years, sometimes in the creeks, sometimes in the bay.

Dear colleagues,



FYI, there was a scare [Thursday Morning] because the bay water between Avenue

A and the Hesse dirt pier was black, some fearing it was an oil spill.

Town police, the AH Fire Marshall and yours truly checked it out.

It was the usual summer aquatic vegetation kill that we have seen other

years, sometimes in the creeks, sometimes in the bay.

Lots of floating black and dark-green pieces in the water and washing up

on the shore, but there was no sheen on the water, no slicks or

gummy-gummies, no oil smell, etc.

The Borough had already contacted the Monmouth County Health Department

and they sent one of their haz-mat guys from Freehold, who confirmed it's

entirely organic.

He speculated that some was washdown from stream flows after last night's

rain, met by some tide-washed organics from the bay.

Interestingly, he said he had once seen a map that showed several pockets

along the bay (A.H. waterfront being one of them) where bumpf typically

washes down in some quantities from the Raritan River and also from

higher up the bay -- and then hangs around.


Before I arrived three gulls were seen with lots of black gook on them.

I'm told that one was stressed enough to be taken to Red Bank SPCA, and

the other two were taken away by a layman resident to be hosed down and

re-released.

I also went to the beach and Wagner Creek at Center Avenue Park, where

there were three fat rows of mixed seaweed/organics, much more green than

black, .

and the baywater was not as dark as at Avenue A.

About a hundred ducks were in two groups on the water near Wagner Creek's

outflow, out from the shore, apparently oblivious.

Commodore Vic Simon of the Hobie Cat Club said this pile-up was not as

bad as last summer's.

I reported this to the haz-mat guy and to the borough Administrator.

I mention all this in case you're asked what is or was up on our beaches.

We shall see when it cleans itself up

Cheers,

Paul

 print