Oil Slick; Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California | 1987-Feb-13

Initial Notification: On February 13, 1987, the tank vessel EXXON Philadelphia sighted an oil slick extending from the Golden Gate north to a point 7 nautical miles due west of Point Reyes. Initial reports indicated that the area impacted was a stretch of ocean consisting of 10 miles by 2,000 yards of intermittent sheen. U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office helicopter overflights confirmed the sightings and estimated that approximately 400 gallons had been spilled. The Point Reyes-Farallon Islands National Marine Sanctuary, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were notified. The Coast Guard dispatched a 41-foot patrol boat to the area of the spill to sample the slick, but high winds and increased sea conditions prevented taking of adequate samples. USCG district 12.