Although the Coast Guard initially reported that only 140 gallons had spilled, they waited for more than 12 hours before notifying officials and the public of the true extent of the spill. Senator Barbara Boxer, in an email to constituents included a letter she wrote to the Coast Guard saying, in part, “My immediate concern is for the health and safety of the public as well as the birds, fish and wildlife of the Bay. To that end, it is crucial that the U.S. Coast Guard work in conjunction with the relevant federal, state, and local agencies to effectively mitigate this oil spill as quickly as possible.”

Over the next several days, as the oil slipped out the Golden Gate, the deadly slick spread up the beaches of Marin County, where rescue workers struggled to save hundreds of sea birds soaked in oil by wiping them off using woven matts of human hair. Governor Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency, and the Coast Guard, citing human error in the accident, determined to hold responsible parties accountable, while declining to lay blame on any individuals or parties.

The pilot of the boat, John Cota, has a 99.95% safe transit record, and has piloted more than 3,000 ships through the Bay over a 27-year career. But one mistake was enough to cause the worst oil spill in the Bay in 20 years, and provide yet another example of the incidental costs of dependence on foreign energy supplies.

Photo courtesy of the SF Chronicle.