Tar Balls Found on Florida Beaches in the Panhandle

Posted in Alabama Maritime News,BP British Petroleum,Deepwater Horizon,Environment,Florida Maritime News,Gulf Coast,Louisiana Maritime News,Transocean on June 4, 2010

PENSACOLA, FL – Officials have said it is inevitable oil will eventually wash up on Panhandle beaches after a slick from the Deepwater Horizon spill was spotted about 9 miles offshore this week. The edge of the spill had moved to four miles off the coast Thursday, Gov. Charlie Crist said after a flyover.

Florida Governor, Charlie Crist, says oil spill will make its way to Panhandle

Small gobs of reddish brown oil washed up in the surf for the first time in nearby Gulf Shores, Ala., on Friday morning and a petroleum smell tinged the air.

Sam Champion from Good Morning America was in Pensacola Friday morning and picked up globs of tar off of the famously white beaches.

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In Gulf Shores, Ala., the goo was isolated to a few areas, but a faint smell of oil hung in the breeze.

“I really smelled it down there,” said Jennifer Powell, combing the beach for shells with her husband. “It was like it was burning my nose a little bit.”

The Powells, from Russellville, Ky., had planned to return to the beach later this summer, but now they’re not sure they want to come back.

“You won’t be able to get in the water, and it’s going to get all over you and all,” she said. “I don’t think I want my kids in that.”

Cleanup crews were nowhere to be seen at the public beach.

Source: GMA and Huffington Post