Looking at this boom around our barge today made me think of the disaster that is right now, taking place in the Gulf of Mexico.
As a protective measure, our barge gets "boomed in" while we are
loading or disharging oil cargo.
Just in case a hose breaks or a tank over flows.
Boom like this is now has the unfathomable chore of corralling 200,000 gal of oil a day
that is leaking from the oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.
It's almost like a waste of time.
This boom is sitting calmly in protected waters at a dock.
When a boat comes by it's wake alone throws water over this wall of rubber.
Imagine this system trying to contain oil, while sitting in 8 ft seas.
It basically becomes useless.
This system recovered only 4% of the 10 million gallons that the Exxon Valdez deposited unceremoniously in Prince William Sound years ago.
The spill in the Gulf is being projected by the experts to be mush worse than the Exxon Valdez spill.
This is going to get ugly.
7 comments:
Its really pretty demoralizing isn't it? I think events like this cause ramifications for far too long and some we don't even anticipate till years later. I agree, the boom looks like it would do little with any kind of wake coming over the top.
I agree, so horrible. I always say "Expect the best, but be prepared for the worst" Some people think that's being pessimistic but you have to have a back-up plan, right? I just don't get it.
I know!! This is beyond sad! And there is not a darn thing anyone of us can do about it. Sigh!
Hugs
SueAnn
I have read a wee bit about this Mark, its horrible. The booms don't look best for an impossible job. Hang on in there Mark! By the way, Big fella is a scaredy cat, he will not go to dancing lessons with me, i have to go with my sister. well, he will not get a chance of my glory when I am on dancing with the stars! i will have go at salsa as well! no doubt any pics taken will speak thousand words!
I was thinking about this very thing as I watched those puny little booms...I mean really? In the 21st Century? We haven't figured out a better system than this?
Unreal...
Mark,
What do you think will be the eventual outcome of this catastrophe in the Gulf? Your photographs of the booms are sobering reminders of how difficult it must be to corral a hundred square miles of oil slick. Will your work take you to the Gulf?
Jerral
This makes me feel so sorry for nature and what we've made her put up with...it's just awfull.
Thanks for sharing and be carful.
Hugs D.
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