Like everyone along the Gulf Coast, the CVB
is monitoring the clean-up of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and
relying on official updates from the Unified Command response team and
local emergency management officials for information.
They have been
experiencing scattered and varied levels of oil impact across the
island. Clean-up efforts are ongoing.
If double red flags
are being flown at a beach area, it means the water is closed to
swimming. This is different from a swim advisory, in which
individuals are discouraged from swimming. In Gulf Shores it is
illegal to swim when double red flags are in effect. Currently,
double red flags are being flown in many beach areas as a result of
strong surf and oil.
Regardless of the
color flag being flown, the Alabama Department of Public Health has
issued a swimming advisory in gulf waters off Gulf Shores, Orange
Beach and Fort Morgan, and in bay waters immediately adjacent to
Fort Morgan, in Bayou St. John, Terry Cove, Cotton Bayou and Old
River. A swimming advisory means that individuals are discouraged
from swimming in affected waters. To read advisory information and
frequently asked questions, visit the Alabama Department of Public
Health website.
The Alabama
Department of Conservation & Natural Resources has changed the
closure order for the following back bay areas to "Idle Speed Only,
No Wake": Alabama waters south of a line running from the
southernmost tip of Bear Point to the eastern shore of the mouth of
Ono Harbor. This includes Bayou St. John, Terry Cove, Terry Cover
Harbor and all canals entering these waters. However, other areas
remain closed to all recreational vessels and watercraft.
The Alabama
Department of Conservation & Natural Resources opened all state
waters for recreational catch-and-release fishing only. This
includes all gulf waters out to the three-mile state/federal line.
Anglers are reminded to stay clear of booms and booming operations,
all working vessels, and areas with visible oil and/or sheen. The
pier at Gulf State Park is also reopened for catch-and-release
fishing. For full information, click here.
The City of Gulf
Shores has temporarily waived parking fees at public beach areas.
The West 6th Street
and Little Lagoon Pass public access and parking areas remain closed
for an undetermined length of time. These areas are being used as
work sites and staging areas for beach cleaning operations. The same
is true for the parking area at Florida Point beach access. Several
other public beach areas are being used as staging and operations
areas even though they are not technically closed.
If you have questions
about conditions at a specific property location, please contact
your rental management agent for accurate and up-to-date
information.
According to NOAA,
tarballs DO NOT pose a health risk to the average person. However,
beachgoers are advised not to pick them up or bury them and asked to
report any sightings. To report sightings of oil or tarballs on the
beach, please call 866-448-5816. To report oil impacts to wildlife,
contact 866-557-1401.
Fishing of any kind
is still prohibited in the closed area of federal waters, which
currently includes an area from Louisiana to Panama City, Florida.
To view a map of the closed area, go to
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.
Skimming vessels are
at at work in Perdido Pass. A more long-term system of piping that
will funnel oil away from the pass into a collection area is
underway and is expected to be complete soon.
For detailed
information about the entire incident, including spill trajectory
maps, visit the NOAA
or Deepwater
Horizon response sites.
For
information about accommodations, recreation, dining and much
more in this area and many other US destinations, take a moment
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