When the Cosco Busan charged the Bay Bridge on November 7, 2007, Surfrider members in the bay area were on their way to their monthly meeting. While it was mentioned at the meeting as a small spill, it was only the next morning that people everywhere heard about the devastation that was already underway: 55,000 gallons of bunker fuel had spilled into the San Francisco bay, and was already washing up on beaches and killing wildlife through San Francisco, Marin, and Berkeley. The emergency response to this effort is still being investigated, but almost all involved agree it was "too little, too late".

In the days that followed, our chapter activists got involved any way we could: we sent email alerts, helped organize cleanups, and were among the numbers who converged on Ocean Beach through the organization "Kill the Spill" to attend emergency (albeit illegal) cleanups.

Our chapter was brought to action in the time of need. Since then, we've been actively involved in programs to ensure the next spill is better managed.

If you are interested in getting involved in the oil spill aftermath meetings, or are interested in emergency training so that we can all be better prepared next time, please email us through our contact page.

Watch YouTube Videos on the Cosco Busan Cleanup
Read NASA article on the cleanup and view satellite images of the spill