5 p.m. UPDATE: Scattered reports of tar balls on Okaloosa Island; pass closed Sunday night (PHOTOS and COUNTY UPDATE)

Winds are blowing today from the south and southwest, which means that residue from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be pushed toward Northwest Florida’s shoreline.

“We always prefer a wind from the north,” said Okaloosa County Emergency Management Director Randy McDaniel.

The wind speeds, though, are lighter and variable, so the gunk won’t necessarily make it to land right away.

The oil plume has been moving steadily east, McDaniel said, and, according to reports, has begun to impact Walton and Bay counties.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration said in its daily report on spill trajectory, however, that “more persistent” winds from the south later in the week could cause a greater coastal impact.

The day began with "all clear" reports from State Emergency Response Team crews on Destin beahes. Okaloosa Island reported an oiled styrofoam container and some oil-covered water bottles on the beach. A cleanup crew was also dispatched after a 5-foot long field of heavily weathered tar patties ranging from dime sized to 4 inches were spotted on the high tide line.

Wednesday afternoon crews at Eglin's Okaloosa Island beaches reported a field of tarball patties "2.5 inches in diameter at the high tide line." The report stated that some of the oil product was 1.4 miles from Destin Pass.

PHOTOS

• To see Monday's Associated Press photos from the spill, click here.
• To see photos from impacts on Bay County beaches, click here.
  
• To see cleanup crews on Walton County beaches, click here.
  
• To see boaters packing Crab Island over the weeked, click here.
• To read about the latest from Walton County, click here.
  
• Reader submitted oil photos. »

County officials continue to report sporadic occurrences of tar balls and small tar mats washing up on local beaches. The beaches remain open, however.

Santa Rosa County also reports sporatic influx of tar balls, but a news release states its beaches remain open to swimming and fishing.

McDaniel said the unified command contractors who were in charge of placing boom across the mouth of the Destin Pass have worked out difficulties they encountered last week and a new strategy for installing the boom had been approved by their bosses.

The pass was closed on the incoming tide for the first time Sunday evening and will continue to be closed during periods when the tide is coming in.

The pass will be reopened when the tide changes and is flowing out, McDaniel said. Provisions have been made to allow some limited boat traffic during times the pass is otherwise closed, he said.

Walton County officials reported Saturday that county crews had laid 8,100 feet of boom in the Choctawhatchee Bay “as a proactive, precautionary measure.”

Michael Barker, the county’s EOC director, did not immediately return phone calls Monday morning seeking comment.

LINKS BEYOND: National media focuses in on Destin's 'tar ball tourists' and struggle with Unified Command

To read Sunday's report, click here.

Below is the latest emergency update from Okaloosa County, which declares "no oil impacts on Monday, June 21: 

        Oil or Tar ball  sightings: DO NOT TOUCH

• Tell a lifeguard
• Local phone:  Call 311, select 0.
• Call the State Warning Point at 1-877-2-SAVE-FL (1-877-272-8335)
• From most cell phones, dial #DEP
• Oiled Wildlife: 850-650-1880

What is happening now?

• Skimmers, Ships, Task force on the water to react
• Vessels of Opportunity working.
• Water quality checks daily.
• Weather, wind & currents monitored daily.
• Fishing advisory in State waters; prohibited in Federal waters.
• Boaters, please use caution/minimum wake around boomed areas.

Destin East Pass:

·       Mariners should tune into Channel 16 to get updates on Destin East Pass

·       Barges are being positioned TODAY, MONDAY; Boom curtains will protect the Pass, capture oil and be used to close Pass during incoming tides.

·       June 22 High Tide prediction is 7:22 AM by NOAA.

·       Call 311 for Pass information – Destin Pass will be closed during incoming tides each night. Vessels wanting to leave the Pass, call 689-5757.

 Other layers protection/plans:

1. Approved/permitted:  Air Curtain (on order); Barges to block the pass on incoming tides and move them on the outgoing tide. Booming – complete.
2. Sand Berms for beach areas waiting on permits
3. Slip Curtain & Foam Filled pipe (requested; waiting to see if work to the west)

Ideas & Suggestions:

• 850-270-SAND (7263)
• Email:  okaloosaoilresponse@gmail.com.        

Phone Numbers, Addresses and Web Sites:

• Okaloosa Co.: 311, 8 for recording or 0 for operator and 850-423-4894 out of area. Twitter:  OKALOOSAEOC and ideas/questions: 850-270-SAND (7263); Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge:  850-837-1880
• Access Florida (food stamps, cash, Medicaid), call 1-888-444-4358 or visit www.myflorida.com/access/CPSlookup
• BP Claims office: 348 Miracle Strip Parkway, Suite 13, in Fort Walton Beach. Hours are 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., daily; 1-800-440-0858; www.myfloridacfo.com
• The Small Business Administration (SBA): Destin Community Center Annex (Senior Center), 108 Stahlman Avenue, Destin, FL, 32541; 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance/.

BP/State Assistance:

• Vessels of Opportunity: 866-289-7983
• Fisherman who want to contact BP: 800-440-0858

·       BP Claims Page:  http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/claims.htm

·       Water & Air sampling: http://www.airnow.gov/ or http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/

• http://response.restoration.noaa.gov.
•  Florida’s open and closed fishing harvest areas 1-800-357-4273.

·       Boat traffic needing access in or out of boom locations, should call 1-850-736-2261.

• Florida Poison Information Centers at 1-800-222-1222.      
• Oil Spill Information Line 1-888-337-3569 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Persons with disabilities: (800) 955-8771 (TDD) or (800) 955-8770 (voice).
• Environmental Protection (FDEP):  www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon
• Florida Fish & Wildlife:  www.myfwc.com
• Florida State Emergency Operations Center: www.floridadisaster.org/index.asp
• Volunteers visit www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org
• Wildlife distress: 866-557-1401
• Joint Incident Command website: www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com
• Victim of Fraud: (866) 720-5721