Are you going to cancel VB stay?

[bobbiwoz]

There's a thread on the planning board of a family cancelling VB for the fall, due to the possible spread of the oil up the coast of Florida after hitting some of the ocean currents.

This is truly a tragedy, and I wonder if I should ask people to possibly cancel, but move if we can, our VB stay late next month. Most of us have plane tickets, some are driving from GA, or NC and we are heading for WDW after the VB stay.

Maybe WDW is all booked, could be, and there's the pool, but to see the polluted ocean would be so sad.

Bobbi

 

[starbox]

There's a thread on the planning board of a family cancelling VB for the fall, due to the possible spread of the oil up the coast of Florida after hitting some of the ocean currents.

This is truly a tragedy, and I wonder if I should ask people to possibly cancel, but move if we can, our VB stay late next month. Most of us have plane tickets, some are driving from GA, or NC and we are heading for WDW after the VB stay.

Maybe WDW is all booked, could be, and there's the pool, but to see the polluted ocean would be so sad.

Bobbi

I am very upset about the oil, but I am not concerned that it will have a major visible impact on the beach at Vero.

 

[theoarn]

Bobbi
Maybe you are not aware that the Oil Spill is well within the Gulf of Mexico, and Vero Beach is on the Atlantic Coast of Florida all the way on the other side of Florida.
The probilbility that it will effect the Atlantic Coast in the Area of Vero Beach by next month is pretty slim.
And looking at how the currents work in the Gulf it probably won't happen any time soon.
The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean even though they are connected are not considered the same body of waters.

This link will show you were the slick is.
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2010137-0517/Louisiana.A2010137.1640.1km.jpg

That area to the left of the slick is Louisiana. Now go to google maps and look at the big picture and compare the locations and you will see that they are not very close.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gulf ...rtPage=1&rlz=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

Theo

 

[Chuck S]

Even if the oil hits the loop current, and it leaves the Gulf for the Atlantic, I think it will be very diluted by the time it would reach Vero. I wouldn't cancel at the moment, it doesn't look like it would be near Vero that soon.

 

[JimMIA]

I agree with Starbox -- I don't forsee a big visible effect on the mid-East coast of Florida.

Most of the worst-case scenarios revolve around large quantities of the oil getting into the Gulf Loop Current which would take it South down the West Coast of Florida (probably offshore somewhat), but then through Florida Bay and the Keys. If that happens, the effect in the Keys, the offshore reefs on the Atlantic side of the Keys, and the estuary areas would probably be catastrophic.

(Yesterday, there were conflicting views on whether or not the oil was in, near, or about to move into, the Loop Current. There are news reports of oil blobs coming ashore at Key West today, but they don't know yet whether they are from the Mississippi Canyon event. If so, that would be very troubling news.)

However, once in the Atlantic, the oil would get caught up in the Gulf Stream which is much deeper water, a much more rapid current, and somewhat offshore of the East Coast of Florida. That would make major visual disruption at Vero less likely, although it's anybody's guess what the environmental impact in the ocean might be.

 

[JimMIA]

Weather Underground's Dr. Jeff Masters thinks the most risk is for the North Coast of Cuba, westermost Bahamas, and SE Florida between the Keys and West Palm Beach. If you check where VB is in relation to the Gulf Stream, you'll see why I don't expect much visible effect at VB.

Here's a link to Jeff's blog: http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1484

ETA: Jeff also specifically says he would NOT recommend canceling vacation plans because of anticipated oil issues.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thank you all, for your opinions and the links. I appreciate them, and am reading.

Bobbi