Alex Downgraded, but Hampering Gulf Cleanup

Thursday, a barge reappeared on Baritaria Bay, to block oil from floating in, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann. But stormy waters docked smaller cleanup boats, scattered boom and left coastlines vulnerable.

"Out on shore and near-shore skimming and recovery operations have been significantly hampered by the weather," said Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen.

These choppy waters are too much for the skimmers to be effective. Tar patties like this one have reappeared in the bay, pushed here by Alex's surge. Until the storm completely passes, there's nothing anyone can do about it. On land, it's a similar story. Oil washed inland several hundred yards from the coast, into the grasses for the first time, making this cleanup harder.

This Taiwanese super-skimmer might help. It's more than three football fields long and 10 stories high. BP told CBS News it has no plans to use it, but the Coast Guard wants to test it.

Bob Dudley would decide. On YouTube, BP's new point man on the spill answered questions about the spill. Shelly Landry owns Grand Isle's only grocery store. She watched, unimpressed.

"They're not answering our calls. They're not answering our cries for help that we need to stop this," Landry said.

Friday is shaping up as the third straight day of this cleanup lost to bad weather - the forecast calls for 80 percent chance of rain.

Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf
BP Oil Spill Is Now The Largest Ever In Gulf
Huge Skimming Ship Headed for Gulf Oil Spill
Fears Over Slick Spread Along Coast
Alex Halts Skimming, Sends Tar Balls Ashore
Bad Weather Halts Spill Relief

[presclayiii]

the whale has arrived and still it bp has no plans to use it on the biggest oil spill in U.S. history shame on you get it together the world is watching you and hay we do'nt have to buy you products bp? weres our goverment greedy fine clean it up your killing this world and we have no were to run? and running our coast?

[pensacola8-2009]

The news of the arrival of the Whale Skimmer is exciting. The waters will lay down flat in a couple more days allowing operations to begin.

Most know that the if the oil well was plugged or brought under control today, the clean up and gathering of the oil which escaped still means a massive effort easily lasting 8-12 months meaning that this summer and the next could be keeping cleanup workers busy.