Update 11-9-2007 (afternoon)

Here is a pre-weekend update on the oil spill with more opportunities for what you can do to help.

Background and status: More than 50,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil went loose in the Bay after container ship, the COSCO BUSAN, struck a pier of the San Francisco Bay Bridge at 8:30 AM on Wednesday, November 7. Generalizations are dangerous, but I think it's safe to say that the Bay itself is looking better (less floating oil), although wildlife deaths seem likely to increase for some time. Some East Bay highlights: Booms now are protecting many of the sensitive tide-flat areas in the East Bay, including Hoffmann Marsh and the Albany Tide Flats. Thin slicks still snake along many shorelines, but oil is settling out, often coalescing spottily on the shoreline. One cove may be dotted with black goo and the next one clean. In Contra Costa County, HazMat teams have begun removing some of these globules. Bird rescue is increasing. Many beaches remain closed, e.g. Keller Beach and Albany Beach. Some areas, such as Emeryville, seem only lightly touched by the oil itself, though you may find oiled birds there.

Here are ways you can help:

1. Shorebird Nature Center wants sheets, towels, and drivers to take oiled birds to the North Bay for care. (Trained volunteers are doing rescue at the park.) Directions to the park are at http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/marina/marinaexp/directions.html. Call 693 7628 during reasonable hours, or the park at 981 6720, or show up and take your chances 9 am - 5 pm.

2. Albany wants volunteers to take two-hour shifts through Monday, Nov. 12, to distribute information and steer people away from the water during clean-up. Come to an informational meeting 10 am Saturday, Nov. 10, at the bird sculpture at the end of the waterfront trail, foot of Buchanan Street.

3. Continue to document oil slicks, globules, oiled animals, etc. Many agencies are interested in photos and videos including location, date, and time. Eelgrass, oysters, fish etc. matter, as well as birds. If you send photos and information to f5creeks@aol.com, I will coordinate distribution as things settle down. Golden Gate Audubon is seeking volunteer leaders to identify and document species and location of birds and marine mammals, with photos and GPS if possible. You can download a form to use from http://www.goldengateaudubon.org/. If you can lead a team of volunteers checking waterfronts, please contact Michael Martin at (510) 919-5873 or mmartin@goldengateaudubon.org in the East Bay, or Noreen Weeden or Eddie Bartley at (415) 355-0450 or Noreen@naturetrip.com or Eddie@naturetrip.com in San Francisco.

4. Report oiled birds to 1 877 823 6926. Do not approach oiled animals without training -- they may injure you, and the oil should be handled and disposed of as a toxic substance. Report oiled LIVE mammals to the Marine Mammal Center, 415 464 5170. Report oiled DEAD mammals to the California Academy of Sciences, 415 289 7325.

5. Report what may be new oil coming ashore or large slicks offshore without booms to the state Office of Emergency Services, 1 800 852 7550. They will report to local agencies.

6. Check the Oiled Wildlife Care Network website, www.owcn.org, to see whether volunteers are needed elsewhere. Email www.baykeeper.org to get on a list to help with cleanup if and when this is allowed. Note that the oil is a hazardous substance - as well as a gooey mess. Authorities recommend that you not handle it. If you do, it must be disposed of as a toxic substance.

Thanks!
Susan Schwartz