Monterey Bay Mystery Tarballs; Marina, CA

Marina, CA | 2001-Sep-12

Initial Notification: The CA SSC was contacted Wednesday evening about scattered tarballs washing ashore along a stretch of beach in the Marina, CA area (north of Monterey). Very little detail was known at that time, such as density, distribution and potential sources. The next morning, further information from both MSO San Francisco and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) indicated that these tarballs were spread over a wide range, approximately 15 miles of shoreline from just north of Monterey up to the Pajaro River. Responders on-scene reported tarballs ranging in size from a dime to a dinner plate, fairly weathered, and concentrated in swash lines along the beach face. USCG district 11.