"Smell Of Oil Reaches Beaches
Sunday, May 09, 2010 6:59:12 PM
ST. PETE BEACH -- The actual oil in the Gulf of Mexico may have stayed away from Florida, but that doesn’t mean the smell isn’t.
Some beachgoers on Florida’s Gulf Coast said the odor of oil 300 miles away was enough to make them sick late Saturday night.
From Hernando County to Manatee County, residents in the Tampa Bay area reported smelling something sickening in the area.
Some concerned residents even called 911 about the odor. Emergency medical responders confirmed that it was, indeed, coming from the oil slick in the Gulf, carried onto the Florida coast by winds from the west.
The smell Saturday night left many concerned about their Mother’s Day plans the following day, not to mention their health and safety.
Some residents reported nausea and nasal irritation.
The odor along the Gulf Coast did not seem to be as strong Sunday morning, as the winds have shifted."
VIDEO embedded at link below on reported odors and related complaints from west coast residents
http://cfnews13.com/News/Local/2010/...s_beaches.html
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It seems the odors may have traveled a very long way (300 miles?) from limited information in this report and with the wind shift to the east, the odor disappeared. If anyone has new information about odors, confirmed plume sightings, concerning air or water quality information in Florida, please let us know.