Spill temporarily halts Encinitas swimming, surfing

North County Times – Escondido,CA,USA
ENCINITAS —- Officials were taking action this morning to try to
stem and clean up a possible diesel spill in the Pacific Ocean that has
shut down water …

ENCINITAS —- Federal, state and local authorities scrambled Friday to contain what they said was the largest ocean fuel spill in Encinitas in roughly 30 years.
View A Video

Beaches remained closed Friday afternoon along a two-mile stretch of coastline from Grandview south to D Street because of the spill, said U.S. Coast Guard Jereme Altendorf, who spoke at a series of press conferences at Moonlight Beach. Another press conference was planned for 4:30 p.m.

The beach will remain closed through at least Saturday night, he said.

The spill was first reported late Thursday morning, about four miles off the coast of Encinitas. By Thursday evening, the slick — most likely diesel fuel — had moved closer to shore and a chemical smell wafted from the waters.

On Friday, authorities were already searching for who might be responsible for the mess. Altendorf said the Coast Guard had taken fuel samples from some boats and ships in the area and would attempt to compare a chemical “fingerprint” from those boats to a sample of fuel from the spill.

The agency was also using its Los Angles-based Vessel Tracking System to identify other ships between Mexico and San Francisco that may have passed Encinitas around the time the spill occurred.

“We’ll be investigating any vessel that as transiting at that time period,” Altendorf said.

City, county and state officials said the Coast Guard has hired a private company to try to clean up the spill, estimated to be 500 to 1,000 gallons believed to be diesel fuel.

The affected beaches were nearly deserted Friday, save for the media swarm and a few spectators who watched the cleanup work unfold.

A snake-like floating “corral” at least 200 yards long was launched from the beach morning to try to contain the spill.

A popular surfing contest —- the Switchfoot Bro-Am —- scheduled for Saturday at Moonlight Beach has been canceled, though organizers said they would hold a dodge ball tournament at 10 a.m. to try to keep the party going. A concert, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Moonlight was still a go, they said.

Still, the spill was upsetting to many folks who live in the area and care about the coast, officials said.

“People are not very happy at all,” said Encinitas fire Division Chief Scott Henry, describing the mess as the worst spill he’s seen in 27 years.

On Friday morning the spill stretched from the kelp beds to the shore, said lifeguard Capt. Larry Giles.

Giles said lifeguards were going by truck up and down the beaches to advise people to stay out of the water. However, the customary beachwalking, picnicking and other activities can continue on shore.

Lifeguards will use boats for any water work, Giles said.

Signs warning of the contamination were posted at the top of the beaches as well as along the shores, and they will remain in place until there is no threat of contamination, Henry said.

Authorities said someone on a boat reported the oily sheen about 11 a.m. Thursday to the Coast Guard.

At that time, Henry said, the Coast Guard didn’t think it would wash ashore.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew checking on the progress of the spill later in the day reported it was 8,000 yard long and 2,000 yards wide.

Shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday, Henry said, someone reported a strong fuel odor during an onshore breeze in the area of Glaucus Street and Highway 101.