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The US Coast Guard is investigating reports that oil has started washing ashore on the Gulf Coast from a leaking offshore well.
Up to 5,000 barrels of oil a day are thought to be spilling into the water after last week's explosion on a BP-operated rig, which then sank.
President Barack Obama has pledged "every single available resource" to help.The US navy has been deployed to help avert a looming environmental disaster.
The US Coast Guard said it had sent investigators to confirm whether crude oil had begun to wash up on parts of the Louisiana shoreline.
"This is a very, very big thing," said David Kennedy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He told the Associated Press news agency that the clean-up efforts could be "mind-boggling".
An emergency shrimping season was opened on Thursday to allow fishermen to bring in their catch before it was fouled by the advancing oil.
The US government has designated the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as an "incident of national significance". This allows it to draw on resources from across the country.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency and asked for federal funds to deploy 6,000 National Guard soldiers to help with the clean-up.
The Louisiana coastline, with its rich shrimp and oyster beds, is the most threatened by the spill. There are also fears of severe damage to fisheries and wildlife in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Navy vessels are helping to deploy booms to contain the spill.
President Obama has dispatched high-level administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, to the area.
Grant 'Twiggy' Baker from Durban, South Africa took top Ride of the Year honors in the premier category of the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards, at a glittering function in Anaheim, California on Friday.
Baker, 36, pocketed US $50,000 for his incredible ride on an enormous wave which he paddled into during the Maverick's Surf Contest at Half Moon Bay in Northern California on February 13, 2010.
Regarded as the Oscars of big wave surfing, the Tenth Annual XXL Awards recognize the biggest and heaviest waves ridden and documented over the past twelve months anywhere in the world.
2,300 surf-stoked fans packed the Grove Theater in Anaheim to witness mind-blowing rides from Chile, South Africa, Australia, Hawaii, Mexico, California and French Polynesia. In what proved to be one of the best years in big wave surfing history, over 1000 images and videos were submitted for judging. The awards are decided by a panel of 400 surfers, selected surf media and big wave aficionados.
Sebastian Steudtner (Nuremberg, Germany) finished first in the Billabong XXL Biggest Wave division for a giant tow-in ride at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on a monster wave that took everyone by surprise for its size and speed. It was the first time a German surfer had appeared on the XXL stage.
Shawn Dollar officially surfed into the record books for riding a paddle-in wave judged to be 55 feet on the face to win the Monster Paddle Award. The previous Guinness Book best was held by Californian Taylor Knox for a 52-foot wave ridden at Todos Santos, Mexico in 1998.
The countdown is underway as the elite of the big wave surfing world converge on Southern California for tonight's Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards. The Oscars-style ceremony at the Grove Theater in Anaheim, CA will pay tribute to the greatest achievements in high surf during the last year with a red carpet gala and a star-studded array of nominees and presenters. Over 2,200 surf industry VIPs will attend the invitation-only event which will be carried via a live webcast on BillabongXXL.com
The tenth annual XXL Awards have shaped up as the most spectacular in the event's history, thanks to an extraordinary year of El Nino-fueled swells spanning the Seven Seas. Over $130,000 in prizes will be distributed to the champions in an array of categories including the Ride of the Year, Billabong XXL Biggest Wave, Monster Paddle, Monster Tube and Surfline Overall Performance Awards. The top female surfers of the year will contend for the Billabong Girls Performance crown and the greatest mishaps of 2009/10 will be celebrated with the crowd-pleasing Verizon Wireless Wipeout of the Year Award.
Lord Royden Bryson has won the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Scotland 2010 in epic Thurso East conditions.
“Really?! I am a Lord?” asked Royden. “I had no idea! I was just so happy with the ASP ratings points and the $20,000 from this competition as well as that highland sword. That’s amazing that I have land and am a Lord!”
South African Royden, Spider surfboards team rider and Brazilian Yuri Sodre – now also Lord Yuri - paddled out for the final heat of this 2010 competition in 6 foot Thurso East, with the sun shining and a gentle offshore wind blowing.
“It was such a beautiful morning,” said Royden. However it was 25 minutes until he got a wave in the final, with a restart after 10 minutes while the swell had a temporary little break.
“I was just worried about staying warm out there,” said Royden. “It was a long time in the water.” But he made the wait worth it with a score of 8.33 from his first wave, following that up with a 5.50.
“I am just so excited to win,” said Royden. “I feel like I’ve had a lot of close results recently. And to actually get there and win again feels amazing.”
After such a varied and unique week of surfing the finals today were always going to be something special – especially when Thurso woke on the bright Monday morning to snow on the ground and a frost in the air.
“I got up really early this morning – about 5am to go for a freesurf,” said semi finalist Shaun Cansdell. “There was snow everywhere. I couldn’t even see out of the car window – everything was frozen. I was so stoked I did it. It was such a nice morning”
The O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series now looks to move onto its third event of the year over in Cape Town, South Africa in July. And all the surfers will be chasing those valuable CWC Series ratings points in the battle for the $50,000 for the series winner.
Currently in equal first are CWC Tasmania winner Stuart Kennedy, and Royden Bryson.
I think this beast might make you jump if it swam beneath you in the line up!!
Fishermen caught the giant Hammerhead shark this week weighing one and a quarter tonnes and measuring 20ft long, off the north coast of New South Wales. It is thought to be at least 40 years old. The shark died as it was hauled to shore. 'It's a magnificent specimen for sure' said Mr Hislop of the Shark Museum in Queensland.
Some species of hammerheads are on the global endangered list but they are not renowned for attacking humans, unlike the man-eating great white shark. Hammerheads, found in warm waters around the world, get their name from the shape of their heads, which are flattened and extend sideways. This is thought to help them move in close to their prey and to find food on the sea bed.
While they are not notorious for killing humans, the International Shark Attack file lists them as seventh among sharks that pose a danger to people, the most dangerous being the great white. In recent years there have been 33 reported hammerhead attacks on humans, but none have been fatal.
The O'Neill Cold Water Classic (CWC) Scotland kicks-off today, in Thurso on Scotland's northern coast for its fifth consecutive edition. Known as the coldest surf contest on tour and attended by the world's best searching for extreme conditions and world class waves, the O'Neill CWC Scotland is the first event of this year's ASP European Star Series offering crucial ratings' points and a coveted US$ 145,000 prizepurse.
Having witnessed exceptional surf and fantastic battles over the years, the ASP 6-Star rated competition will once again see the gathering of some of the world's best surfing athletes, including former ASP World Champion Sunny Garcia (Oahu, HAW) and past event winners Adam Robertson (Victoria, AUS) and Russell Winter (Cornwall, GBR).
"The O'Neill Cold Water Classic Scotland is one of those events that make our sport so special," ASP Europe President David Mailman said. "It is a unique and challenging destination that brings diversity to the tour and is a draw card that never fails to deliver for the best surfers on the planet."
Kelly joins Mark Richards as the only 4 times Bells winners, Kelly will only have 3 Bells on the mantelpiece at home after giving this years Bell away to the local Aboriginal Community. In the Bells place on the Slater mantle, will be a didgeridoo which was a gift back to Kelly from the tribe.
In the head-to-head meeting of surfing's most influential icons, 3x ASP World Champion Tom Curren defeated fellow former ASP World Champion Mark 'Occy' Occhilupo at the 'Clash of the Icons' , which took place during the 2010 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach today.
The two titans of the Bells Bowl, contested the second round of their 'Clash of the Icons', which began last year at South Africa's Jeffreys Bay. Here at Bells, it was Tom Curren who took out the heat, with massive carves and smooth transitions showing he's lost none of that world championship touch.
The friendly contest between the two legends was a highlight of the day, and the Bells cliffs were lined with spectators and surfers watching Tom and Occy duke it out
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 22, reigning three-time ASP Women’s World Champion, has claimed the 2010 Rip Curl Women’s Pro over opponent Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 26, in a hard-fought Final.
Event No. 2 on the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Rip Curl Women’s Pro came to a dramatic close yesterday, with the young Australian collecting her third Bells Title in four attempts.
“I’m a bit overwhelmed by this,” Gilmore said. “To ring the bell once is an amazing feeling, but three times? I don’t think the gravity of it has sunk in yet. It’s an incredible event and I feel very fortunate to have achieved such success here so far.”
The mens first round heats kicked off straight after the womens final and are now well under way with the swell currently running at 4ft with light onshores
