Reports of New Oil Slick in Gulf "12 x 100 Miles Long"

*Updated March 20,2011 pm
 2nd update March 21

The Coast Guard is investigating reports of a potentially large oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico not far from the Deepwater Horizon site. According to a knowledgeable source, the slick was sighted by a helicopter pilot on Friday and is about 100 miles long. A fishing boat captain said he went through the slick yesterday and it was strong enough to make his eyes burn.

Zerohedge.com reports:

Independent pilots, including John Wathen of the Waterkeeper Alliance, and Bonnie Schumaker with Wings of Care, are currently flying out to investigate the spill. Schumaker reports having seen the sheen on Friday, March 18, and confirms that it is rapidly expanding.

A Louisiana fisherman, who has chosen to remain anonymous at this time, also reports fresh oil coming ashore near South Pass, LA, and that cleanup crews are laying new boom near the beach.

The site of the sheen, near Mississippi Canyon 243, lies 30 miles from the Louisiana coastline. The Matterhorn field, at a depth of 2,789 feet (850 meters) of water, was discovered in 1999, leased and permitted in July 2001, and came into production in November 2003. It is located 30 miles SE of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

According to W&T, the field has produced an average rate of 5,200 barrels of oil per day, and has production capacities of 35,000 barrels of oil per day.

Stuart Smith of oilspillaction.com:

There are already allegations that the Coast Guard and other authorities are busy trying to cover up the spill, so stay tuned.

And now to our illustrious Alabama Governor Bentley aka Dr. Guy Hunt:

“We want to tell the rest of the world that our seafood is clean, it’s pure, and it’s delicious,” Bentley told members of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce in a speech at the University of South Alabama. 

We understand the motivation to help bring the seafood industry back in the Gulf, but even pre-BP Spill "pure" is not a definition that applies to the Gulf of Mexico. And this guy is supposed to be a Doctor, one who you would expect to always err on the side of his Hippocratic Oath of  "first, do no harm?"

After millions of gallons of oil and Corexit assaulted the Gulf we don't think all this rush rush to push Gulf seafood on the public so soon is at all wise. In fact, it's downright foolhardy and could be dangerous, maybe even actionable, or worse, if these geniuses turn out to be wrong.

But isn't it comforting to know that the Dr. Dr. has his priorities straight and realizes that "one of the most critical things we can do in Gulf Shores" is to spend $100 million dollars on a controversial, let's build our business donors a playhouse aka convention center:

The $100 million project was thwarted in 2008 when the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that Riley’s plan to let a private company develop the public land violated state law.

Prichard retirees have lost their state pensions, oil is still in the Gulf, we're in proration of our education system, but what the hell, let's just ignore all of that, spend millions we don't have and go right ahead with business as usual.

Is it 2014 yet?

**Update: A Coast Guard officer with a command center in Morgan City, LA, said today the Coast Guard has confirmed that oil is not coming from the Deepwater Horizon well but that they have found what appear to be smaller oil slicks in the Gulf. Their investigation into reports of large oil slicks is continuing. Additional photos and information from pilots John Wathen and Bonnie Schumaker who flew over the area yesterday are expected to be released today.
--Could this be why we are not hearing anything from the mainstream press?
Move along, nothing to see here…

(Raw Story) Journalists who come too close to oil spill clean-up efforts without permission could find themselves facing a $40,000 fine and even one to five years in prison under a new rule instituted by the Coast Guard late last week (2010).

Even Anderson Cooper, Journalist, says this makes it “very easy to hide incompetence or failure.”

The "rule" is still in place and being strictly enforced. FOX News is calling it "silt."

 **2nd update--"Fresh Oil Continues to Wash Ashore in Bayou"
                      (pics and story)

**Wathen has pictures up @ bpoilslick.blogspot.com/

Credit: John Wathen. Photo taken Sunday March 19, 2011

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