Photo: Surfrider
The future of surfing in the Gulf?Much has been made about the effects the Gulf Oil spill is having on fisherman, resort owners and coastline economies, yet one group also impacted severely are surfers, who spend more time than most submerged in the actual waters of the gulf.

To help them, Surfrider.org, in cooperation with Ocean Conservancy and SkyTruth recently launched a Gulf Oil Spill Tracker website, http://oilspill.skytruth.org/, to help monitor the effects the spill is having at local beaches.

Among the useful features on the site are interactive maps highlighting the spread of the slick each day as well as uploaded reports of oil on the beach, affected wildlife and air quality. The site allows users to include text, images, and videos in their 1st hand accounts.

"The Gulf Spill Tracker is meant to give people a way to connect with this spill to get messaging and real life content out that isn't filtered by the US Government or British Petroleum's PR agency," says Jim Moriarty, CEO of Surfrider.org.

The effect of the oil spill is of obvious grave concern to the surfing public as well as shop owners in the industry, particularly with the summer season approaching.

"We rely on surf lessons, beach parties and board rentals," says Lib Johnson, co-owner of Mr. Surfs surf shop in Panama City Beach, Florida. "Summertime is our bread and butter."

While the exact course of the oil slick and its full impact remains to be seen the hope of The Gulf Spill Tracker is to provide some measure of power to individuals in the face an overwhelming menace.

"Be they surfers or other ocean enthusiasts, this is hitting all walks of life, adds Moriarity It's so cool to see citizens and volunteers plugging into this effort in that way.