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New oil strategy takes shape in East Pass, on the harbor (PHOTOS)
With an oil-free week in the books so far, city leaders are still busy at work updating plans to protect East Pass and our inland waterways.
“The current in East Pass is very difficult,” City Manager Greg Kisela said Monday night. “Some of the booming plans that we had in place have been dropped.”
As the city and county move forward with the updated Umbrella Plan in place, new protective measures can already be seen in action. As of Monday morning, a floating gate with boom was stretched across the harbor to Norriego Point, blocking it off during incoming tides, and then opening as the tides move outward.
PHOTOS
To see photos of locals and visitors hitting the beach in Destin, click here.
The fish are still coming in at the docks, click here.
To see photos of captains partaking in booming practice Tuesday, click here.
To see photos of tar ball cleanup in Bay County, click here.
To see photos of boom prep and small tar balls near the West Jetty, click here.
To read more about the Umbrella Plan and see a diagram, click here.
To see photos from cleanup command in Walton County, click here.
To see the latest oil trajectory map, which shows impacts on local beaches, click here.
The new gate caused confusion as fishermen and vessels of opportunity were trapped in the harbor around 6 a.m., and had to wait in a line to exit.
“I know this was a problem …” Kisela said. “We understand the frustration.”
Although the harbor will be boomed off for incoming tides, an attendant will be on hand so the gates can be opened and closed on demand, to allow the Coast Guard and vessels of opportunity to make their way through.
To read about what happened at Monday night's City Council meeting, click here.
In addition to the harbor, the redesigned plan also calls for boom to be placed in between the pillars of Marler Bridge, allowing traffic to only pass through the navigational channels, which will also be blocked off by gates according to the incoming and outgoing tides.
If, and when, oil were to make its way through East Pass and into the bay, the city has been provided with bay skimmers to clean it up. Kisela told the council that the city has already “requested additional skimmers” for the cleanup effort.
Kisela said eventually Destin would have three lines of defense: the air curtain, boom and the barges are all permitted and ready to go.
“They are all in different stages of deployment,” Kisela said of the defense measures.
He said that from what he understands, there would be six barges placed around East Pass, in what he described as a “horseshoe pattern” and they will be fitted with oil absorbing boom on the sides.
“The air curtains have been approved and they are working through contractual issues,” Kisela said. “They should be in place as soon as the materials have been received.”
The city may also have another line of defense as Mayor Sam Seevers said she took a tour of East Pass with Sen. Bill Nelson Monday, and he told her he “was committed to helping us.”
Seevers said that one of the things he is looking at is removing the Coast Guard from the situation and getting the Navy involved.
“I don’t know if the Coast Guard was really prepared to handle this, to be honest with you,” Seevers said. “There are a lot of things I am not sure they are ready to deal with.”
According to the latest NOAA forecasts, winds are blowing southeast to east winds at less than 10 knots, and will blow in the northern Gulf today through Saturday. Reports say the “forecast is favorable,” as the weak currents will not cause significant movement of the Deepwater Horizon oil slick.
“So far we have been very fortunate,” Kisela said of the oil impacts throughout the county. “We have had cases of isolated tar balls, but nothing like they have had to our east and west.”
A COLLECTION OF COVERAGE
A VOICE FOR THE COAST: New Destinite quick to represent
An 'all clear' gives way to scattered reports on Monday in Destin (PHOTOS)
'OIL INVASION' OF YESTERYEAR: Area has a history of oil encounters, scares (PHOTOS)
‘CROSSING A PICKET LINE’ Luck still holding for the fishing few (CATCH-OF-THE-DAY PHOTOS)
'SHOW ME THE MONEY' TIME: Sen. Nelson vows to help county fortify East Pass
‘BORN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE’: Destin man builds oil skimmer in his front yard (PHOTOS and VIDEO)
