Three shoreline parks reopen after spill

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It's been more than a month since a container ship spilled thousands of gallons of oil into the bay. The ship is repaired, but is still waiting for clearance to leave.

Some of the shoreline parks closed because of the oil spill finally reopened to the public on Friday.

A few east bay beaches re-opened this morning and this afternoon the northern half of Rodeo Beach in the Marin Headlands re-opened.

At that beach, crews had to dig up oil from underneath the sand, dump it by the surf and just wait for the water to separate the oil and the sand. It's just one example of ongoing recovery.

Yellow "beach open" signs replaced the "area closed" signs at three East Bay regional parks today which include Middle Harbor in Oakland, Point Pinole and Keller beach in Richmond.

They and four other shoreline parks were closed after the November 7th Cosco Busan oil spill.

The park district says it's now safe for people and their pets at those three parks.

"Mullin's missed it quite a bit and he's glad to be back. He enjoys splashing and chasing bubbles," said Tom Fry from Richmond.

The 58,000 gallon spill was devastating to a few thousand birds and other wildlife.

The Cosco Busan's hull has been repaired and today it moved from dry dock at the shipyard to an anchorage at Hunter's Point, but it still waiting for clearance from the Customs Department before it can leave for South Korea.

Golden Gate Audubon Society conservation director Eli Saddler says though the shoreline is re-opening, the spill's damage to wildlife will go on for weeks or months.

"It couldn't have happened at a worst time of year, during migratory season many birds come here to winter or just pass through in pacific flyaway," said Eli Saddler from the Audubon Society.

Saddler says the Audubon Society's count shows 3,000 birds were killed or hurt by the spill, and he says scientists expect many more dead and damaged birds will be found over time.

The society's annual Christmas Bird Count is happening Sunday in Oakland and in San Francisco on December 27TH.

The bird count relies on volunteers to help the society monitor birdlife. The results will be more important than ever this year.

"The great thing about the annual bird count tradition is citizen scientists have the opportunity to get out and they have an opportunity to take a snapshot of what birdlife is like in the bay area," said Saddler.

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