As Laguna Beaches Are Evaluated For Oil Spill Damage, Laguna Beach Cautiously Optimisstic

LAGUNA BEACH, CA —With Laguna's many beaches closed by both the city and county, residents were given a bit of cautious optimism at the end of the day Wednesday with a report from the city on local cleanup efforts.

The many beaches and coves in Laguna Beach are still closed as of Thursday. Meanwhile, Marine Safety Crews were out in force throughout the day Wednesday, monitoring Laguna's many beaches and removing oiled sand and tarballs during the recent Orange County Oil Spill. The city calls them their "eyes and ears" on the sand, keeping the community safe and seeking oil where it could be most damaging to the protected marine environment on the edge of the Orange County shoreline.

Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard's shoreline cleanup and assessment team, hotshot crews, as well as U.S. Fish and Wildlife representatives did a complete survey of all Laguna Beaches affected by the oil spill on Wednesday, according to the city. Workers found and removed tarballs, and the assessment of the coastline was optimistic, according to city spokesperson Cassie Wheeler.

Cleanup will be ongoing until the spill is under control or is no longer a threat to south Orange County beaches.

What are Tarballs?

Tarballs are hard on the outside, sticky in the middle remnants of the oil spill after the crude floats on the water. During the first few hours of a spill, the oil spreads into a thin sheen creating the surface slick, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Winds and waves will break down that slick into smaller patches, scattering them over a wider area until it emulsifies into foamy "chocolate mousse-looking" crude and the wider a "plume." Over time, that crude oil chemically changes through weathering, breaking the patches into smaller pieces. Ultimately, tar balls and tar patties as the emulsified crude hardens. The tar patties will sink or wash on shore, further fouling the coast and damaging wildlife and natural environs.

Where is the Orange County Oil Plume Now?

According to satellite pictures from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the plume has drifted south of Laguna Beach, now hovers between Dana Point, San Clemente and is heading south and east, off the shores of Camp Pendleton north of Oceanside, according to recent NOAA information.

Volunteer cleanup opportunities are still underway. The following organizations are offering opportunities to support efforts to contain, clean, and remediate the crude oil spill:

• Official Public Volunteer Sign Up from Cal Spill Watch
• Surfrider Foundation
• Heal the Bay

Donation opportunities are always open at:

• Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center
• Pacific Marine Mammal Center
• Surfrider Foundation