Life after the BP well exploded

I've started this blog to, effectively, help me write a script for a short documentary on the Gulf region and the impact the oil spill has had. I'm a one man crew and not from this region, and since I'm rarely the smartest guy in the room, I'm looking for help, ideas, thoughts, observations and anything others can contribute to the project.

Firstly, let me say that this isn't going to be political. There are enough people out there who will spin based upon their own perspective. I think it's more about the people impacted by the oil and what we can do to help them bring their home back to where it needs to be economically, ecologically and try to give a clear picture of it all.

Let me be clear. Little red tar balls did not eat the Redneck Riviera. If you knew me, you'd know that I revel in sarcasm and irony. Hence the title. The majority of what makes people want to visit and live in the Gulf region is still here and intact. True, fishing is off the table for probably the rest of this year. Maybe longer. But there's so much more to enjoy.

My view is that of an outsider. I was born a swamp Yankee and lived most of my long life near the other two coasts. I spent a couple of days in Jackson, MS on business and attended an Apple developer conference in New Orleans, both back in the 1990s. Before getting here about ten days ago, that was the extent of my exposure to the region. Full stop.

Some thoughts since I got here...

1. These are some of the friendliest people in the world and I've been nearly around the world in both directions. They're at least as friendly as the Australians and Aussies are bloody friendly, mate.
2. It's as flat as your hat and carpeted with lush beauty. All the bayous and seashore are littered with fascinating wildlife, especially the birds. The sounds they make and the colors they wear are alien and exotic to me.
3. Some of the best eating is to be had here. Their barbecue is legendary and deservedly so. I had some blackened shrimp at a little seaside dive that was epic, but I'll eat anything that's blackened (except maybe pancakes).
   
4. There's no one here. There's no traffic. No waits in restaurants. Lots of vacant hotel rooms. It seems the world thinks that the Gulf region is closed. It's not, and it needs you to come down for a visit.
   
5. There's very little observable oil on the beaches in MS and AL. I haven't been to Louisiana yet and it might be worse there because it's closer to the spill's main path. I never saw any oil in Orange Beach, AL or Ocean Springs, MS. There's some in Waveland but not much.
   
6. Oil protection measures are everywhere. I've seen hundreds of miles of boom. Protective boom, absorbent boom, inflatable boom. Barriers of absorbent mat have been erected everywhere to keep oil out of the marsh land. There's no way to know if everything that can be done is being done, but there's a lot going on to mitigate the damage.
   
7. Five years on, there's still pockets of Katrina-caused destruction that hasn't been repaired. Most of what I've seen was down in Waveland (which is as far west as I have been thus far) and remote beach properties in Ocean Springs. That's a head scratcher for me.
   
8. It ain't the heat. It's the humidity. 'Nuff said.

The friendly folks are here, waiting to serve you up some luscious food, put a comfortable roof over your head and show you a good time. Isn't it time for a road trip?

So, to you Gulf coasters... any stories or thoughts you want to share?