A RELATIVELY OIL FREE SUNDAY: A few new tar balls reported in Okaloosa County as crowds pack area beaches (UPDATED with PHOTOS)

HENDERSON BEACH — The familiar June grass and seaweed weren’t the only things spotted along the shore Sunday. Keener eyes reported a few tar balls as hundreds spent a carefree day on the Gulf.

“We did find a few tar balls here at the state park, but nothing of any size or significance,” said Grea Bevis, Chief of DEP’s Bureau of Environmental Investigations. “There’s nothing that will prevent anybody from coming and enjoying the beach.”

Destin resident Mike Mekhail lounged a few feet from the green waves, as he does every Sunday. He said he has not seen oil. And if he did, Mekhail would continue his weekly visit to Henderson Beach.

“It’s (the water) just fine,” Mekhail said. “You never know, maybe it will not come.”

CLICK HERE to view the photos of tar balls on Eglin beaches.

See AP photos of Monday's oil spill coverage. »

See Sunday's photos of packed beaches taken on Okaloosa Island. »

To see Sunday's Associated Press photos from across the Gulf Coast, click here.

To see the latest trajectory from NOAA, click here.

Tar balls and oil slicks did not interfere with Mike Eller’s fishing expeditions. The charter boat captain spent the weekend on the Lady Em, catching everything from grouper to king mackerel.

“We haven’t seen any oil,” Eller said before topping off his fuel and heading back out. “We’ve seen nothing but beautiful, clear water.”

Despite weekend reports of tiny tar balls this far east in the Gulf, Okaloosa Island was packed Sunday with sunbathers, swimmers and boogie boarders.

Tourists agreed oil would eventually make its way the additional 35 miles from Pensacola Beach, where tar balls were continuing to wash up, but for now they didn't see a threat.

"I haven't seen any at all," said Trey Wiggins, 53, vacationing from Oxford, Miss. "We'll be here all week."

Lifeguards on Saturday's first patrol found a "very minor" set of fingernail-sized tar balls on the western edge of Okaloosa Island, said Okaloosa County Public Safety Director Dino Villani. Less than a half dozen were found, he said

County spokeswoman Kathy Newby called the tar balls "specks" because they were so small. She said none were found Sunday.

Kelcey Forrestier, 23, had no qualms about wading into the Gulf with 3-year-old Claire Nolan.

"It's everywhere back home," said the New Orleans resident, adding that he vacations here for the beautiful beach sand. He said it's inevitable the oil will hit the area.

"Oil just doesn't go away, it's going to reach the beach sometime," he said.

Farther west on Pensacola Beach, authorities said tar balls washed ashore Sunday for the third straight day. Escambia County officials say oil sheen was reported about a mile from the beach's fishing pier.

Mobile’s Unified Command Post said clean up crews were sent to beaches between Pensacola and Navarre where tar balls had reached the shoreline Sunday afternoon.

In Perdido Key, on the Alabama-Florida state line, tar balls washed ashore for the second day in a row.

The unified command said beachgoers should call BP’s hotline (866-448-5816) if a tar ball is spotted.

“Leave it and have someone that’s trained to clean it up take care of it,” said Melinda Gray, a spokeswoman for the command.

COLLECTION OF COVERAGE

'VERY MINOR': Beaches from Okaloosa Island to Walton County see finger-nail sized impact from oil (SATURDAY UPDATE with PHOTOS)

To see photos from Navarre Beach, click here.

To see the latest spill photos from the Associated Press, click here.

To see the Billy Bowlegs invasion in FWB and the party on the water, click here.

To learn more about the situation in Walton County, click here.

To see the latest NOAA trajectory map, which shows potential impacts across the region, click here.

A GRIM ‘REALITY CHECK’: Boom deployed as oil approaches Destin coastline

To watch a video of boom being strung in the water, click here.

To see photos of crews stringing boom Friday in East Pass, click here.

To see photos of crews deploying boom on Norriego Point Thursday, click here.

To watch a video of the boom being placed on Norriego Point, click here.

Locals savor quality time at beach as oil nears » VIDEO, PHOTOS

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