The Coastal Health District has issues a modified precautionary swimming advisory, following the initial swimming advisory released on Sunday, September 8 due to the capsizing of a cargo ship in Saint Simons Sound, with the following information:
Beach visitors are urged to visually check the water before deciding to swim. A similar advisory also applies to fish consumption.
- If you see a sheen of oil on the water’s surface, don’t swim. Contact with oil could cause skin and eye irritation.
- If there is no visible oil on the water, then swim or wade at your discretion. Stay alert for changing conditions.
- If a fish smells or tastes like oil, or you can see oil on the fish, do not eat it.
Officials at the incident command center are working to plug the ship’s vent stacks to prevent any additional release of oil, and absorbent booms are soaking up most of the oil immediately around vessel. Booms have also been placed at the entrance of nearby creeks to protect local oyster beds.
JIA representatives are in ongoing discussions with the U.S. Coast Guard, The Coastal Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and emergency management agencies who are at the U.S. Coast Guard incident command center, as well NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration, and will continue to monitor any and all developments to provide updates to residents, businesses and visitors.
As a reminder, this is a precautionary swimming advisory and beaches are not closed at this time.
If you see oil on the beach, contact the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center directly at 1-800-424-8802 to make a report.
For updates, and to see the previous advisory, visit https://coastalgadnr.org/GoldenRay
