NORTHERN CALIFORNIA | TRAVEL NEWS, TIPS & ADVICE
San Francisco Bay Area oil spill closes parks, beaches
Alcatraz Island, San Francisco
Big plans for San Francisco's Presidio
Several beaches and parks in the San Francisco Bay area remained shut this afternoon as an oil spill from a container ship continued to spread, fouling the coastline, killing birds and causing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency in the region. The situation was changing hourly. Among the affected sites as of this afternoon:
Editor's note: For updates on how you can volunteer and help with the cleanup, see the Oiled Wildlife Care Network website. To report oiled birds or wildlife, call (877) 823-6926 or (415) 701-2311. To report oil spills, call (800) 645-7911.
Golden Gate National Recreational Area: Park officials closed Muir Beach today after discovering "bowling-ball-sized globules of oil" there, said Rich Weideman, spokesman for the recreational area, which stretches along nearly 60 miles of coast in and around San Francisco.
Fort Point, Crissy Field Beach, China Beach, Baker Beach and Kirby Cove were among the other sites in Golden Gate that remained shut this afternoon as clean-up efforts continued. For updates, go to www.nps.gov/goga.
Alcatraz Island: Home to the infamous penitentiary that is a top tourist draw, this National Park Service site remained open to visitors, except for the Agave Trail area, according to its website. For updates, go to www.nps.gov/alca.
Angel Island: The largest island in San Francisco Bay, covering 740 acres used by hikers, bicyclists and campers, remained closed until further notice, said California State Parks spokesman Dave Matthews. Ferry service from San Francisco and Tiburon was suspended because of concern that vessels arriving in Ayala Cove would spread the oil slick, he explained.
Depending on the clean-up progress, Angel Island State Park may be reopened later, but the shoreline and beaches are expected to be shut "for an unknown amount of time," Matthews said.
For updates, go to www.parks.ca.gov and look up Angel Island under "visit a park."
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