Dramatic photos of Vancouver oil spill spark pipeline outrage on social media
Many fear sight of fuel on water will become common if B.C. gets more oil pipelines
As a toxic bunker fuel spill spread across Vancouver's English Bay and washed ashore on the city's many beaches, people took to social media to share worrying photos, along with fears for the province's environmental future.
Aerial photos capture the scale of the spill
It appears fuel may be leaking from one of the cargo ships anchored in English Bay. Still unconfirmed <a href="https://twitter.com/News1130radio">@News1130radio</a> <a href="http://t.co/g8P1ehP0UY">pic.twitter.com/g8P1ehP0UY</a>
—@chad_deyThe oily substance topping the waters of English Bay covers a wide area <a href="https://twitter.com/News1130radio">@News1130radio</a> <a href="http://t.co/Nrd1x9dja5">pic.twitter.com/Nrd1x9dja5</a>
—@chad_deyThe water looks like this in some places
Oil slick in English Bay now. <a href="http://t.co/pEGXZcNaWT">pic.twitter.com/pEGXZcNaWT</a>
—@IgottherunzSun reflecting off bunker oil spill in EnglishBay <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbc?src=hash">#cbc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vancouver?src=hash">#Vancouver</a> <a href="http://t.co/SJlw2nxMB9">pic.twitter.com/SJlw2nxMB9</a>
—@vancbcmcarthurIt's real RT <a href="https://twitter.com/News1130radio">@News1130radio</a>: Photo of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EnglishBay?src=hash">#EnglishBay</a> yesterday afternoon (Photo credit: Chad Spoffard) <a href="http://t.co/X7hmS4Bnrg">pic.twitter.com/X7hmS4Bnrg</a>
—@cwilhelmsonFuel is clearly visible on beaches as well
.<a href="https://twitter.com/inthehouse7">@inthehouse7</a> is at the site of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> and will have more tonight on <a href="https://twitter.com/APTNNews">@APTNNews</a> <a href="http://t.co/z9fGmScwM5">pic.twitter.com/z9fGmScwM5</a>
—@DennisWardNewsWalked from 2nd to 3rd Beach in Stanley Park. Spill apparent in areas. Many birds. Hard to see if they are affected. <a href="http://t.co/Kck3q2wlJY">pic.twitter.com/Kck3q2wlJY</a>
—@llikemoydTouched a small oil drop of many on English bay beach. Washed up on the tide <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/oilspill?src=hash">#oilspill</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> <a href="http://t.co/T2TDUdAo0m">pic.twitter.com/T2TDUdAo0m</a>
—@RonWilsonVanAs the sun gets higher here the slick becomes more visible <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbc?src=hash">#cbc</a> <a href="http://t.co/4NQAPH8UtG">pic.twitter.com/4NQAPH8UtG</a>
—@FarrahMeraliMany have expressed concern for wildlife
English Bay today. English Bay a month ago. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/VancityBuzz">@VancityBuzz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vancouver?src=hash">#Vancouver</a> <a href="http://t.co/ol8KPLgzbS">pic.twitter.com/ol8KPLgzbS</a>
—@paultomkinsonCanadian geese swim through bunker fuel on English Bay. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcpoli?src=hash">#bcpoli</a> <a href="http://t.co/Wk9xkrBYly">pic.twitter.com/Wk9xkrBYly</a>
—@SChandraHerbertSad to hear of the bunker fuel spill in Vancouver's English Bay. Hoping that no marine life are harshly impacted <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a>
—@DarcyGreen91You can see how close the tankers are in these photos from yesterday – likely shows the actual tanker. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> <a href="http://t.co/H4jFwtMKom">pic.twitter.com/H4jFwtMKom</a>
—@VeganRottweilerAnd outrage that some have described the spill as 'minor'
"Minor" is when I spill olive oil on my kitchen floor not a plume through a bay to beaches.1st pass at cleanup yields a ton?! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vanfuelspill?src=hash">#vanfuelspill</a>
—@eleekg"Minor" oil spill at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EnglishBay?src=hash">#EnglishBay</a> <a href="http://t.co/Un2FSFPzmm">http://t.co/Un2FSFPzmm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vancouver?src=hash">#Vancouver</a> <a href="http://t.co/Q5vcmjcarC">pic.twitter.com/Q5vcmjcarC</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/News1130radio">@News1130radio</a>
—@mapleridgealex<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> already being called 'minor', but bunker fuel effects on marine life highly toxic. Grim reminder of worst case scenario.
—@awoodsworthAnd while clean-up efforts are underway
This boat is skimming the water sucking up oil from the Marathassa in English Bay. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBC?src=hash">#CBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vancouver?src=hash">#Vancouver</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> <a href="http://t.co/P1u3Xk2UX9">pic.twitter.com/P1u3Xk2UX9</a>
—@vancbcmcarthurSome have doubts about how much can really be done
Can we really just "clean it up" ? As this photo demos, the fluidity of water can be quite frustrating <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> <a href="http://t.co/Md62Vuq08e">pic.twitter.com/Md62Vuq08e</a>
—@_DanWardMany more have said the spill is proof the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline will be an environmental disaster
Tell me again how we'll get tankers through the Douglas channel safely when we can't even prevent a spill in burrard inlet. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a>
—@JazzblisterThis spill off the coast should open your eyes. No beaches, no fun. Panels, not pipelines. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcpoli?src=hash">#bcpoli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a>
—@lapredniAnother reason we don't need vessels carrying oil as their main purpose in our water ways <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoPipelines?src=hash">#NoPipelines</a> <a href="https://t.co/o1qSu84oln">https://t.co/o1qSu84oln</a>
—@amilreddySmall protest at English Bay <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> <a href="http://t.co/Qa1Axkz2PG">pic.twitter.com/Qa1Axkz2PG</a>
—@theemilyjacksonAnd appealed directly to Prime Minister Stephen Harper
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> serves as warning for what could happen if <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Harper?src=hash">#Harper</a> and pipeline proponents get their way <a href="http://t.co/Icp4VbSt9m">http://t.co/Icp4VbSt9m</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ActOnClimate?src=hash">#ActOnClimate</a>
—@peterlouweSure, just keep rejecting proposals to ban tankers & bring more in Not like anything ever happens, right? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DummyUp?src=hash">#DummyUp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/pmharper">@pmharper</a>
—@AdorablyNutsBut this was most dominant sentiment shared online
Heartbreaking to see this happen in one of the greenest cities of the world. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vanpoli?src=hash">#vanpoli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanFuelSpill?src=hash">#VanFuelSpill</a> <a href="https://t.co/6mceA6rDZ8">https://t.co/6mceA6rDZ8</a>
—@CoachPooja