Waiting for the Oil

http://www.oilspill.labucketbrigade.org/
(504) 27 27 OIL

If only if this were Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, we could enjoy a quiet couple of uneventful hours and the oil would never come. The entire Gulf Coast is bracing for the oil, and the scene in Venice, Louisiana, is surreal. Waiting, waiting. Our Oil Spill Crisis Map Team was down there today, and this was the scene:

International / national press poised with cameras, ready to film the first oil coming on shore (which, like Godot, has not come...yet)
Fishermen standing around, worrying, waiting, but mostly worrying
Charter boat captains - the only people allowed to go out there now - hauling in their catch and taking pictures with big fish. Strange amidst the somber feeling. These are probably the last fish for a while.

What a strange scene.

This has all affected our Oil Spill Crisis Map as well, as we are geared to report the arrival of the oil though none has arrived. Based on time today with fisherman we are adding some very important categories: Fishermen, Oystermen, Shrimpers Out of Work; Equipment Damaged by Oil; Charter Boat Captains Out of Work. Please go to our map and see it. We do know we need to make format changes. Zach and Shannon, our Tech Team, are working on it but are having some issues (for instance, with icons!).

We can already add hundreds of people to the map based on these categories, and we will begin to collect that information tomorrow.

Thanks to all of the offers of help and actual help! We need it.