Comments for Surfrider Foundation Emerald Coast Chapter http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org Protect the Ocean Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:46:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Water Testing by Emerald Coast Surfrider http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/08/water-testing-2/comment-page-1/#comment-119 Emerald Coast Surfrider Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:46:22 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=559#comment-119 Hey Joey, thanks for the offer to help. I'll send you an email with contact info for Jack Slattery. Jack will be taking the Panama City sample this week. It would be great if you could meet him and watch the procedure once, then do it the next time around! Hey Joey, thanks for the offer to help. I’ll send you an email with contact info for Jack Slattery. Jack will be taking the Panama City sample this week. It would be great if you could meet him and watch the procedure once, then do it the next time around!

]]> Comment on Water Testing by Sturdivant http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/08/water-testing-2/comment-page-1/#comment-118 Sturdivant Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:18:45 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=559#comment-118 Hey Mike, You are exactly right. This is why we need to demand local, state, and federal testing. As of today they have stalled for months, flat refused, or done only a handful of tests (the state has reported only one test for dispersants on June 22, all of the fed tests are in Louisiana). Spoke with the lab yesterday and they say results should be available Thursday. That will be 13 days since they received them. The turn around is supposed to be 8-10 days with this lab and procedure. You may recall that the first lab and procedure we used was 4-5 weeks to get results. Both are agonizingly slow and don't really work for warning of risk on a given day. These results will be more useful in combination to show a trend for our area, "Is it becoming more or less dangerous with time?". In the mean time use your own water knowledge and senses. Look for tarballs, oil and dispersant along the shore and in the water. (as of yesterday Walton County had many tarballs along the shore). Look for dead fish and animals. Smell the water, air, and sand. Test the water on your skin to see if it burns. And finally, if you are getting in anyway, taste the water. This will not guarantee your safety, but is better than just jumping in and chancing it. (Even better, maybe talk with your friends and carpool to the East coast this weekend for Hurricane Danielle and TS Earl swell) Hey Mike, You are exactly right. This is why we need to demand local, state, and federal testing. As of today they have stalled for months, flat refused, or done only a handful of tests (the state has reported only one test for dispersants on June 22, all of the fed tests are in Louisiana).

Spoke with the lab yesterday and they say results should be available Thursday. That will be 13 days since they received them. The turn around is supposed to be 8-10 days with this lab and procedure. You may recall that the first lab and procedure we used was 4-5 weeks to get results. Both are agonizingly slow and don’t really work for warning of risk on a given day. These results will be more useful in combination to show a trend for our area, “Is it becoming more or less dangerous with time?”.

In the mean time use your own water knowledge and senses. Look for tarballs, oil and dispersant along the shore and in the water. (as of yesterday Walton County had many tarballs along the shore). Look for dead fish and animals. Smell the water, air, and sand. Test the water on your skin to see if it burns. And finally, if you are getting in anyway, taste the water. This will not guarantee your safety, but is better than just jumping in and chancing it. (Even better, maybe talk with your friends and carpool to the East coast this weekend for Hurricane Danielle and TS Earl swell)

]]> Comment on Water Testing by Mike http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/08/water-testing-2/comment-page-1/#comment-117 Mike Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:58:43 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=559#comment-117 Hey guys any word on the results of these tests? How long does it take to get results? After 11 days should we have another test done? I mean after 11 days the dispersant could have arrived even if the results of these tests were clear. Hey guys any word on the results of these tests? How long does it take to get results? After 11 days should we have another test done? I mean after 11 days the dispersant could have arrived even if the results of these tests were clear.

]]> Comment on WATER TESTING! You Can Help–DONATE! by Jase Stewart http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/07/water-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-111 Jase Stewart Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:53:53 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=414#comment-111 whats up dudes! I wasn't able to make the meeting last night up in South Walton. Was just wondering if anyone could fill me in on the meeting and turnout? By the way happy surfing on the gulfcoast. Hopefully we will get some waves from this low pressure!! whats up dudes! I wasn’t able to make the meeting last night up in South Walton. Was just wondering if anyone could fill me in on the meeting and turnout? By the way happy surfing on the gulfcoast. Hopefully we will get some waves from this low pressure!!

]]> Comment on WATER TESTING! You Can Help–DONATE! by Mike http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/07/water-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Mike Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:12:03 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=414#comment-107 Went to the emerald coast surfriders dinner last night and there was a great turn out. Wish we could get some test results soon I miss the beach. Went to the emerald coast surfriders dinner last night and there was a great turn out. Wish we could get some test results soon I miss the beach.

]]> Comment on WATER TESTING! You Can Help–DONATE! by Emerald Coast Surfrider http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/07/water-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Emerald Coast Surfrider Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:04:18 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=414#comment-106 Hey Jase, Good on you man! We'll get you some in the field training for sure. We are ramping up our water testing program with a new local lab and will need to train sample takers like yourself. If you are able to come to our next chapter meeting, Tuesday Aug. 10, 6pm (at the South Walton County library conference room just off Hwy.331 in Santa Rosa Beach) we plan to have a lab tech present to train volunteers. Hey Jase, Good on you man! We’ll get you some in the field training for sure. We are ramping up our water testing program with a new local lab and will need to train sample takers like yourself. If you are able to come to our next chapter meeting, Tuesday Aug. 10, 6pm (at the South Walton County library conference room just off Hwy.331 in Santa Rosa Beach) we plan to have a lab tech present to train volunteers.

]]> Comment on WATER TESTING! You Can Help–DONATE! by Jase Stewart http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/07/water-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-101 Jase Stewart Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:33:48 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=414#comment-101 Whats up dudes! I live in Bay County (Panama City Beach). I am a Surfrider Foundation member, and have been a surfer for many many years. I am going to school to become an enviormentalist studying in Coastal Marine Biology. If at all possible I would love for some test to be done down here at PCB. I know its a bit far from the main oil spill, but any knowledge will help. So ill def. donate, and if possible keep me updated on anything you hear, or anything I can do. Be eazy! Whats up dudes! I live in Bay County (Panama City Beach). I am a Surfrider Foundation member, and have been a surfer for many many years. I am going to school to become an enviormentalist studying in Coastal Marine Biology. If at all possible I would love for some test to be done down here at PCB. I know its a bit far from the main oil spill, but any knowledge will help. So ill def. donate, and if possible keep me updated on anything you hear, or anything I can do. Be eazy!

]]> Comment on Surfrider speaks with the US Surgeon General in Pensacola 7-15-10 by Charlie Gonzalez IV http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/07/surfrider-speaks-with-the-us-surgeon-general-in-pensacola-7-15-10/comment-page-1/#comment-95 Charlie Gonzalez IV Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:39:41 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=427#comment-95 I am a local govt. Geographic Information System Manager and a surfer for over 36 years. Two weeks ago during cloudy weather two strange things happenned to me. 1) a large Blue Shark 9' approx. swam sluggishly by me he/she was way too far inshore for the type of shark. Anyhow, it was visible in about a headhigh swell East of Pensacola along the Nartional Seashore. It stuck it's head out of the water and openned and closed its mouth as if gasping then submerged and swam slowly out. Incedent 2) About two days later on a cloudy day small tarballs washed in each was surrounded by a clearish purple liquid that appeared to actually propel the tarballs as it escaped the center of the tarball. I rode about two to three more chest to head high waves and upon standing while turning to the right (frontside) I became really nauseated and weak. I actually bellied the wave in and had little energy when I got to the beach. I rested, drank some water and went home. The sick feeling was truly awful. I felt a cold sweat, my skin itched and I was faint with shades of white, green and grey skin tone. Dispersant, somethiing in the oil, I just don't know. But I advise that those who are around tarballs, oil or strang looking sheens avoid prolonged contact. I am a local govt. Geographic Information System Manager and a surfer for over 36 years.
Two weeks ago during cloudy weather two strange things happenned to me. 1) a large Blue Shark 9′ approx. swam sluggishly by me he/she was way too far inshore for the type of shark. Anyhow, it was visible in about a headhigh swell East of Pensacola along the Nartional Seashore. It stuck it’s head out of the water and openned and closed its mouth as if gasping then submerged and swam slowly out.
Incedent 2) About two days later on a cloudy day small tarballs washed in each was surrounded by a clearish purple liquid that appeared to actually propel the tarballs as it escaped the center of the tarball.
I rode about two to three more chest to head high waves and upon standing while turning to the right (frontside) I became really nauseated and weak. I actually bellied the wave in and had little energy when I got to the beach. I rested, drank some water and went home. The sick feeling was truly awful. I felt a cold sweat, my skin itched and I was faint with shades of white, green and grey skin tone. Dispersant, somethiing in the oil, I just don’t know. But I advise that those who are around tarballs, oil or strang looking sheens avoid prolonged contact.

]]> Comment on WATER TESTING! You Can Help–DONATE! by admin http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/07/water-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-89 admin Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:16:10 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=414#comment-89 Samples were shipped out on Monday. Unfortunately, we have experienced a significant problem with our laboratory regarding protocols and processing times. The results will be delayed. I will post more information here when it is available. We did also take samples in Pensacola on 7-15-10. These will go out for analysis with our second round. We will continue to take new samples while working on the lab problems. Check back ... Samples were shipped out on Monday. Unfortunately, we have experienced a significant problem with our laboratory regarding protocols and processing times. The results will be delayed. I will post more information here when it is available. We did also take samples in Pensacola on 7-15-10. These will go out for analysis with our second round. We will continue to take new samples while working on the lab problems. Check back …

]]> Comment on WATER TESTING! You Can Help–DONATE! by Lynn http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/2010/07/water-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-88 Lynn Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:16:21 +0000 http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/?p=414#comment-88 I'm curious if you saw this report (http://www.wkrg.com/gulf_oil_spill/article/news-5-investigates-testing-the-water/906545/Jul-16-2010_11-42-pm/) and if anyone really knows what those numbers actually mean to human/marine life, ecosystem. I’m curious if you saw this report (http://www.wkrg.com/gulf_oil_spill/article/news-5-investigates-testing-the-water/906545/Jul-16-2010_11-42-pm/) and if anyone really knows what those numbers actually mean to human/marine life, ecosystem.

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