The Department of the Environment for the City & County of San Francisco is delivering absorption cloths to this team.  We suggest wearing old clothes, old shoes and bringing dishwashing gloves.

Byron & Kathleen just came in from assessing Baker Beach (8:15am) and feel that even just a 100 folks will make a big difference at one beach. They will teach you basic cleanup & disposal, give you supplies and assign you to a beach.  They're also coordinating pick up of the waste.  After today, they will most likely be helping re-allocate volunteers to the various agencies involved. 

For more updates on this grassroots effort, to post your reports on safe surf areas, or notify that certain locations that need attention, visit Zuna Surf's Updates Board

Read below on how some local surfers and kiters have responded...I've reprinted an email from Sara Daack about how she and friends rallied on their own,  including donning headlamps to work at night.  Help out by just taking a hike this weekend around your breaks!

Note:  Please DO NOT to touch any injured wildlife but report any animal whereabouts instead to 1-877-823-692.

 

Most of you have heard about the oil spill in the Bay that is wreaking havoc on our local beaches and wildlife.  Tonight a small group of us deployed around the city and Marin in a search and recovery effort for birds or other wildlife in need of help.  

I am happy to report that 3 birds were found in Marin and taken to the Wildlife triage center set-up at Fort Mason.  Myself and two other people found 1 bird at Baker Beach and also took him to the triage center, where Vets from UC Davis will treat him over the next 48 hours.  We found the bird after spending nearly an hour walking up the beach sweeping up pebble and hockey puck-sized chunks of coagulated oil under the light of headlamps and bike lights.  We suddenly heard his desperate flapping in the surf as he was getting washed up by the waves, nearly immobile from the saturating oil.  His poor body felt hard and crusty from the oil and sand that caked him.  Luckily he was fairly docile for what was probably his first (and hopefully last) ride in a car.  Pictures of our rescue are attached herein.

I can promise you the situation at our beaches is desperate.  Sadly, each group that deployed tonight came back and reported being the only people on the beach.  Our beaches need us NOW more than ever.  Luckily, it is very easy for all of us to make an impact.  Please make a point to commit a few hours to the beach and ocean you love and live for.

WHAT CAN YOU DO:

>>>  Help clean up the oil on the sand. 

It's really easy.  I recommend wearing old clothes, old shoes and dish washing gloves.  You will get dirty.  Dawn or dish washing soap helps with your personal clean-up. The oil coagulates and is easy to 'sweep' off the sand.  Put it in a garbage bag.

Each wave that comes in litters more chunks of oil on the sand.  While it may feel defeating to clear an area only to see it dirtied by the next wave, we have to get all the oil off the beach.

Our crew will be back out there tomorrow and through the weekend.  Darin R. (a local Ocean Beach resident) also secured supplies donated by The Sports Basement for clean-up efforts (like headlamps and gloves for cleaning up at night).  If you'd like to join us let me know, or put your own crew together.  Please pass this along to any friends in the Bay Area.

See you at the beach!

Sara