I’ve been here almost a week and one thing is certain – we are not getting the full story from either BP or the US Government. I was fortunate to be able to speak with Dr. Riki Ott this week and, when asked about the people swimming in the beaches, her response was perfect. She replied: “In the absence of true leadership, we all need to exercise a whole lot of common sense. When you see large quantities of marine life moving ever closer inland looking for oxygen, and dead wildlife washing up on shore, it’s a pretty good indication there’s some really bad stuff in the water and you might want to stay out of it.”

One new item from Dr. Riki Ott. When I met with her this week she explained that there is a process by which dispersants gain approval from the EPA. This process is clearly documented. The problem now is that there IS NO DE-LISTING PROCESS for dispersants. When a dispersant poses a human health hazard there must be a way to de-list it from the EPA approved dispersants. We are looking forward to hearing more from Riki on this, as she is investigating how to create this process.  As Riki would say “we the people” must get this done!

I’m learning a lot working on the gulf coast. This week I’m working with Project Gulf Impact, brainchild of Matt Smith and Rich Virgen from L.A., who wanted to document what’s actually happening on the Gulf Coast and share it with the rest of the world. You can follow them on Twitter.

The latest news this morning is a tragic account of the death of a local charter boat captain out of Orange Beach who was working on oil spill response, contracted by BP. The cause of his death was a gunshot wound and causes are being investigated. Early reports are mixed, with some reporting suicide, others that do not agree with that assessment.

From my relatives and contacts in Alaska I can tell you there was much suicide following Exxon Valdez. If you have never lived through something like this and are not now on the Gulf Coast, you cannot imagine the overwhelming sense of loss and devastation here. This is compounded by the constant sting of toxic fumes being inhaled and absorbed by the body, which further serves to wear down defenses.

Many have said this already and I must concur: No, BP, you cannot “make us whole”. You cannot replace what we have lost, are losing and will continue to lose. As I walked the once pristine, white sandy beaches in Gulf Shores this morning, and looked at the miles and miles of dark brown staining the shores I realized I’ll never again see this treasure as it was my entire life.

More information and pictures to come. Please keep fighting the dispersant use with us.