[austintilelady]

Well here it is I just figured it was something like this too.

Halliburton’s Role in Oil Rig Explosion Probed

The Los Angeles Times reports federal investigators are looking at Halliburton’s role in the disaster. Halliburton was responsible for cementing the deepwater drill hole–a key procedure to prevent oil well blowouts. It had completed the final cementing of the well and pipe 20 hours before the blowout on April 20. Halliburton had four employees stationed on the rig at the time of the gulf accident, all of whom were rescued by the Coast Guard. Meanwhile the Wall Street Journal has revealed federal regulators learned in 2004 that a vital piece of oil-drilling safety equipment may not function in deep-water seas but regulators did nothing to bolster industry requirements.

[Seawitch]

I cancelled our reservations today for PCB. We were supposed to come down on June 14th. We always stay at the Boardwalk Beach Resort. I am so sad! We didn't get to come last summer because my mother had a stroke and we were really looking forward to it this year; especially the kids. It just makes me sick! When I think of the wildlife, beautiful beaches, and all the people that will be affected by this (and have ALREADY been affected) I just want to cry! Still, we are a working family and on a budget and I can't justify spending $1800.00 on a condo just so we can go sit at the pool. We can do that here in GA for free. We come to FL especially for the beach! Looks like we may go to Myrtle Beach, and I am dreading trying to figure out where a good place to stay is, etc., as we have never been there before. PCB is like a second home to us, as I have been there almost every summer since I was a baby.

[TNTripper]

We too canceled our PCB trip. However, we decided to go to Daytona. The state needs the revenue so we wanted to go to FL anyways.

[seamama71]

I'm keeping a close, sad eye on this thread, and any others like it. My family is meeting up near Rosemary Beach over Memorial Day weekend, and it's too late to cancel.

Unless there is awful smell or other potential health risks, we're going to stick it out. We'll have a pregnant woman and two small kids with us, so health is first and foremost.

Otherwise, we'll be ok with pool and each other's company. We are hoping, however, that the local businesses will still be able to show us a good time. Despite no local seafood, we'd love to shop and eat and enjoy our vacation. Or maybe spend some time volunteering with some clean up efforts....?

*sigh* so sad this is happening - selfishly, for us; and also for the people and animals and environment there. The Gulf holds a special place in my family's heart and history.

[stars99]

Are there any panhandle residents near the affected area who can give us a report? Has the oil reached land yet? Is there a smell?

[austintilelady]

I live in a high-rise condo on the beach in Destin, Florida, my mother and father live at the largest high-rise in pcb. Today there is no smell and there is no oil on the beach. It has been raining here for the last three days.

Everyone that is cancelling there vacation here are at risk no one really knows where this oil spill is going to land. I do not understand why people are cancelling there pcb vacations and moving downward. You very well could cancel your pcb vacation and end up in a place you don't normally vacation and still have oil on the beach. Just wait and see the cancellation policies are not going to change.

If the oil does avoid the beaches here and moves down and it will be down in June you could be giving up a vacation here for one down there and at that time, you will not get a reservation here at all. Just wait a couple of weeks.

This all depends on the weather and man. No one knows exactly where all it will be. I can see canceling all togeather but acting as if you know where it is going to end up is crazy.

[EngageGuy1]

For me it's just dealing with odds. Yes, oil could wind up in Fort Lauderdale. At this point, it looks like it could end up on my front door here in South Carolina. I'd like to still give Florida a fighting chance though, and I'd just as soon do it as far away from the origin of the oil as I can. If that comes to bite me in the butt, then (like I said) I guess it'll be a pool-side proposal. I hope to everything that it impacts as little as it can and I wake up tomorrow and they've dropped the hoods on this thing earlier than expected.

You're right, no one can predict where it's going, though. Just where it is. I think it is a big mistake (and unfortunate) for people to start assuming or imagining that Pensacola or PCB are painted black right now or smelling like a gas-station, but unfortunately those fears are going to happen in this sort of event. I don't have cable news, so I don't know how much reporting is happening on the ground, but it seems like we could use some more local reports to clear up misconceptions. A lot of folks I talk to (local, coastal, SC people) aren't even really aware of the scope of this disaster. Yet.

[2bohemians]

Originally Posted by OrlandoRE_Miracle

Are there any panhandle residents near the affected area who can give us a report? Has the oil reached land yet? Is there a smell?

We live in Santa Rosa Beach on the Scenic 30A -- nothing has reached us yet. Some of our coastal dune lakes have opened up to the gulf, which is normal and good, but does make them vulnerable for the future. They've been out surveying them today to try and figure out the best way to protect these rare dune lakes. We've had some pretty big surf over the last few days and the water is really stirred up --- not its normal emerald color but it's not oil ... just stirred up seas. We've been fortunate enough to have the swell pushing in an easterly direction. However, we are expecting the direction to change in a few days so we all watch and wait. It's not a good feeling at all! Will try to keep everyone updated should the situation change for the worse.

[emeraldgirl]

I live on the sound near Ft. Walton Beach and I have not noticed any smell yet. I have not noticed a change in the water either. It feels like the calm before the storm......

[keroppininja]

It is pretty foolish to say that PCB won't be affected, you may as well expect the oil to effect not only the entire gulf coast but also the east coast as far north as North Carolina before entering the north Atlantic; this is due to the Gulf Loop Current. Not to also forget that they do not have a clear time table of when they will be able to stop the oil from coming out of the well, it could be months before that happens. Considering also past oil industry disasters, the end is always worse than what is expected by the hopeful.

It feels like the calm before the storm

You are probably correct, though this will be much worse than any storm.