Oily waters

[Sven]

One thing about cruising the So. Cal. waters that I definitely don't like is the patches of crude oil you run into out in the open.

Not only would such oil ruin our wonderful water maker but the rest of the time it just makes us look dirty ! We ran into one large patch on the way from Paradise Cove to Channel Islands Harbor. In the harbor, in what Nancy calls a double-wide slip, I hung over the side with the brush scrubbing away while Nancy guided me from the adjoining dock "up", "down", "right", "left" since I couldn't see the smears due to the tumblehome. That is surprisingly hard work !

We sailed through another patch on the way to Santa Cruz Island and yet another when motoring to Santa Barbara Harbor. So now we have an oily line define our heel angle and smeared oil from where the wave action took it when motoring.

I'm sure the oil companies will claim it is natural seepage from the bottom and they may be right in this case. None of the rigs sport large BP logos

Seeing and cleaning the smears while on the hook is hopeless unless we bring out the dinghy so I worry we'll be sailing along with a "got milk" equivalent in greasy brown oil between harbors when anchor hopping.

Yes, despite the smears, pulling into Santa Barbara Harbor yesterday we still got the now-expected "beautiful boat" comment from at least one other boater. I realize Bruce King probably doesn't think too much about his Ericson creations in comparison to the mega-yachts he designed in later years, but he should still be proud of his drafting pen strokes way back when ...

Now, about that oil :rolleyes_d:



-Sven

 

[Guy Stevens]

Oil Springs

The oil is and was there before the rigs. It will probably be there long after they are gone.

If you look at a real chart you will see a little thing that looks like a picture of a weed in the middle of the Santa Barbra Channel. Chart Number 1 will tell you that it is an oil spring.

Strange but true, there is oil leaking out of the earth into the water all on it's own.

When we came through there we heard 2 people report the "spill" to the coast guard. It was a funny conversation all the way around.

Guy

 

[Loren Beach]

Interesting.
That makes sense, Guy.
After all, very early oil discoveries in the US were in Pennsylvania, where seepages were found on the surface of the ground.

Loren

 

[Jeff Asbury]

While California Gently Seeps

While California Gently Seeps. I remember encountering that when I used to sail out of Channel Islands harbor. Read up on it many years ago. Also read a article in Sailing magazine about it (still have that copy, good insights on sailing the Channel Islands). There are also spots where the Ocean looks like it's boiling from all the bubbles coming up.

Wiki Sez:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_seep

Diatomite outcrop containing oil that seeps out in hot weather, near McKittrick, in Kern County California.

Naturally occurring oil seeps in the McKittrick Area were used by the native Americans, and later mined by settlers.
California has thousands of naturally occurring seeps. Much of the petroleum discovered in California during the 19th century was from observations of seeps.[27] The world's largest natural oil seepage is Coal Oil Point in the Santa Barbara Channel, California. Three of the better known tar seep locations in California are McKittrick Tar Pits,[28] Carpinteria Tar Pits and the La Brea Tar Pits.[29]
At Kern River Oil Field, there are no active seeps. However, oil stained formations in outcrop remain from previously active seeps.

Oil stained outcrop near Kern River oilfield, in Kern County California.
Petroleum seeps may be a significant source of pollution.

Check this cool clip out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RuaqCZIEGQ

 

[Sven]

We've actually seen the oil bubble to the surface down in Santa Monica Bay and south and the La Brea Tar Pits are another example.

It is still a pain to sail through

I'm still looking for the mark on the charts that Guy talks about. I'll have to look closer.


-Sven

 

[toddster]

Yeah, I learned the hard way... stay ON the paved walking paths at Rancho LaBrea. DO NOT try cutting across the nice green lawn toward the art museum. Ruined a nice new pair of white sneakers.

Somewhere, a long time ago, I recall reading in some geology publication that the rate of natural seepage in the Santa Barbara area has decreased over time because commercial exploitation has reduced the reservoir pressure. It'll never go to zero though.