As public awareness grows regarding a major oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon rig well on a lease owned by British Petroleum (BP), the thousands of people that participated in the Hands Across the Sand (visit www.handsacrossthesand.com) movement are stewing in black irony -- oil-black irony.

"Hands" founder Dave' Rauschkolb's concerns about a potentially catastrophic spill are proving prescient, as oil threatens Gulf and Atlantic beaches and many other ecosystems vital to surfing, recreational fishing, the seafood industry, and tourism in general.

"We feel for the families of the eleven workers killed in the blast," said Rauschkolb, a veteran waterman and restaurant owner from Seaside, Florida. "And it is a shame it is going to take a spill of this magnitude to hopefully open our leaders' minds to the risks oil drilling presents to our coastal communities and fragile environment."

Check out the full story

By: Terry Gibson / Surfline