San Francisco Bay Oil Spill Update

"Remember when atmospheric contaminants were romantically called stardust?"

-Lane Olinghouse

I had planned to take a ride across the bay, to see the aftermath of the oil spill from the shoreline along Chrissy Field, but to my sadness, I didn't have to leave the East Bay to see it's affect, as it has begun to settle along the shores of Emeryville, Berkeley, and Point Richmond. I took a walk along Shoreline Park, yesterday afternoon, starting in Emeryville. There were a lot of birds swimming in the small lagoon that seemed fine. I didn't see any oil deposits on that side of the short trail, but directly on the opposite side, which faces the Berkeley Marina, you could see where a good deal of oil had washed up on shore.

It was extremely difficult to watch my favorite bird the, Snowy Egret, as he waded close to shore, with several large deposits of oil floating right next to him, and spots of oil which had settled on the rocks behind him. I will always wonder the pair of egrets I saw will be survive, in that the water washing in that they were fishing in was a filthy, deep brown color. It was an eerie sight to witness the absence of small boats on the bay, on a Friday afternoon. Everything was so still. The ecosystem has been greatly damaged by the spill, and it is predicted that things will not be back to normal on the bay for years to come.

"Man has lost the capacity to foresee and Forestall. He will end by destroying the earth."

-Albert Schweitzer
Coast Guard Admits Oil Spill Communication Was Poor (KGO 7)

Beach Closure Map

-OndineMonet
"Snowy Egret"
Emeryville, California
November 9th, 2007
Late Afternoon