Pacific Adventurer Oil Spill

Award Winning Photographer Mike Middleton and Cerran Fawns from Maroochy Waterwatch have kindly sent through these graphics depicting just how devastating situations like this can be. Please be aware that these photos are the property of Mike Middleton, so please respect this and don't copy them in any way shape or form without contacting Mike for permission (his details are below).

These photos have been sent through, so that we, the community, can fully appreciate how much harm can result to our environment from an Oil spill such as that which ocurred. Cyclone Hamish obviously helped pushed this further up the coast, and regardless of whether the Captain of the Pacific Adventure ends up being held responsible for the resulting damage, it needs to be appreciated exactly how much damage can occur, how far reaching the effects can be, for our environment, flora and fauna. We all love living here, and photos such as these really bring home how fragile our environment is, and how important it is that we learn from this and never have it occur again. There have been a number of articles in relation to this Oil Spill, and I have listed them for you at the bottom of this page.

Thanks Mike & Cerran for sharing these with us :)
Noely
from the Editors Desk

Massive amount of photos here, which we of course really appreciate. To view, you can either just scan down the list to the right and see in the smaller size, or if you really want to sit back and understand the massive impact this Oil Spill has been, just click on the first one and it will open up a Gallery for you (it may take a few moments), and you can then sit back and watch the progress of this devasation.

Photos Labeled "12 March 2009 - Already the oil is in the rivermouth on the mangroves!" on the Gallery to the left show how devastating quick the oil spread.

Photos labeled "13 March 2009 - River Oil Mess photos, Mike & Cerran Maroochy Waterwatch" on the Gallery to the left are Shots of the upstream oil blobs slick foam with oil in it and the intrusion into the mangroves Also the "council" removing Mangroves and a large slick of thicjk black oil where they literally threw us out to cover up the mess and hide it from the media and the real problem (idiots!) Some cover up going on at Nojoor Road ! Someone should look into that one !

Photos labeled "13 March 09 - Oil Spill River Mouth wide shots" in the gallery to the right, As you will see the Oil Sludge is mixing with the Brown Surf Foam and being blown up river by the southerly winds, it is at the Maroochy bridge now It would be a good plan to put a boom across the base of the bridge to prevent iot going into the Bli Bli wetlands sanctusry zone and fish breeding habitiat It can be done before the next tide.

Photos labled "13 March 09 - Oil Spill photos from Mikes Tinny Mike Middleton" are pretty self explanatory, doesn't get better :(

Photos labled "13 March 09 - Boom Removal at Bradman Avenue" are from Mike Middleton and Maroochy Waterwatch and are self explantory

Photos labled "15 Mar 09 - Red Algae blooms prosper in the Maroochy River as the Oil breaks down", Unsafe for swimming or eating fish.... Photo Update! For you updated interest from the River. Just how much Bloom will come is the question now and how toxic will it get? As the oil breaks down... The piles of raked up oil still remain for all to walk in on the beach at the Rivermouth where it was raked up for the camera crews. See pic of media circus and raking crew in background ...

Photos labled "16 Mar 09 - RED ALGAE Bloom Underwater shots", I have just returned form a diving expedition to the bottom of the Maroochy River where the Algae Bloom is now WORSE than expected. In these Images you can see the little dude prawns as they dodge giant Algae and the baitfish that are being suffocated... The Bloom is now from the River Mouth all the way up to Muller park Bli Bli. Most of it is underwater and can't be seen from the surface as the Algae drifts towards the bottom of the river and into the Mangrove roots catching on some of the delicate root systems we discovered. it's hell down there...... said the Prawn Dude! the Little Crab said.... get me outta here it's safer at the Gaza strip!

Photos labled "16 Mar 09 - Algae Bloom gets worse", see below for Red Algae information:

Red Algae

People should not eat mussels or crayfish from red Algae warning areas. Any fish caught should be cleaned and washed thoroughly in uncontaminated water and any internal organs disposed of before consumption

Red algae are red because of the presence of the pigment phycoerythrin; this pigment reflects red light and absorbs blue light. Because blue light penetrates water to a greater depth than light of longer wavelengths, these pigments allow red algae to photosynthesize and live at somewhat greater depths than most other "algae". Some rhodophytes have very little phycoerythrin, and may appear green or bluish from the chlorophyll and other pigments present in them.

In Asia, rhodophytes are important sources of food, such as nori. The high vitamin and protein content of this food makes it attractive, as does the relative simplicity of cultivation, which began in Japan more than 300 years ago. Some rhodophytes are also important in the formation of tropical reefs, an activity with which they have been involved for millions of years; in some Pacific atolls, red algae have contributed far more to reef structure than other organisms, even more than corals. These reef-building rhodophytes are called coralline algae, because they secrete a hard shell of carbonate around themselves, in much the same way that corals do.

Articles onsite in relation to the Oil Spill affecting our pristine shores...

Latest update -- Oil spill response 23 March 2009 - Maritime Safety Queensland
Update on Oil Spill 23 March 2009 - Maroochy Waterwatch Inc
Coast beaches all open 21 March 2009 - Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Most of Coast's beaches in the clear 19 March 2009 - Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Kawana surf club thanked for supporting clean-up operations 18 March 2009 - Sunshine Coast Regional Council
RSPCA Qld confident that everything possible is being done to minimise oil spill impact on wildlife 18 March 2009 - RSPCA QLD
MSQ gives the all clear to another beach 18 March 2009 - Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Turtle hatchlings to be released into ocean today 18 March 2009 - Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Majority of beaches cleaned and open 18 March 2009 - Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Navy Minehunter HMAS Yarra starts search for lost containers 18/03/2009 - Minister for Transport, John Mickel
Algal Bloom Not a Threat to the Maroochy River 17 March 2009 - Maroochy Waterwatch Inc
Clean-up efforts mean most beaches now open 17 March 2009 - Sunshine Coast Regional Council
RSPCA and oil spill 17 March 2009 - RSPCA QLD
OIL SPILL CAPTAIN SURRENDERS PASSPORT 15/03/2009 - Deputy Premier Paul Lucas
Oil Slick Causes Algal Bloom In Maroochy River 15 March 2009 - Maroochy Waterwatch Inc
State Government stands by tourism industry 14 March 2009 - Tourism Queensland and the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
State Government rallies behind tourism industry in wake of oil spill 13/03/09 - Tourism Noosa
Where are Maroochy River's Booms? 13 March 2009 - Maroochy Waterwatch Inc
DEVASTATING OIL SPILL CONCERNS FEDERAL MEMBER 13 March 2009 - The Hon Alexander Somlyay MP, Federal Member for Fairfax
RSPCA joins fight to save wildlife 13/03/09 - RSPCA Qld
Oil Slick Reaches Maroochy River Estuary 13/03/09 - Maroochy Waterwatch Inc
Clean-up operations begin following oil spill from container ship 12/03/2009 - Minister for Transport, John Mickel
Oil Spill Drifts to Coast 12/03/09 - Maroochy Waterwatch Inc