Oil Clumps Wash Ashore in Newport
Clumps of tar-like oil washed ashore between 28th and 48th streets in Newport Beach on Tuesday night and Wednesday, but officials have not yet determined the oil’s source.
“Some of it looked pretty old, with barnacles on it, as if it had been at sea for a while,” said Craig Farmer, a marine safety officer with the city.
The globules of oil were about 2 inches in diameter and they were sprinkled in the high tide line, he said. Coast Guard officials said they investigated but were unable to provide any details Wednesday night.
The tar could come from natural subterranean seeps of crude oil, freighter dumping or oil spills, although Farmer said it was unlikely it was residue from last year’s American Trader tanker accident off Huntington Beach. He said several homeowners called the city Wednesday to report the globules.
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