Oil spill spreads bitter disappointment in Barataria Bay

[Barrett808]

The sand dunes and islands of Barataria Bay, a huge expanse of water and marsh on Louisiana's coast, have become the latest casualty of the environmental disaster spewing from BP's offshore oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. And fishers are bitter.

Oil-caked birds, stranded sea turtles, globs of gooey brown crude on beaches, coated crabs and mats of tar have been found throughout the inlets and mangroves that dot the bay. The oil has coated the water with a rainbow sheen and is threatening the complex web of wetlands, marshes and bayous that make up this ecological and historic treasure.

Everything from crabbing to bait fishing is shutting down, and the anger on the bayou is palpable.

"It's scary, you know, man," marine mechanic Jimmy Howard said from his hurricane-battered fishing shack, a cigar stub stuffed in his mouth. "I see them doing what they can, you know. All the boats going out, all the boom. I'm hoping they can contain it."

Oil spill spreads bitter disappointment in Barataria Bay -- ‘Booming has not been effective…there’s more oil inside the booms than outside’

[Gregin Orlando]

1. BP must be held accountable for this!

There may be more of a threat from the air than the water in the Gulf. The far-reaching implications of this disaster have barely been touched upon by the corporate media. While the threat to wildlife and the economy have been mentioned, few outlets have mentioned the health risks to Gulf coast residents from breathing in toxic fumes when the oil hits shore. There are unconfirmed rumors that FEMA has been quietly discussing evacuation plans to clear the shores as far as 200 miles inland if the air becomes unfit to breathe. For more information, check out this article and others by this author: http://www.examiner.com/x-38220-Orlando-Independent-Examiner~y2010m6d15-Toxins-in-air-from-evaporating-oil-may-pose-greater-threat-to-Gulf-residents-than-oily-water

[Mimosa]

2. Brataria Bay and the swamp areas were the base for Jean Lafitte and his pirates

I miss being able to visit the Barataria Bay area. It's beautiful and it was the base of operations for Jean Lafitte and his pirates:


http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/cops_others/lafitte/3.html

[pscot]

5. So the piracy industry is threatened

by the oil spill? Tragic.

[Mimosa]

3. Double post n/t

[secondwind]

4. IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO LOOK AT THESE POOR BIRDS IN DISTRESS. :-(