Gulf beaches hit as distant hurricane pushes oil

[denem]

Source: Associated Press

GRAND ISLE, La. — Rough seas generated by Hurricane Alex pushed more oil from the massive spill onto Gulf coast beaches as cleanup vessels were sidelined by the far-away storm's ripple effects.

The hurricane was churning coastal waters across the oil-affected region on the Gulf of Mexico. Waves as high as 6 feet and winds over 25 mph were forecast through Thursday just off shore from the Mississippi Delta in Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.

In Louisiana, the storm pushed an oil patch toward Grand Isle and uninhabited Elmer's Island, dumping tar balls as big as apples on the beach.

"The sad thing is that it's been about three weeks since we had any big oil come in here," marine science technician Michael Malone said. "With this weather,we lost all the progress we made."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gIXWYBTpLtSayJtg41LKXpxSxVPAD9GLJ30O0

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As photographed, June 30, 2010.

No photographs: Ecosystem decimated as crude components churn through every strata of marine life.

[ensho]

1. gives me shivers looking at that pic - we are watching the death of the

Gulf of Mexico.

and the death throe ripples/waves will go far and wide, causing more deaths of one kind or the other.

[E_Olenska]

2. It's worse than you think

My partner works on a rig not very far away from the Deepwater Horizon, and crew change is out of Grand Isle. Grand Isle was a wonderful place...great fishing, boating, the Tarpon Rodeo, etc. I hear that the beaches are completely destroyed. I'm sure property values have plummeted to zero. I was already told that, in the Gulf, there is oil as far as the eye can see. I'm sure that today, after crew change, because of the storm in the Gulf pushing oil onshore, I'll hear some more horrific news.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Damn!

:(

Thanks for the thread, denem.

[Baclava]

4. the northern gulf still dodged a bullet - Alex now a Cat 2

'Hurricane Alex is now a Category 2 Hurricane with winds of 100mph, it has a pressure of 950mb, and is moving toward the west. It will make landfall between 9PM-Midnight CDT.' - NHC