There’s Still Oil on This Beach 26 Years After the Exxon Valdez Spill (Part 3) | National Geographic

so we pulled into this Bay and we’re

so we pulled into this Bay and we’re waiting for the tide to drop down the

waiting for the tide to drop down the

waiting for the tide to drop down the tide is dropping just before midnight so

tide is dropping just before midnight so

tide is dropping just before midnight so we have a Scott to wait it out so we can

we have a Scott to wait it out so we can

we have a Scott to wait it out so we can look at one of these beaches where we’re

look at one of these beaches where we’re

look at one of these beaches where we’re told there’s oil and swimming over the

told there’s oil and swimming over the

told there’s oil and swimming over the top of the beach are several hundred

top of the beach are several hundred

top of the beach are several hundred pink salmon it is a salmon that people

pink salmon it is a salmon that people

pink salmon it is a salmon that people and animals eat and here there are

and animals eat and here there are

and animals eat and here there are hundreds of salmon swimming over the

hundreds of salmon swimming over the

hundreds of salmon swimming over the spot where we’re told that there’s toxic

spot where we’re told that there’s toxic

spot where we’re told that there’s toxic oil from 26 years ago whether or not the

oil from 26 years ago whether or not the

oil from 26 years ago whether or not the oil is there we’ll find out once this

oil is there we’ll find out once this

oil is there we’ll find out once this tide moves out

I mean this guy is wanting you can see

I mean this guy is wanting you can see he’s got the character to be starting it

he’s got the character to be starting it

he’s got the character to be starting it at pump on the top

at pump on the top

at pump on the top is spawning the next generation

is spawning the next generation

pull up that map huh so this is

pull up that map huh so this is interesting this is a map that shows the

interesting this is a map that shows the

interesting this is a map that shows the extent of the spill and Lake oil came to

extent of the spill and Lake oil came to

extent of the spill and Lake oil came to this Beach and 1500 miles that way to

this Beach and 1500 miles that way to

this Beach and 1500 miles that way to down the Aleutian chain so this is a

down the Aleutian chain so this is a

down the Aleutian chain so this is a beach that apparently may still have

so this is an oil zorb that we took off

so this is an oil zorb that we took off the boat and it is designed for oil to

the boat and it is designed for oil to

the boat and it is designed for oil to cling to it so if you dip it in water it

cling to it so if you dip it in water it

cling to it so if you dip it in water it will come out white if you dip it in oil

will come out white if you dip it in oil

will come out white if you dip it in oil come on black

so this rock is teeming with life you

so this rock is teeming with life you have kelp

have kelp

have kelp crab you have barnacles snail you have

crab you have barnacles snail you have

crab you have barnacles snail you have muscles you have barnacles on those

muscles you have barnacles on those

muscles you have barnacles on those mussels

mussels

mussels this is part of a food chain and we are

this is part of a food chain and we are

this is part of a food chain and we are part of and it’s not five years after

part of and it’s not five years after

part of and it’s not five years after and spells 25 26 years after an oil

and spells 25 26 years after an oil

and spells 25 26 years after an oil spill look at that I just flipped over a

spill look at that I just flipped over a

spill look at that I just flipped over a rock and touch the bottom of it

rock and touch the bottom of it

rock and touch the bottom of it that’s where dirt looks like what’s this

Wow it’s one foot distance just like

Wow it’s one foot distance just like gasoline a few hours ago when the tide

gasoline a few hours ago when the tide

gasoline a few hours ago when the tide was high

was high

was high we watched hundreds of salmon swim right

we watched hundreds of salmon swim right

we watched hundreds of salmon swim right over the top how would you like to eat a

over the top how would you like to eat a

over the top how would you like to eat a fish that swam over a bed of oil

on the last day of our expedition we’re

on the last day of our expedition we’re the Craig has found more killer whales

the Craig has found more killer whales

the Craig has found more killer whales we got big bins we got the killer whales

we got big bins we got the killer whales

we got big bins we got the killer whales [Music]

[Music]

[Music] he’s following a pod feeding off Sam

hello there hi it’s tedious work but if

hello there hi it’s tedious work but if he can collect salmon scales from a

he can collect salmon scales from a

he can collect salmon scales from a fresh kill

fresh kill

fresh kill Craig can match the fish to a known

Craig can match the fish to a known

Craig can match the fish to a known spawning site this helps them build a

spawning site this helps them build a

spawning site this helps them build a map for the food source of the killer

map for the food source of the killer

map for the food source of the killer whales tell they are scales right here

whales tell they are scales right here

whales tell they are scales right here we got to get down there

good oh yeah I got plenty so these are

good oh yeah I got plenty so these are the scales salmon scales yeah when you

the scales salmon scales yeah when you

the scales salmon scales yeah when you see them all come together like that

see them all come together like that

see them all come together like that they’re coming and get their share you

they’re coming and get their share you

they’re coming and get their share you know you get the age of the fish and now

know you get the age of the fish and now

know you get the age of the fish and now we get the location that fish came from

man damaged what species fish they’re

man damaged what species fish they’re feeding on when and where also on the

feeding on when and where also on the

feeding on when and where also on the boat is Craig’s wife and longtime

boat is Craig’s wife and longtime

boat is Craig’s wife and longtime research partner Eva who’s written

research partner Eva who’s written

research partner Eva who’s written extensively on the fate of the killer

extensively on the fate of the killer

extensively on the fate of the killer whales that were caught up in the spill

whales that were caught up in the spill

whales that were caught up in the spill especially the Chugach pod the females

especially the Chugach pod the females

especially the Chugach pod the females in the group are are getting older the

in the group are are getting older the

in the group are are getting older the two main females are getting older and

two main females are getting older and

two main females are getting older and so it’s inevitable that they’re going to

so it’s inevitable that they’re going to

so it’s inevitable that they’re going to die off their post-reproductive they’re

die off their post-reproductive they’re

die off their post-reproductive they’re totally genetically unique they are

totally genetically unique they are

totally genetically unique they are acoustically completely unique like no

acoustically completely unique like no

acoustically completely unique like no other transients that sound really

other transients that sound really

other transients that sound really anything like them the females in the

anything like them the females in the

anything like them the females in the Chugach pod are now past reproductive

Chugach pod are now past reproductive

Chugach pod are now past reproductive age and will never have babies with that

age and will never have babies with that

age and will never have babies with that the pod will go extinct perhaps due to

the pod will go extinct perhaps due to

the pod will go extinct perhaps due to the massive blow the Spill head at the

the massive blow the Spill head at the

the massive blow the Spill head at the time the lingering effects of the spill

time the lingering effects of the spill

time the lingering effects of the spill or a combination of the two

or a combination of the two

or a combination of the two [Music]

[Music]

[Music] it’s sort of miraculous that they’re

it’s sort of miraculous that they’re

it’s sort of miraculous that they’re still so these seven have been swimming

still so these seven have been swimming

still so these seven have been swimming around for all these years now

around for all these years now

around for all these years now there’s systems out there that these

there’s systems out there that these

there’s systems out there that these animals are depended on and if you want

animals are depended on and if you want

animals are depended on and if you want to have these animals around you’ve got

to have these animals around you’ve got

to have these animals around you’ve got to protect the systems when the Exxon

to protect the systems when the Exxon

to protect the systems when the Exxon spill occurred it was the largest in US

spill occurred it was the largest in US

spill occurred it was the largest in US history today not only is it no longer

history today not only is it no longer

history today not only is it no longer the largest but there are more than 50

the largest but there are more than 50

the largest but there are more than 50 spills worldwide that have surpassed

spills worldwide that have surpassed

spills worldwide that have surpassed what happened here 26 years ago

what happened here 26 years ago

what happened here 26 years ago this expedition has been remarkable the

this expedition has been remarkable the

this expedition has been remarkable the area that we passed through is

area that we passed through is

area that we passed through is profoundly beautiful there’s no question

profoundly beautiful there’s no question

profoundly beautiful there’s no question and it’s remote it is not easy to get

and it’s remote it is not easy to get

and it’s remote it is not easy to get here but when you do get here you find

here but when you do get here you find

here but when you do get here you find amazing individuals who have dedicated

amazing individuals who have dedicated

amazing individuals who have dedicated their lives to continuing to ring that

their lives to continuing to ring that

their lives to continuing to ring that bell and say don’t forget if you dig

bell and say don’t forget if you dig

bell and say don’t forget if you dig further and reach deeper for more remote

further and reach deeper for more remote

further and reach deeper for more remote pockets of oil and sensitive ecosystems

pockets of oil and sensitive ecosystems

pockets of oil and sensitive ecosystems remember how long this stuff sticks

remember how long this stuff sticks

remember how long this stuff sticks around and it kills when it spills and

around and it kills when it spills and

around and it kills when it spills and it kills long after the fact

twelve feet in the afternoon smells like

twelve feet in the afternoon smells like a gas station there’s this big social

a gas station there’s this big social

a gas station there’s this big social disruption and then some of the

disruption and then some of the

disruption and then some of the survivors are ill also