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Point San Pedro Mystery Spill

San Francisco, CA
Subject Summary
Posting Date 1998-Sep-28

Situation Update:
Ms. Debra Simecek-Beatty of NOAA/Hazmat conducted a morning overflight and determined that
the offshore field of tarballs and sheen had remained in a position approximately 8miles
west of Half Moon Bay, although more widely diffused.  This position agreed favorably with
the predictions of the trajectory model.  The tarballs appeared to have aligned in widely
scattered ribbons and the two recovery vessels, Clean Bay II and Sentinel, skimmed
throughout the day.


The winds continue to be light and variable; however, a strong westerly to northwesterly
wind (15-20 knots was predicted for late tonight and early Friday morning).


Tarballs have been reported coming ashore in the vicinity of San Gregorio Creek.  Cleanup
crews have been dispatched to the area.


Wildlife impacts to date are as follows:
Live Birds in Rehab:
Common Murre 36
Glaucous-winged Western Gull Hybrid 1
Greater White-fronted Goose 1
Western Gull 1

Dead Birds:
Common Loon 1
Common Murre 17
Sooty Shearwater 1
Western Grebe 1
Western Gull 1
Brown Pelican 2
Brandt's Cormorant 1

Field activities today included:
• Three shoreline protection teams to maintain protection of Gazos, San Gregorio and
Pescadero Creeks.

• Five SCAT Teams to assess oil impacts from Half Moon Bay to Point Año Nuevo.
• Four wildlife teams to collect and capture impacted wildlife.

Media interest remains high.

NOAA HAZMAT Activities:
CSSC Jim Morris attended command briefings throughout the day and assisted with the
preparation of the Incident Action Plan.  Debra Simecek-Beatty conducted overflights and
briefed the Unified Command on her observations.


The NOAA HAZMAT Home Team provided weather forecasts and trajectories.  Genwest provided
support for overflight maps.


HAZMAT future activities:
Ms. Simecek-Beatty will conduct morning overflight with USCG personnel to determine the
need for any further on-water activities; CSSC will travel to Monterey, at the request of
the FOSC, to attend a meeting of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory
Council Meeting and present a brief on the response efforts.


National Marine Sanctuary Activities:
Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary staff (three NMS staff, as well as five
volunteers) were in the field today to assist in SCAT surveys.


Contact Information:
CSSC Jim Morris 510-437-5822, 5646  Pager 1-800-759-8888 Pin #579-8803
Debra Simecek-Beatty Pager 1-800759-7243 Pin #579-8812
One of us will also be carrying a cell phone (206/310-7664)