Oil and tar have been washing ashore, mucking up the sand on barrier island beaches for the first time in about seven years.
The thick, sticky, black goo has been spotted sporadically all along the shoreline from Round Island Beach Park all the way north to Golden Sands Beach. It gathers in shallow puddles in the sand, with thicker deposits here and there where the oil clings to sand clumps or debris to form what is commonly referred to as “tar balls.”
While our beaches haven’t seen these deposits in some time, it is not an uncommon occurrence around the state, said Johnathan Billings, Beach Operations Supervisor for Indian River County.
The sources are usually oil spills or leaks from vessels far out at sea, Billings said. Sometimes the oil leaks occur naturally from cracks in the ocean floor, he said.
Depending on ocean currents, wind and weather, the icky stuff sometimes makes its way to shore.
“It’s real spotty, just little pieces of it here and there,” Billings said. There is not enough accumulation to warrant a clean-up at this point, he said. His department is placing warning signs at each beach, Billings said.
Billings first noticed the oil and tar around Feb. 20 at Round Island Park Beach, but within a week he found more at all of the other beaches in the county. Similar sightings occurred during February at beaches as far south as Pompano.
Other than making a mess of shoes and clothing, or soiling one’s bare feet, the substance is not toxic or harmful, as long as it’s not ingested, Billings said. Pets should be kept far away, he added.
To easily remove the goop from your skin, apply WD-40 penetrating oil liberally to a rag and vigorously wipe the affected areas. Then wash thoroughly with warm, soapy water, he said.
Vero Beach Police sent its marine officers out to investigate the deposits last Thursday, said Kelsea Callahan, the department’s public information officer. Officers also contacted the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and were told they were already investigating the rash of deposits up and down the coast.
The FDEP said they will be contacting the U.S. Coast Guard to coordinate local beach clean-ups with local law enforcement, Callahan said.
Staff Writer Nick Samuel contributed to this report.