I've asked the Coast Guard Base several times in the past to remove the trash from their shoreline. No change.
As I was paddling along Coast Guard shoreline under the scrutiny of the eyes of several security people, I smelled petroleum, looked down, and shore enough (pardon the pun), there was a rainbow sheen on the surface of the water. Unbelievable.
The Security Guard and some other Coast Guard person were about 50 feet away. "Hey, there is petroleum in the water here."
The non-security Coast Guard guy walked around a boat and closer to me, looked around and said something to the effect, "Yeah, you're right."
I said, "Do you want me to call the National Response Center (NRC) hotline to report the petroleum spill because the NRC is just going to turn around and contact the Coast Guard here at Sector Mobile?"
Coast Guard guy says, "If you call the NRC to report this petroleum spill, they'll laugh at you."
Not only does Mobile have a leaking oil well with regards to oil leaks from automobiles, Mobile has a leaking oil well directly into Mobile Bay and no one gives a damn, not even the Coast Guard.
Neither of us knew the extent of the spill. He chose to not investigate.
Considering that there were motor boats nearby, I would have at least expected the Coast Guard to see if any of the nearby boats were leaking. The Coast Guard did nothing. I looked for the source but did not find it.
Kayakers should just get used to paddling through petroleum spills. Kayakers should get used to breathing in noxious fumes. The Coast Guard not only doesn't keep the litter removed from their property, they don't donate a turd about petroleum on the water, even if it is at their dock.
I can't comprehend why environmental groups like Mobile Baykeeper and so many local and state officials hold BP accountable for polluting the environment while local boaters readily pollute local waterways with petroleum all the time and authorities consider it "laughable." Coast Guard Sector Mobile makes it into my Good Neighbor category for contributing to the Ugliness of Mobile.
Meantime, if you're eating seafood gumbo made with crabs and shrimp harvested from Alabama waters and you notice how tasty the seafood is, it may be because the seafood was marinated in diesel fuel or crankcase oil.
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