Gay Weekend: May 29 BP Oil Spill Update

Google Oil Spill Crisis Page

1. Memorial Day Weekend.

The annual crowds are arriving, beach weather looks fairly good, and the SRIA's Bob West says, "No oil is expected on the beach today or anytime this weekend."

If your sandals or flip-flops pick up any tar, however, pack 'em in ice, deliver them to BP America Corp., % Bob West, 1 Via DeLuna, Pensacola Beach, and demand a refund on your weekend expenses.

2. Avoiding a Crowded Beach.

Bob West also expects crowds to be so large he's predicting "Via de Luna from just west of Portofino to be closed by mid morning to anyone trying to get to Park East." In that event, you might try an end-around: head east to take the Navarre Beach Bridge, cross the Sound, then head west through Navarre Beach tothe U.S. Park Service's "Opal Beach." "X" makes the spot (click on map, left).

Both are free to use - the Navarre Beach bridge and Opal Beach (this weekend only). Yet, they're probably less crowded.

3. Hurricane Oil.

The National Hurricane Center has posted a FAQ sheet [pdf alert] describing what effects on the BP oil we can expect from a hurricane. As we read it, a west wind blow us no good.

4. Spill cam.

Apparently, BP's spillcam went dark again for a time overnight. Something may have happened. Early Saturday morning a number of people glued to the internet live stream are reporting the familiar gusher has turned dark brown [update: pitch black] and seems to be flowing even worse than before Top Kill began. It's not your eyes that may deceive, though. It's BP itself.

5. Coast Guard Hearings.

Memorial Day weekend or no, the U.S. Coast Guard hearings into the Deepwater Horizion disaster, which are taking place in Louisiana, continue today. After today's testimony, the hearings will adjourn until July.

Click here or on the photo, left, to watch the hearings live on Cspan. Unlike BP's spillcam, this evidence is under oath.

Yesterday, "tool pusher" Miles Ezell gave "dramatic testimony" of the last minutes before the Deepwater Horizon platform blew up. Times-Picayune reporter David Hammer has the details.