second and what started the fire was the gas getting sparked on board. It was so quick after the first blow no one had time to do anything. There was no lightening involved to the explosion. The engines blew from gas ..... two in fact..... the size of school busses a piece. Life boats were burned up.

When the Horizon sank there probably was no oil leak. I have also seen that reported that BP was lying about a leak to begin with. The stack that holds the drilling pipe from the BOP to the rig was kinked and that stopped the flow. Think of kinking a water hose to shut off the flow. Then think of it if you kept it that way and the hose sprung a leak. Then the pressure blew out through the damaged stack and BOP and that started the leak.

The offshore drilling industry is one of the toughest regulated and toughest on safety issues in the world. No new regulations are going to prevent what is a natural disaster. Rigs must pass.....there is no failure allowed.

I realize that the fishing industry and our fuel cost are going to affect us. But I think as a nation who is fond of pointing fingers, we have lost our compassion and sight as to what we really should be thinking of. It is that 11 families have lost something they can never replace, clean up, or interact with ever again. That one season of fishing lost for fisherman is nothing compared to the human toll here. And to those who did survive and are injured or those of the crew that are mentally struggling with the loss and the scare. Reports are that most crew members had to leave the Horizon by jumping. I cannot imagine jumping into a cold ocean in the dark from the heights of such a rig.

So let's all be respectful when we pump gas into our fuel tanks. Let's all keep our nation in prayer along with the families directly affected. Let's do what we can for clean up ..... even if it is only by buying Dawn soap to suport what we can. And let's not let political views spoil our ability to count our blessings. Green energy verses fossil fuel debates will never solve this one. And remember our fisherman need to also be thankful they have had that fossil fuel to make a lively hood on.....as well as many others affected by fuel costs. Men worked hard and lost their lives supplying it. This region had damage from Katrina and I am sure it was chemical as well from all the stuff that was sucked out from the land as it passed. It has somewhat recovered and can again.

From: A wife of an oil worker presently on the rig drilling the relief well. Who continues to pray that reports of this well having pressure that is beyond anything we have ever experienced, does not cause us to be in morning for our lost one either. And who continues to pray for those lost and struggling with this accident. And who is absolutely tired of hearing the media make this into a circus of blame.

 

[mom'sfolly]

The recent reports are saying that traffic on the mouth of the Mississippi may be shut down for awhile. That ups the economic yet again. I think we will not know the full extent of the damage until long after the spill if over. If BP's capping doesn't work, the flow could go on for weeks. BP has also shamelessly tried to bribe gulf coast residents into not sueing by offering waivers and an immediate $5000.

If I didn't have school aged kids, I'd be going to volunteer to clean birdies. Maybe after school is out. It will be out there at least that long.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

The governor of Florida just declared a state of emergency for every gulf coast county all the way down to Sarasota. Sure hope that is excessively cautious because it covers nearly the entire Florida gulf coast.

.....Alan.

 

[twentynine]

A T Hagan



As it stands now, no I do not believe he is being excessively cautious.

 

[Goose and Fig]

mom'sfolly :

The recent reports are saying that traffic on the mouth of the Mississippi may be shut down for awhile. That ups the economic yet again. I think we will not know the full extent of the damage until long after the spill if over. If BP's capping doesn't work, the flow could go on for weeks. BP has also shamelessly tried to bribe gulf coast residents into not sueing by offering waivers and an immediate $5000.

If I didn't have school aged kids, I'd be going to volunteer to clean birdies. Maybe after school is out. It will be out there at least that long.

That is a good idea! We have friends in Foley, AL. I think it's time to schedule a visit!

I know- the 5K offer is pretty lame. Many of the fishermen being interviewed were disgusted. It's all just so sad.

 

[Boyd]

this week I was going to be visiting the gulf coast and was hoping to help out but a few things prevented this after I tried to make plans.. Wednesday is my anniversary (and i was the jerk who was trying to skip out on it, my bad) my wife's baby shower is on friday, and I guess her brother is throwing a surprise diaper party for me... well no surprise anymore. I was going to be bouncing between houston, dallas, and lake charles LA

I am such a bad husband

Maybe I'll get a chance to go down and visit my mama after the wife has the baby.

 

[cluckcluck42]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7114015.ece

In this article someone posts a comment talking about if the hole cannot be contained and explodes. Truly scary. The implications of this disaster as it is are huge.

 

[CountryMom]

Quote:
This is EXACTLY what I am talking about when the media and public people that have no clue as to what they are talking about post things and report news.

Do any of you understand why the BOP isn't working? Try pushing a pipe into a valve and then expecting the valve to close. Duh....the pipe is in the way. Pipe has already blown from this.

Do any of you understand what drilling a relief well does for this situation? The relief well is to intersect below the actual well head at the sea floor. We are talking hundreds of feet down below the well head. That intersection will divert the flow into the new well head....still praying the pressure is under control.....and then the new drilled relief well where it is intersected will pump cement up to the damaged BOP.

Again, let me state this as I think I am talking blue in the face. NO OTHER INDUSTRY IN OIL OR ANY LAND OPERATION IS REGULATED TO THE EXTENT WITH INSPECTIONS, SAFETY LAWS, AND OPERATION RULES LIKE THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY! I have heard so many times my husband complain about the constant and often times irritating inspections and safety tests/drills/rules and many many hours of school that these guys and the company rigs go through.

This has never happened to this extent and that is because of the technology and operating proceedures that these companies go through. Of course, Katrina was a once in a century event also, and it was a natural disaster......very much like this well blow out.

And as a note of the comment on heat that was made and how it could blow. There is no heat and explosion unless it is ignited. Oil and gas do not explode without it. They were having an issue with how to burn off the oil because it takes alot of heat to start pure crude oil. And then mix it with water. And as for the gas.....the boats off shore are operating under a safety restriction on things that could ignite it. As for the original explosion.....they will need to investigate how gas was actually able to make it into the engine room of the Horizon.

Please people, let us pull together as humans and support the efforts and not dramatise with this. Let's not make this political or green verses fossil issue. Let's not buy into the media's circus on this also. Just be aware that what they say and what they report maybe very FAR from the truth.