Large Blob of Oil Comes Ashore on Several South Coast Beaches

MONTECITO, Calif. (KEYT) - An unusual amount of oil, believed to be from a natural seep, ruined the ideal beach weekend for many people.

On Saturday, a significant amount was washing up at Butterfly Beach in Montecito. There were also reports at Hammonds to the south and nearby at Miramar Beach. They are all among the most popular beach areas for the local residents and tourists visiting the area hotels.

The Rosewood Miramar Beach also posted a sign for its hotel guests to be aware of the excessive oil and tar in the water. Special wipes were available to clean their feet if they came off the beach with tar on their toes.

Sunday there was a report of a similar impact down the coast in the direction of the currents, with oil coming on the sand at Santa Claus Beach.

At the same time the non-profit, Heal the Ocean, set up a drone to take pictures of the oily mass which was clearly in the near shore waters. It was one of the darkest "blob" of oil many residents had seen in years.

Many people avoided the waves but the sand also had oil impacts that created a gooy situation.

Natural seeps are not unusual but large ones coming ashore is a messy situation for beach visitors, it is also unhealthy to the coastal environment.

There are also well heads in the area dating back 100 years, some that were never capped correctly.

Experts say a couple of weeks ago there was a large oil release from the offshore natural seep to the west of Isla Vista. That coated Sands and Coal Oil Point beaches and while there's been tar there in the past, this again, has appeared to local residents to be something very unusual.

Wind and wave data shows the currents went out and down the coast and now they have turned back to the shore.

The targeted areas were Butterfly Beach across from the dormant Biltmore hotel and to the south near Carpinteria.

Late Monday an inspection of Arroyo Paredon creek off Padaro Lane showed oil had made its way into the creek and up to the area under the railroad bridge. Normally known for shorebirds, the area was quiet. A sheen of oil could be seen in the flow coming in from the ocean, and a brownish muck was stacked up in other areas of the creek.

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