BP Oil Gusher Response: Kid's beach shovel and large tar patch, Gulf Shores AL. July 3, 2010

BP Oil Gusher: OIl coming ashore at Gulf Shores AL as tar, mousse, oily foam confronts Fourth of July weekend tourists. Bookings for hotels and condos was sharply off from 2009's record crowds.

BP oil gusher: Thick crude fills a depression on the Gulf Shores beach, as some of the thousands of contracted clean up workers scrape at it with shovels.

Gulf Oil Gusher Response: BP-hired clean up workers labor in heat of Gulf Shores AL to shovel oil deposited in water-filled swale by high waves.

Gulf Oil Gusher Response: BP-hired clean up workers labor in heat of Gulf Shores AL to shovel oil deposited in water-filled swale by high waves

BP Oil Gusher Response: BP-hired clean up workers labor in heat of Gulf Shores AL to shovel oil deposited in water-filled swale by high waves.

BP Oil Gusher Response: 24-hour beach cleanup proceeds at 3 am in Gulf Shores AL, with hundreds of BP-hired workers shoveling oil and tar from sand.

BP Oil Gusher Response: 24-hour beach cleanup proceeds at 3 am in Gulf Shores AL, with hundreds of BP-hired workers shoveling oil and tar from sand.

Gulf Shores AL: On July 3, Gulf Shores beach was soaked with crude oil and foam, and hundreds of workers were employed day and night to scoop, rake, soak up and shovel the gooey mess (inset; see previous images). By August 12, it looks much cleaner, but huge amounts of oil lurk on the sand as brown tarballs, and was also scalloping the shore in brown foam.

Gulf Shores AL, August 13: In early July, Gulf Shores beach was soaked with crude oil. By mid August, even though it looks much cleaner, huge amounts of oil lurk on the sand as brown tarballs, dotting the beach for miles. The invigorating smell of the sea is also gone -- replaced by a vaguely chemical, garage odor.

Gulf Shores AL, August 13: Huge amounts of oil still pollutes the sand as brown tarballs, dotting the beach for miles. A BP subcontractor crew actually is hand sifting these globs with tiny garden pool nets on long sticks! Some on this 15-person crew have been working here since the huge crude flow at the beginning of July.

Gulfport MS, August 14: These beaches got much less oil than those to the east because they are protected by barrier islands of Gulf Islands National Seashore. But still oil is present as dark tar balls, which this small crew shovels carefully into a bucket.

In contrast to the beaches which remained open for water access along Alabama and Mississippi, the entire 7 miles of Grand Isle LA beach was closed to the public. Response authorities declared the heavily oiled beach a "hot zone."

Photojournalist Gary Braasch got into hot water by crossing a barrier boom in the "hot zone" on the Grand Isle beach during his coverage of the oil spill in July, and was detained by sherrif's officers. After about an hour of waiting for a BP decontamination crew to arrive (there was no visible oil at the place Braasch's transgression occurred, but the Sherrif's department followed strict orders to detain anyone who crossed this barrier or got into oil), very heavy rain caused the law officers to release Braasch. Access to the spill, BP and government activities was very restricted and journalists have loudly complained about the lack of freedom to report this significant event.

Photo Reports Intro

1. The BP Deepwater Horizon oil well gushes crude across the Gulf to beaches and marsh.
2. Crude comes ashore from Gulf Shores to Grand Isle.
3. Clean up workers and local people react to the oil.
4. Oil in the marshes greases up birds and sedges; fishing and shrimping are closed.
5. Shrimping and fishing begin to return but long term effects of oil remain.
5A. The toll on animals and birds continues; rescuers take action.
6. Indians Face Oil Spill
7. Indians Face Oil Spill 2
8. The most endangered sea turtle and the Gulf oil spill 1
9. The most endangered sea turtle and the Gulf oil spill 2