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Black Butterfly Beach
updated: Oct 16, 2012, 9:23 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

I was hanging out on the wall at Butterfly Beach enjoying the view when this black stuff started spewing from the wall onto the beach and into the water. This image will definitely play in my head the next time I go in the water. What is it?

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Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 331857	2012-10-16 09:32 AM
Did it have an odor? First thought is oil seep, but it looks watery or thin.
COMMENT 331863	2012-10-16 09:37 AM
Call and report to County Project Clean Water, they'll investigate. 877-OUR-OCEAN
COMMENT 331871	2012-10-16 09:48 AM
There's probably a storm-drainage pipe right there, and someone washed some used motor oil down the storm drain...
COMMENT 331876	2012-10-16 09:54 AM
871 hit the nail on the head.
COMMENT 331887	2012-10-16 10:32 AM
uhhmmm, doesn't look to have that rainbow oil sheen. maybe it is a dirt that washed from recent sprinkles that is a different color than the sand. It has been a while since it rained. Maybe some topsoil.
COMMENT 331890	2012-10-16 10:36 AM
Looks that that really stringy, dark green algal mat that grows in constantly flowing fresh water. Do you have a close up shot?
ROGER DODGER	2012-10-16 10:42 AM
Looks almost like plumbing rot.
COMMENT 331899	2012-10-16 10:49 AM
that's not oil. It looks like dirt or muck. Quick, call the EPA, the State the County, the City and the International Environmental police... we have dirt being sent into the ocean!!!! BTW - the chemicals from your skin cream and sunscreen probably cause more harm to the water than this small amount of runoff.
COMMENT 331900	2012-10-16 10:50 AM
Check the Chevron on the other side of the freeway.
COMMENT 331903	2012-10-16 10:56 AM
The world over humans are dumping their waste into the ocean and have been doing it for centuries. You should've seen it here prior to the creation of the EPA in the 70's (Nixon administration).
ROGER DODGER	2012-10-16 11:18 AM
Just because it's been going on for years doesn't make it ok.
COMMENT 331918P	2012-10-16 11:34 AM
It's probably silt that was on trees from the fires that the recent rains in the hills washed down, a natural process. Notice no oil sheen...
NATURE BOY	2012-10-16 11:43 AM
OP says it started while she was standing there.
COMMENT 331930	2012-10-16 12:06 PM
Not oil. Walked over it and it's nothing more than dirt or algae from the storm drain.
COMMENT 331951P	2012-10-16 12:43 PM
Across the street from that wall is the Biltmore....
COMMENT 331983P	2012-10-16 01:45 PM
Twenty years ago, they used to say "the solution to pollution is dilution". That was before the oceans got full.
COMMENT 331996	2012-10-16 02:10 PM
Roger nobody implied that is was okay only that it was worse before regulation and will get worse again if the de-regulators get their way.
COMMENT 332044	2012-10-16 03:27 PM
Most things have a distinct smell. Just dip a finger in and give it a whiff, not only will you have your answer you'll probably live to tell us what is was too..just saying what I woulda done :)
COMMENT 332180P	2012-10-16 07:50 PM
863 made the most salient suggestion.
COMMENT 332255	2012-10-17 07:38 AM
It looks like it could be from cleaning out the bottom of a koi pond or fountain, which are common in cito. Did it smell swampy?
COMMENT 332267P	2012-10-17 08:01 AM
"Awwl...black gold...Texas tea.....y'all come back now, ya hear?" It was just dirt? Ah man, that's no fun.... 983P, most scientists and engineers who study the subject still say that. (I know I do) "The oceans are filled up" ???? Seriously? You actually believe that? Do you have any idea of the mass/volume ratios you are discussing? Or is that some sort of political statement?
COMMENT 332487	2012-10-17 02:12 PM
looks like septic overflow biltmore hotel out flow old septic line 200 yards into ocean

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