OIL IN OKALOOSA, FL

On our way back to Texas from Augusta, GA, we stopped in Okaloosa, FL - getting here on Sunday night. Okaloosa is three counties into the Florida panhandle from the Alabama border. Both Monday and Tuesday the beach was awesome. No sign of oil, tar balls or anything else from the rig explosion / oil spill. However, the water seemed unseasonably warm based on past experience. We were told that because oil gets hotter than water, it had something to do with it.

On Tuesday night, June 15th we walked out on the pier (pictured) and watched as an angler spent 40 minutes fighting what turned out to be a rather large Cobia. My son and I then made plans to fish off the pier today, Wednesday, the 16th.

We got to the pier at 11am CST, paid our fee, bought our bait, and headed out. During the walk, a man walking back in said, "enjoy it while it lasts. the oil is here." It's one of those, "you remember where you were when 9/11 happened" moments. I don't think I'll ever forget it.


While we fished, we noticed the oil getting closer and closer to shore. Dolphins were in abundance - we saw one swim right through a small patch of that Texas tea. All told, we probably saw between 15-20 patches of it. As the oil got closer to shore, it seemed to break up into smaller pieces.

What I found most amazing was how quickly it all happened. Last night there was no sign of Day 57 of the disaster in Okaloosa. As we walked out on the pier at 11am, we could see oil only if we walked out a good distance. By the time we wrapped up at about 1pm, oil was seen washing up on the beach.

The photos of the oil in this post were taken by my daughter, who went down to the beach to enjoy it while we were on the pier trying to fish.

On a sidenote, I must include an anecdote that demonstrates that liberals have no idea where money comes from. On our trip to the pier last night, we stopped at the desk to pay our $2 per person to walk on the pier (inside the covered area of the photo), the cashier behind the counter had a television behind him and Obama was giving his speech on the oil disaster.

I asked the cashier, "What is he poppin' off about now?"

The cashier (frustrated): "I don't know! You people keep interrupting me!"

Me: "Ah, you're better off."

Frustrated cashier: "Now, now".

Obviously, the cashier is an Obama fan, likely a liberal, and seems to have no idea where money comes from; that is also a liberal trait. Amazingly, this particular individual, while at work, was inconvenienced by customers responsible for his ability to sustain his very existence.

Classic.