Burranan dolphins at play (pic: PP Baykeeper)

Every fisho has an unbelievable story about the one that got away. But did you hear the one about the diesel slick that got away? Strange but apparently true, when the Lady Cheryl ran aground at 1am on March 21, it wasn’t until April 5 that the incident response team reported that her 2 fuel tanks had apparently been holed on impact and the 30,000 litres of diesel was gone.

Meanwhile, an unsuspecting Rye resident had seen a 1km slick off Rye back beach on March 22. But he didn’t report it as it was so big he assumed the authorities must have already known about it. Port Phillip Bay’s equally unsuspecting and highly endangered Burrunan dolphins were enjoying life just a kilometre away from the disaster. They got lucky. Within minutes of the Lady Cheryl running aground the tide turned to take the slick out of the Bay, and apparently well away from the scene by the time the sun came up.

Some people can’t believe that a major slick wouldn’t have been spotted by the response team. Others can’t believe that they’d pretend there was no slick if they had seen it. Whatever the case, it just goes to show you can’t take anything for granted and any sightings of pollution should be reported to the Victorian EPA pollution hotline on 1300 372 842. It’ll take less than 20 seconds to put that number in your phone now.

dolphins off Point Nepean - coming up for air (pic by Port Phillip Baykeeper)

The successful rescue shows we’re blessed with skilful, courageous people equipped to deal with such situations. We’re also lucky that so far most of the 30,000 litres of marine diesel hasn’t escaped and no serious environmental damage has occurred. But for how long?

Eight days after running aground, the Lady Cheryl is anchored near the western end of the Port Phillip Dolphin Sanctuary. Strong tidal currents and ocean swells are gradually causing the boat to break up, increasing the risk that all fuel on board will escape. Slicks place surface breathing animals such as whales, dolphins, seals and penguins at risk as they are less able to avoid them. Exposure to a toxic diesel slick would cause lesions to their skin, airways and eyes and increase risk of infection.

The Department of Transport (the Control Agency for the emergency response to spills of hazardous and noxious substances in state waters) has had divers working daily in difficult local conditions to plug diesel leaks and prepare the vessel for salvage. The ideal outcome would seem to be for the diesel to be pumped to a storage vessel before it escapes. While the divers are no doubt highly skilled, the question is: do they have the equipment for the job?

Orlo and Erian clean up! (pic: PP Baykeeper)

Assorted plastic fragments (from packaging and confectionery wrappers) topped the list at 32% of items collected, with cigarette butts a close second on 31%. Polystyrene pieces made up 11%. Unfortunately, the flow of plastics into the bay is unrelenting. A group of St Catherine’s School students collected 337 items of litter from a 150m stretch of St Kilda West Beach just 24 hours after the comprehensive Clean Australia Day action. Major education, infrastructure and enforcement programs are needed to stem the tide of this daily influx of plastics entering the marine environment.