Oiled dolphin found near Ft. Pickens | Fox10tv.com

Oiled dolphin found near Ft. Pickens | Fox10tv.com

Leaving the Gulf

It was with a very heavy heart that I left Grand Isle. This is not just a place on the map anymore. The local residents are generous of time and spirit and have built a community that was harmonious with the environment that they lived in. I asked Raleigh to describe the spirit of the people (he was a local fisherman now out of work.) His answer was simple - they were cajun's. But it really is more than that. Before the oil spill this was a small community; oil workers, fishermen, shrimpers, politicians, teachers, hotel staff - people involved in many professions - all lived well together here. The special nature of the location and it's surrounding created a bond amongst the citizens of Grand Isle.

This community has now been ripped apart. As the oil moved to shore people were asking for help and answers but the management of this situation sorely let them down.

Before I left town I stopped and spoke with Roberts mom at Bridgside Marina(see pic of Robert on boat). We talked about the oil that I had seen out at the source of the spill and the efforts of cleanup. It was a very emotional conversation as we both acknowledged that if this minimal level of cleanup continued then there was every possibility that the community of Grand Isle would cease to exist once the Hurricane season began.

I'm not sure what I can do to continue helping to raise awareness about not only this oil spill - but about the lack of care that the huge corporations running our planet take with all aspects of the environment. It's always the bottom line first.


I also thought about the G20 - being hosting in my home town of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The principal topic of discussion will be reducing member governments’ budget deficits and national debts. The 1.3billion that they are spending on security makes the cost of these gatherings hypocritical as well as exorbitant.

So how do we attempt to realine the priorities of corporations and governments in today's society - so that we can find a way to leave a legacy of a clean and healthy environment? It's a big question and one I plan to pursue. As I close my Louisian Bound blog I realize that my time in the gulf has changed me. Seeing first hand the devestating long lasting impact that this one situation has had has taught me that it is important to be part of a strong voice attempting to keep our leaders in check.

Who do you think is the better man?

Oil Spill - day five

Today this report from Louisiana is dedicated to all of the wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico. There are no words created to describe the magnitude of the amount of oil in the Gulf. We flew out over the source of the spill and saw miles and miles of oil surrounding the spill sight. Picture yourself having to clean up a sewage flooded basesment with a piece of paper towel - that is about am much effect the boats out there will have in this clean up. There is to much oil for these few boats to have any chance of successfully soaking up the oil. Looking down over the spill I try to image what any species of wildlife must be going through in that water. What was once a healthy environment is now pure poisen to these creatures. We saw the two rigs drilling the relief wells - and there were two rigs burning off gas/petrolium etc. There is a heavy smell of oil in the air. There are perhaps 20 boats skimming the water around the area. It was painfully obvious that it is just a PR spin from BP and the politicians in their pockets when they say that they are committed to cleaning up the spill and that they are doing everything that they can. What we saw was not even a "drop in the bucket".
It's not just the oil that is now killing off the wildlife. Clean up crews brought in to work in this area are zooming along the beaches and protected areas driving over nests and through habitats with their ATVs (brand new ATV's supplied to the workers). The attached picture shows Least Turn Chicks no longer living.

In trying to find some positive - I am at least thankful that the Walrus will be ok if they decide to travel down to the Gulf. Not just the BP saftey manuals - but the other oil companies saftey manuals all report on their knowledge of how to save the walrus in the Gulf should a spill occur. In fact - if it just was not so incredibly hot here - I would put a call in to the walrus and let them know that there are a lot of people down here looking out for their welfare and that they should pack up and move.
As ludicrous as that sounds - what is currently going on here in the Gulf makes that seem like quite a reasonable comment.

Some of the politians are crying loudly about the Oil Rigs that are shut down. Keep in mind that it is only the rigs that were drilling new rigs that are shut down. The rigs that are in production are still up and running. These same "leaders" are also slamming the current white house administration for not doing enough. You can't have it both ways. Of course it is and will continue to be for some time a huge hardship on the oil workers laid off. But that is not what they really care about. Oil owns Louisiana. When we flew over the marshlands next to the Mississippi river that extend out to the gulf - you can see that these once great areas have already been "raped" by the oil companies. Sitting out on the beach here in Grand Isle you can see speckled over the horizon countless rigs out in the gulf.
Make no mistake - it's great politics for them to yell and scream about the spill and the clean up efforts, the fishing industry etc. - but it is the Oil companies that many of them serve.

It is truly heartbreaking to hear the endless stories that are a result of this spill. Trying to find some perspective can be difficult. However, when you see a tiny little chick laying dead on the beach, when you see a Dolphin flounder in the water covered in oil, when you see brown pelicans now black with oil, when you see baby crabs dead and bleached white from the chemicals - when you see miles of oil spreading over the gulf - well it's then that you realize that there is something deeply wrong with the system we have created on this planet.

Tomorrow I leave Grand Isle and continue my journey to New Orleans. I can only hope that I will have the opportunity to travel here again in the future and hopefully find a clean healthy environment but sadly I don't hold out much hope for that.

Day four Grand Isle continued

Other news from the day.

I met an ex-shrimper - Raleigh - today. I have a great video interview with him - that I will post as soon as I can get it off tape onto my computer.
I was driving down a road to talk to the people at the closed oyster store and saw his sign at the side of the road (see posted sign and pic of Raleigh). He was sitting in the shade swinging on the swing seat - he invited me to sit with him.

Highlights of the interview:
He is a third generation shrimper - and his kids and grandkids fish and shrimp as well. They are all now out of work.
They are worried about the kids. There is nothing for the kids to do here now - they are used to being out on the water - fishing, shrimping, swimming etc. etc. - it's a complete way of life here. Also - they are worried about all of the workers that have been brought in. Not far from here in Port Fouchon it turns out that one of the workers was a convicted child molester (now has been removed from the area). So they are keeping kids that are used to having a lot of freedom pretty close to home.
We talked about the dispursements and chemicals that they are putting in the water. Raleigh told me that the news is that BP actually owns this chemical - and that it is banned in England and other areas. (I did hear that elsewhere throughout the day - and Billy N. mentioned it on Anderson Cooper tonight)
I asked him how it is that the people here are handling this so well - being so graceful under fire. He told me that it was because he was Cajun - and that's the way Cajun people are. (Note that I also met some people later that they were Coon Asses - which means that you are Cajun - and it is a good expression)
Raleigh and his wife Kay were extremely hospitable and it really was a great moment for me to meet and talk with them


I also decided that I would try to count the homes for sale - but lost count.

After I went out on the boat I went back to visit with Kathy and Dave. There was a gull sitting on a boom. Poor little guy had apparently not moved for over an hour... oil. The workers on the beach were about 30 feet away from the bird.

We also met a couple of guys from Scotland and Britain who specialized in Oil spill clean up. They explained to me how the currents worked and why the booms were placed where they were. There is a big army boom placed in line with the new bridge that they are building. Apparently this is the best place for this boom to help contain the oil and capture it - but the local politicians here are making them move it as it will get in the way of the bridge being built. We could all see the irony in this. Why worry about the bridge when there may not be a community left to use it.

The devestation of this oil spill and the massive negative impact that this is having on Grand Isle should be bringing people together to help solve the problems. Everyone is effected - but the division seems to be growing. Part of the problem is that the local people are somewhat being excluded from being part of the clean up - promises have been made and not carried through - strangers being brought in and kept in compounds - a growing deep distrust in BP - all of these factors are contributing to a growing unrest.

Other pics uploaded are from our day out on the boat - the oiled booms, oil in the water, brown pelicans - and I also included sunset from these incredibly beautiful part of the world.

By the way a note for Anderson Cooper - When I was talking to the BP people today - they did say that if he came down to Grand Isle that they would be happy to talk to him but they they were not going to travel to New Orleans. It would be interesting to see what would happen if Anderson took them up on the offer.

Day four Grand Isle

Today was a really sad day. I went out with three fantastic people on the boat with our friend Robert Vegas. Thao is a Mayoral Assistant here from Seattle, Tanya is living in New Orleans doing her doctorate and Jennifer is spending time in New Orleans until September - she is from Toronto.

The day on the water started well - we went to bird island again - and actually their seemed to be less oil - and we saw three boats with bird and wildlife resue people patrolling the area! We then went out around Grand Terre and the thick oil lapping up on the island seemed a bit less. Don't misunderstand me though - the oil is still there.

We saw lots of Dolphins and tried to follow them and take their pictures. We also went out to an oil rig.

When we were heading back to the marina we saw a Dolphine that was obvioulsy in some kind of distress. When we got closer we could see the thick brown oil on it's fin. It was really upsetting.
I then phoned the number that I had been given for reporting distressed wildlife. The woman who answered the phone asked me where we were - I thought that she meant specifically on the water - but realized that she meant where were we in terms of city/state etc. When I told her Grand Isle - she asked me where that was - was it in Louisiana?????? I have to admit my temper did a huge spike. I asked her who she worked for - and she told me BP. I won't tell you my response but needless to say I ended the call.
We then called the coast guard - and they put me through to fisheries. The good news is that the fisheries people did go out to find the Dolphin. Mandy from Fisheries called me from the water to get the specific directions. Now I know why carrying a GPS is so important.

After leaving the group - I went and stopped at the crisis centre at the community centre and reported the incident to BP. I told them that I found it absolutely incredulous that someone who worked for their company and was handling the Wildlife hotline did not know where Grand Isle was.

Also a woman phoned me back from the hotline group. The hotline is being run out of Houston. She explained that people on the outside did not understand but that this was the most efficient way to run the hotline. I told her that I absolutely disagreed with her. I realize that it is not the front line workers answering the phones fault - but the fact is there needs to be local numbers handy even if only for BP and those in charge to give the appearance that they care and are on top of the situation.

but really - what was and is the most imporatant part of this story - is the Dolphin. It is such a helpless feeling standing in a boat and seeing wildlife distressed. It really breaks your heart.

Dream Job?

At 6am this morning the sun was up and the day had begun. I took a walk to the beach - nope - no workers out yet. Oh well - I guess that as the sun was only just starting the day - so to were the "workers" - probably have one of their three meals a day at the compound.
7am - ok by now I figured - they have had breakfast - had time to be bussed to the beach - and get their boots on. So I walked back to the beach - nope noone around yet. Ok - I figured well maybe they did not sleep well last night at the compound and were having a slow start.
7:30am - Hmmmm still no sign of anyone
8am - ok I was starting to see the workers arriving. They walk down the beach from where they are dropped off. I decided to sit and watch how their day started. It was a beautiful morning and I could see dolphins out in the water - so I tried to ignore the fact that the beach was blocked off and that there is a question as to whether or not these dolphins will be alive this time next year.
The workers approached and starting bagging stuff from the beach into white bags - I could not get really close - but looked like it is the dead seaweed that they were bagging. Hmmmmm - I could see oil on the beach - why were they ignoring the oil?
8:30am - an arguement started amongst the workers. There seemed to be two guys - wearing saftey vests - in charge. Sorry but I don't know what they were arguing as they did not speak English and my spanish is limited.
But suddenly after about 15 minutes of work they all headed off back down the beach from where they had come from. Oh yes - I forgot - they can only work fro 20 minutes - including walking time - and then they have to take a break.
I myself was really enjoying the morning sun and would have liked to have spent a few more hours on the beach. But I thought that I would head back to the motel and post a blog about a moment in the day of the workers here on the beach.
A good question was asked last night on the discussion board at Boycott BP - have these workers received pay checks? I cannot speak for all of the workers - only for Keiswich who I met two days ago - yes he is being paid regularly. I will try to ask this question of more of the workers today.
I guess that the Shrimpers here just chose the wrong career. Who knew that it would be more profitable to wait for a manmade disaster and get hired on - be given three square meals a day - accommodation - regular paycheck - then to continue in the family business and shrimp for a living.

Feral Cats

If you think that this is only having an effect on the marine and bird life - today I also was shown some feral cats that are really not doing well (not at all like the picture I have attached of a cat that looks exactly like my pal Jupitor!) They eat the dead fish and sealife on the shores - but it is all covered in oil now. All pets now need to be always watched when outside - dogs can not go in the water - and it is really hard to explain to a dog that is used to going swimming every day why he/she now has to stay on the leash and cannot go in the water!

picture off of Cat island

pictures

I should also explain some of the photo's. It's hard to see in a picture - but you see the boom's in the water - some of them are submerged and have not been changed since they were put in. So the oil is now on the inside of the booms. What is crazy is that right beside these booms - on the beach - there are "workers" cleaning up the beach - so not as if they cannot see the boom's that need to be replaced. Also took video of stone crabs that are dead (sorry still cannot get video uploaded!) There are also really odd "booms" - Mary called it a hula skirt boom - completely covered in oil - and now actually causing more problems.
The house pic - is just another home for sale - but will never sell. Home here were going for about 300,000 only two months ago. Now they are worth nothing.

Day three Grand Isle

You don't have to travel far to see the oil here in Grand Isle. All you have to do is walk along a pier or walk by the water. It's hard to believe that it's going to get worse - but there is a rumour going around that there is a 16 mile plume that is heading here - could be here tonight or tomorrow. After only three days here I feel like I am becomming a Louisianian - I am becomming resigned to the next crisis - knowing that really nothing effectual is being done.
I did talk with a rep from the Fisheries and wildlife today - Terry (also talked to Tim and Steve). I asked them about the lack of presence from rescuers on Bird Island. They explained that they have to be very careful about how they go about saving the oiled birds. If they go on the island they will scare the birds - who may fly off and thus there may be more birds oiled. I have to be optimistic and believe that Terry is here to help and will do the right thing and that he cares. But then I think about the birds I saw and it just all seems so confusing. Who do you believe?
I tried to speak to the PR rep from BP - he is my "Roger" (i.e. Roger and Me - Michael Moore) - he is very elusive.
I then went out to Port Fouchon - this is where all the oil companies are located. I found Haliburton - but was asked to leave. I expained that I was not a reported - that I just wanted to talk to some people about the impact that this is having on the oil workers. But again I was asked to leave.
It is really hard to understand why people do not want to talk. What is there to hide at this point?
I met some locals - Mary (wife of my friend Dave the shrimper) found my by a peir and invited me over for a beer. She also gave me a tour of the area via golf cart. I asked her what they are planning on doing when (not if) they have to evacuate. She really does not know what they will do. Mary is expecting her first grand-child so we talked about the legacy that we are leaving to new generations. Hard to believe - but her granddaughter may never experience swimming in the gulf. She will never know the culture of her Louisianian grandparents, great grandparents etc. etc.

The people I have met here are so gracious. It's hard to imagine them having to relocate. I ask everyone what will they do - and they just don't have any answers.

We watched the President tonight - blah blah blah.... the overall impression he left here in Grand Isle was more promises and no action.

I'm standing by to head up in the helicopter - going out on the water again tomorrow.

YouTube posting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kjw3_bMk8o - great interview with turtle resue guy. Very heartbreaking though

Thanks for great comments - and you tube link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AAa0gd7ClM - you all have to check out this You tube video - thanks to my blog friend for providing link. It made me really laugh hard - admist the craziness here!

Morning Day Three

The lack of people on the beaches, in boats, tending to the wildlife - has been bothering me since I arrived. I have asked a lot of people why this is the case. One idea hit me when I woke up this morning - Now that BP has subcontracted out the work - and control the flow of information - BP and the subcontractor DON'T WANT THE VOLUNTEERS! This is yet another twist in this disaster. I admit this is just my take - no real proof - but it makes sense. BP stays in control - and these sub contractors are making a lot of money.

It is almost impossible for me to understand how people can see images like the bird I have posted - or the thick oil in the water with Dolphins swimming through it - and put their own needs aside and just help to get this cleaned up.

Another political story - and I am not slamming Kevin Costner as I truly believe that he wants to help which is a good thing. But when I was talking to the man yesterday whose company has developed a system for seperating oil and water - he explained in scientific terms how this is done. It's more than just seperating the oil and water - it's the minerals other than the oil that need to be taken out of the water - i.e. mercury. Also oxygen needs to be put back into the water. The system that Kevin C. has developed does not do this. But doesn't BP look good that they chose to move forward with Kevin Costner's system - great press op!

I also met a group of Students from the university - they have started the group "Student Coalition for Helping Oil Leak Relief. Jonathan Carpenter is the President. The group I met are all biology students. You can check out their website at Reallifeecology@yahoo.com. Also check out www.loveyourcoast.com. They are organizing various awareness rally's. I am going to one in Baton Rouge on the 17th.
So I am trying not to get to jaded - as there are elder and younger people alike - here that care and are trying to help.

I also met Mary from Ohio. She came here with her cat - Orion - named after the constellation - of course since my cat is names after a planet (Jupitor) we had an instant bond!) - she has been here for three weeks. She came to volunteer - but has not had much success. I am going to meet up with her today to find out more about her story.

CNN - Anderson Cooper - iterviewed a guy last night who has the qualifications to help cleanup the wildlife. It was really upsetting - partly because I am here and I now he is speaking the truth. BP does not want all of these people out rescuing the birds. They are stopping the various groups that are here to volunteer. This guy has been doing this for years - and has called and called - not even a phone call back....

The corruption continues.

Day Two in Grand Isle

Although it is only day two - feels like day 2002. I was going to try to be concise and limit this two a more in depth one story - but all the stories are just to important. I also have to appologize - I took some amazing video today - but have figured out how to get it from tape to my computer - so the update of pictures is not that extensive as I was focussing on the video.

Top of the day - 9am - felt like 100 degrees already!

The first thing that I have to say is that I feel that I have walked onto a movie set. There are the "crew" compounds - and then their is the drama that is unfolding every day. But much like a good mystery - there are "clues" everywhere - but the criminal is remaining elusive.

At noon I walked the west side of the beach with "Dave" - a shrimper. Big Lesson - I called him a fisherman - and he said that he was not a fisherman - he fished for shrimp - so I asked if I could call him a shrimper - he laughed but I think that he was ok with this title.
Dave is a third generation member of the community. But he is now out of work. It's really hard to talk to a man in his 50's who tells me that he is really depressed. But he was great - took time to walk with me on the beach and tell me about how life should be here. There were Dolphins swimming really close to shore "fishing" for flounder. It was an emotional moment when Dave said very quietly that he was sad that his kids may never be able to experience these moments.
Dave told me that they have had meetings now on the island about evacuation. If they get a hurricane here they are going to remove everyone here - as the oil that will be spread over the community will be extremely hazardous. He told me that they have said that if they keep thier receipts then BP will pay for thier moving costs. Well first off - some people don't have the money to move - and secondly - there is absolutely no trust here in BP.
We talked a lot about the culture of living in a seaside community. The value system is different - with limited access to the stimuli that the city brings - life runs at a much different pace here.
We also talked about the way the clean up has been run here on Grand Isle. There are people from the community involved in the cleanup - however - the majority of the workers are people that the sub-contractors have hired - these include the unemployed - and convicts.
Dave and I also stopped and just smelled the air. Picture the smell of a clean spring day - and then dump a gallon of oil on it. There is a hint of fresh air behind the clinging oil smell. I told Dave about the memo from BP re: people can always get their seafood from somewhere else - Dave had seen the memo. Talk about diminishing someones liveleyhood.

On a side note - Dave and the whole island were wiped out during Hurricane Catrina - but you would never know. They have completely rebuild - talk about an industrious people!

I left Dave - and wondered back down the beach.

First beach conflict: big security guard approached me and told me that i was not supposed to be on the beach. I explained that I had been out walking with a resident walking the beach. He told me that I could be contaminated and that they might hose me down. I said great go ahead - it's so hot a good hose down would have felt good! His next approach was to tell me that they were going to take my camera away - I said that I really did not think that was going to happen - did he really want to make this into a newsworthy story? Poor guy was a bit loss for what to say next. So I said that I was leaving the beach in any case so why didn't we call it day. His last words as I walked away were - "better not see you again". Never one to let someone else have the last word I responed - "how sad - I was really hoping to see him again."

We all have to remember that these workers on the beach are not hired by BP - rather companies that BP has contracted. So BP can tell us all they want in the news that the workers are free to talk to anyone - but it is sub-contractors that won't let them. Good out BP - congratulations.

I then went back down the island - stopped at the community centre - I wanted to talk to a rep from BP - tomorrow I am having a conversation with Curtis Thomas - PR rep for BP here on Grand Isle - or at least I hope I am - you never know with BP. I did speak with a woman called Sydney - a retired BP worker who they have travelled from California. She was extremely pleasant - much like a stepford grandma - but why are they bringing people here from California I have to ask. More wieirdness.

I then went back to the state park - again big compound but very few workers.
I was heading back towards the Marina and as i was stopped by the side of the road I met Keiswick - a worker from Baton Rouge - I offered him a ride to his compound - which he gladly accepted. I told him that I was not a reported so he opened up a bit. He was out of work in Baton Rouge so grabbed the chance at a job. I asked if he did not feel a little weird about not being able to talk to whomever he wanted. He said no - he just did not want to loose his job. I told him that it reminded me of stories of the depression - when they had camps for the out of work men/families - and that they were not allowed to speak out either. But he just felt that three meals a day and a paycheck were worth keeping his mouth shut. So I asked - just what are you keeping your mouth shut about? Is there something that you are doing that you feel is wrong? And that is one of the big questions - the oil is everywhere - the impact to wildlife and people is obvious - just what are the cleanup crews hiding?
When I dropped Keiswich off at the compound the Sherrif stopped him questioned him. Did not hear them - but as they were looking at me - I can only imagine that they were asking him who I was - and what did he tell me.

I then met up with Robert Vegas and we went out on his boat.
Robert is third generation on this island - he is taking Business at a Louisiana college- so that he can take over the family business on the island - Bridgeside marina. But looks like that his plans are going to have to change.
It was an upsetting and eyeopening trip.
We went to Bird Island - it is incredible - there are many many many oil covered birds. But we did not see ONE rescue workers for the birds. It is the only island around here that is a bird sanctuary - so it's not hard to find. I asked why was there not a boat - at least one - rescuing the birds - and having other boats transport them. Robert really did not have any answers but agreed - quite strongly - that they should be there.
I can't really explain what it is like to see a bird trying to breath - picking at it's feathers trying to clean itself. It's heartbreaking. I think that we should make all of the BP executive spend one day on bird island.
But our trip just got worse. We went further out around some of the other islands. First of all - there were very very few boats out cleaning up. and they all went in for the day at 5pm - it does not get dark until after 8pm.
And the booms just don't make sense - they have long booms stretched out - but only sporadically - do they think that the oil knows not to go around the boom?
But then we can to this area - where the oil is just a thick mass on the water. Even Robert said that it was the worst that he had seen so far. And to top it all off - there was a boom that had gone up on the rocks - tangled up not doing the job. Robert said that it had been there for at least four days.
Also - there is oil everywhere on the other side of the booms - meaning that the booms are not stopping all of the oil.
I have all of this on Video so hopefully I will be able to upload! It's really hard to find the words for how incredibly bad this is.

I also met Students from LSU - and a businessman whose company has developed a system and equipment that seperates oil from water.

I'm going to write more about them in the morning as their voices are really important and what they are doing and have to say is important. But now I am going to sit out and enjoy the cool breeze - and watch the storm that is coming in!

My final note tonight - it is so so important for people to start questioning. Ask questions and demand answers.
Also - and this is from the woman who is scared of birds - take time to really look and enjoy the nature around you - it may not be there for long.

I am going to call today Day One of my Louisiana Bound trip. On the few short hours that I have been on Grand Isle I have already had some incredible eye opening experiences. First of all - I have to say that Grand Isle is incredibly beautiful.
The on land development has been reletively minor compared to many seaside "resort" areas. As you can see from the picture of the motel I am staying at - the Sandpiper Shores - this is a place that you would choose to travel to if you wanted to enjoy a much simpler life!

It is incredibly hot here - and the first thing that anyone would want to do upon arrival would be to jump in the gulf and cool off! Just imagine a planet where we can only look at the oceans....

My first encounter with "BP" rules was when I walked to the beach - and you can see from the pics how deserted it is - and talked to Dave the security guard. Dave says that the people are not allowed on the other side of the berm's that run the full length of the beach. I asked Dave if he worked for BP - at first he was really hesitant to comment at all. It turns out he works for company called Talon security - he says he does not know who has hired that company or what the chain of comman is. I asked him how he felt about the spill - how it was effecting the people of Louisiana - again at first he said he could not comment. Once we had talked for some time - and related to the snow in Canada and Rochester (where he went to school for Engineering and Law) he opened up a bit. He basically is just another American who needs a job - so he does not want to get fired - but he also said that there are memo's out there that say
"they can always get their seafood from somewhere else" "25 people dead would be a small price to pay for what the benefits could be". Dave did have a problem with these comments. I asked Dave if I could speak to some of the people working on the beach (and there is really not many of them!) But he would not allow that. He said that they do not like to disturb people when they are working.....

With regards to the clean up on the beach - they are basically picking up all of the seaweed being washed up on the beach - and it is completely dead. So what to do about the sea life that eats the seaweed - and so on and so on and so on.

Dave is going to join the army in a couple of weeks. I tried to encourage him to think about that decision - but it's the army running the show here - and after spending a lot of time with them - he is completely convinced.

Which leads me to my next experience - as I drove across the Island I began to feel that I had driven into a movie set. There are compounds for the people that BP is bringing in to work. You need a security badge to get onto these compounds. I spoke to a Sherrif with Jefferson county who was manning one of the entrance points. He did tell me that it was BP who said that people were not allowed on the beach or in the water - but that people could go in if they wanted. However - there is a definate impression being left that this is an area that is being controlled like a "police state".

I found a couple of workers who were walking from the buses to the compound - but they did not speak English (mexican)....

I did meet one worker from Texas - came here on his own to help... and is now completely jaded... he said that the guys in charge (BP) don't want the volunteers...and interestingly enough he said that to many people that he has met will only do the work if they are being paid.(Remember that he is in a compound with "BP workers...)

Tonight I met a group of volunteers with NOLA (New Orleans Oils Spill clean up and Animal clean up). They have the training that would put them in the position of being hired by BP to partake in the cleanup - but have chosen to stay together as a volunteer unit. I plan on going to Baton Rouge on Tuesday to meet up with them and see the protest against the continued use of chemical spray in the clean up process.

I also met two men from Environment Canada - they are down here daily flying over the spill site - recording the extent of the spill and tracking the spread. Of of their research is given to the American Coast Guard and BP - who is paying for their services.

I also met a native from this region. She and her family are concernced about where and what they are doing with the oil that is collected. There are tons of rumours - it is being trucked to various places and burned. So even more areas are being contaminated inland. Lindsay from Nola said that she heard that they are taking it to the everglades.

There is also a pretty wide spread concern about what is going to happen when the hurricanes start. What will happen when all the oil in the gulf is brought inland by a hurricane?

The stories go on and on and on. So much as taken place in one day.

The people here in Louisiana seem to have a somewhat resigned fatalistic attitude. There have lived through so much devestation - they seem somewhat resigned to more "crap" thrown their way.

Tomorrow I am going out on a boat and will see the effects on the wildlife close up.