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Assateague Island Mystery Spill

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At approx. 1000 hours on 30 May, Rangers from Chincoteague National Park reported that tar
balls began to wash ashore on the southern end of Assateague Island.  The initial beach
assessment found the tarballs covered 1-2% of the beach at the high water mark stretching
4.3 NM at the south end of Assateague Island.  The afternoon overflight of 30 May noted a
light patchy sheen with scattered tarballs extending NE 8.3 NM from the southern tip of
Assateague Island.


NOAA analysis of recent and future trajectory of the beached oil noted that winds had been
consistently from the NE since Monday, 26 May.  These consistent winds had set up currents
which could have moved oil as much as 20 NM in a day down the coast.  Predicted onshore
winds through the weekend would move remaining nearshore oil south and into the Atlantic
Ocean beaches that are south of Assateague Island.


Industrial Marine Services (IMS) was contracted by Marine Safety Office (MSO) Hampton
Roads to remove tarballs using rakes and shoves.  Cleanup operations began on Friday 30
May, and continued through the weekend.  Cleanup properties were based on extensive
discussion with US Fish and Wildlife (USF&W) and National Park Service (NPS) wildlife
experts on scene.  Priority was placed on cleanup of bird nesting areas on Assateague,
Wallops and Assawoman Islands, then to shift focus to public beaches.  Heavy fog and rain
on Saturday and Sunday prevented much use of the public beaches and swimming areas.  On
Monday, 2 June an additional 10 contractor employees were requested to complete cleanup of
Assateague and Wallops Island and then to begin cleanup of Assawoman Island and assess the
situation on Metompkin Island.


In the fog and rain and 60 degrees F temperatures of Saturday 31 May the oil looked like
weathered tarballs at the high tide line.  In those conditions the oil was easily picked
up by hand and was not sticky.  On some sections of the beach the tarballs were reported
to be up to one foot in diameter, but their was little "sheening".  USF&W and NPS wildlife
experts were interested in characterizing the oil as either crude or tank washings in an
attempt to guess at the potential toxicity of the material.  During the weekend some
shorebirds were reported to have oiled their breast feathers on the beached tarballs.


On 0600 hours of Saturday morning, 31 May, the NOAA SSC met with USFWS and NPS wildlife
experts at the public beach on Assateague Island.  The USCG focused cleanup efforts on the
priority areas designated by USFW and NPS wildlife experts on Assateague, Wallops, and
Assawoman Island.  The USFWS experts were especially interested in their efforts in being
able to characterize the heavy oil.  A sample of the oil was collected by both the USCG
and by USFWS and will be sent to LSU on Monday 2 June for laboratory analysis which will
attempt to "characterize" this oil.


NOAA SST is standing by for sample analysis and requests for additional assistance.