We were in Gulf Shores, Alabama in our boat when the Deep Water Horizon disaster occurred . During the week that followed we cruised up Mobile Bay to Point Clear for a few days then down through Miss. Sound to Pass Christian for a night, then on to New Orleans, a cross the river on to Houma 60 miles west of NO. We saw no oil of any sort.
In July we went to Gulf Shores by car for a week by car. We stayed on the beach front, there was lots of activity by "clean up" crews many fishing charter boats were being paid by BP to watch for oil in the water, they seemed to be driving around aimlessly, some with dip nets some dragging small booms. One day we did see a very small patch of tiny tar balls about the size of a large grain of sand. Every night there were crew walking around patroling the beach for oil or tar balls if they picked any up it was very little. Their area was lighted by a large set of lights and generator on a wagomn pulled by a tractor.
In August we spent a week, by car, on the beach near Panama City saw no oil there.
I have a fishing camp in Cocodrie, LA south of Houma the entire area was closed for fishing for about 6 months, there was some oil on the coast but none, that I saw, on the bayou.
I saw lots of oil in areas along the coast on TV.
When BP opened their wallet there were, and are, lots of folks grabbing at it, sadly some of the people who deserve funds are having a hard time getting paid, those who know the System are making out like bandits.
This fall the inshore and offshore fishing was excellent!
Steve W
-- Edited by Steve on Tuesday 3rd of May 2011 01:25:11 PM
