What an Oily Mess!

The most puzzling thing is the seeming inaction from the authorities in charge. I don't know anything about cleaning up an oil spill but if a ship is leaking bunker oil wouldn't it make sense to launch a huge emergency cleanup campaign at that moment, not wait hours until the oil slick has moved on, drifting up the coast, uncontained? That seems to be what has happened in the San Francisco bay area with the Cosco-Busan spill. And now we are hearing reports about the devastation to the local wildlife, especially migrating birds. For those wanting to volunteer, there is more information on the Oiled Wildlife Care Network website.

Oil Spill on the San Francisco Bay

At first everyone wondered if the Bay Bridge was ok? The major artery between SF and the east bay was hit by a huge freighter yesterday. But now we know the bridge is ok but the bay itself is not. The SF Chronicle reports that 58,000 gallons of the nastiest type of fuel oil has spilled into the bay. The smell is so bad in some places people (that work near the water) left work early. But the most depressing news is the unknown devastation this may cause to the marine animals and plants around the bay and up the coast - wherever this nasty stuff drifts.