Encinitas beaches shut down as fuel spill reaches shore

San Diego Union Tribune – San Diego,CA,USA
ENCINITAS – A fuel spill has fouled a stretch of coastline along
Encinitas and prompted the cancellation of an annual surf
competition planned for Saturday, …

ENCINITAS – A fuel spill has fouled a stretch of coastline along Encinitas and prompted the cancellation of an annual surf competition planned for Saturday, officials said Friday.

The spill will keep swimmers and surfers out of the water for at least 24 hours.

The Switchfoot Bro-Am surf contest, which was scheduled at Moonlight Beach Saturday, has been canceled, said Encinitas Fire Division Chief Scott Henry. It is not known if a planned concert will go on.

“This is the worst spill I’ve seen in my 27 years in Encinitas,” Henry said.

Authorities learned that a spill had occurred around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, when a boater reported seeing a sheen on the water, said Coast Guard Lt. Jereme Altendors.

The fuel started washing ashore late Thursday afternoon.

Beaches have been closed from Grandview Street south to D Street, and signs have been posted at all entry points.

Lifeguards will be patrolling the beaches to make sure people stay out of the water, although people can still walk or run on the beach. Henry said they haven’t seen any impact on wildlife so far from the spill.

Coast Guard officers have taken water samples, which will be sent to a lab to be analyzed. Officials also are reviewing a list of vessels that were in the area Thursday in hopes of tracking down where the petroleum product originated.

Altendors estimated the size of the spill at between 500 to 1,000 gallons.

The main health concern is long-term exposure to the fuel vapors, which can make people feel nauseous or dizzy. There have been no reports of anyone feeling sick from vapors, Altendorf said.

“You don’t want to be breathing this stuff for a long time,” he said.

A Coast Guard helicopter was sent over the area Friday morning to determine the size of the slick.

Encinitas Lifeguard Capt. Larry Giles said the largest concentration of the substance is being found at Beacon’s Beach, at the end of Leucadia Boulevard.