MNeagle
8th July 2010, 10:52 AM
He's not leaving the coast, not yet. Lee Ford of Gulf Shores, Alabama, moved to another home just a few miles down the shore after his rental home went belly-up.
He says he had no choice other than to move because his landlord asked him to leave. The landlord was having trouble staying afloat, and the property value of Ford's home was steadily declining. Ford says he spent about three weeks stumbling to find a place before he relocated. He blames the oil disaster in part for hurting the local economy and getting him into this situation.
"I wasn't too happy about moving, but you got to do what you got to do. We just basically decided that since we got to move, we've got to suck it up and find another place."
The new place is only about 20 miles away and still in the Gulf Shores area. When Ford thought about moving his family somewhere else, he realized that he's committed to living in Gulf Shores and optimistic that things will get better in about a year. And, perhaps more importantly, he says he's not sure where else he could go; he figures he might as well ride out the crisis on the beach he loves.
"It affects for miles in as well. It's not going to matter how far we go, there's a ripple effect. We're trying to get out of a recession, and that's not going too smoothly."
That's not to say things are easy. Ford lost his heating and cooling job shortly after the oil disaster first began. One day the phone rang and his boss was on the line; he said business was significantly down and there was no way to keep Ford on. Hints of occasional work with his old company fell through as well, and he says he's been unable to find any employment since then. He and his family are subsisting on small government disability checks for now.
He says the oil disaster has also taken a big emotional toll on his community.
"There's definitely fear in the people," Ford said. "I've talked to neighbors, and they can't go on the beaches. You can tell in their voices that they're not happy. Some of the businesses I've walked into, they're like, 'We're down 75 percent of where we were last year.' "
As time went on, the oil gradually started coming on shore and Ford said it seemed to be getting worse. He shot video June 26 showing oil washing up on the beach by Fort Morgan. In the video, a line of black oil residue accumulates across the otherwise white shore and smudges imprints of the waterline like charcoal crayons in the hands of a preschooler. He says he plans to capture more images of the oil and is glad that technology affords him the opportunity to have his voice heard.
Something that bothers him a lot is the oil disaster's effects on fishing, one of his favorite hobbies. That's on hold, for now, and he says it's depressing. Lately he looks out and instead of seeing the white beaches, he sees water with a murky tinge.
"Even if the oil doesn't show, still, right now I can see the water from where I'm at. When the water washes up, it's brown, so I know there's oil in the water."
Ultimately, Ford says he believes the Gulf will survive if everyone hangs on tight until things are resolved, which could take some time. He hopes to be there when it does.
"I'm just glad somebody's listening," he said. "We do what we've got to do to keep on going. It's not easy to get through this here."
http://ireport.cnn.com/blogs/ireport-blog/2010/07/07/sticking-with-the-shore-come-what-may?hpt=Sbin
He says he had no choice other than to move because his landlord asked him to leave. The landlord was having trouble staying afloat, and the property value of Ford's home was steadily declining. Ford says he spent about three weeks stumbling to find a place before he relocated. He blames the oil disaster in part for hurting the local economy and getting him into this situation.
"I wasn't too happy about moving, but you got to do what you got to do. We just basically decided that since we got to move, we've got to suck it up and find another place."
The new place is only about 20 miles away and still in the Gulf Shores area. When Ford thought about moving his family somewhere else, he realized that he's committed to living in Gulf Shores and optimistic that things will get better in about a year. And, perhaps more importantly, he says he's not sure where else he could go; he figures he might as well ride out the crisis on the beach he loves.
"It affects for miles in as well. It's not going to matter how far we go, there's a ripple effect. We're trying to get out of a recession, and that's not going too smoothly."
That's not to say things are easy. Ford lost his heating and cooling job shortly after the oil disaster first began. One day the phone rang and his boss was on the line; he said business was significantly down and there was no way to keep Ford on. Hints of occasional work with his old company fell through as well, and he says he's been unable to find any employment since then. He and his family are subsisting on small government disability checks for now.
He says the oil disaster has also taken a big emotional toll on his community.
"There's definitely fear in the people," Ford said. "I've talked to neighbors, and they can't go on the beaches. You can tell in their voices that they're not happy. Some of the businesses I've walked into, they're like, 'We're down 75 percent of where we were last year.' "
As time went on, the oil gradually started coming on shore and Ford said it seemed to be getting worse. He shot video June 26 showing oil washing up on the beach by Fort Morgan. In the video, a line of black oil residue accumulates across the otherwise white shore and smudges imprints of the waterline like charcoal crayons in the hands of a preschooler. He says he plans to capture more images of the oil and is glad that technology affords him the opportunity to have his voice heard.
Something that bothers him a lot is the oil disaster's effects on fishing, one of his favorite hobbies. That's on hold, for now, and he says it's depressing. Lately he looks out and instead of seeing the white beaches, he sees water with a murky tinge.
"Even if the oil doesn't show, still, right now I can see the water from where I'm at. When the water washes up, it's brown, so I know there's oil in the water."
Ultimately, Ford says he believes the Gulf will survive if everyone hangs on tight until things are resolved, which could take some time. He hopes to be there when it does.
"I'm just glad somebody's listening," he said. "We do what we've got to do to keep on going. It's not easy to get through this here."
http://ireport.cnn.com/blogs/ireport-blog/2010/07/07/sticking-with-the-shore-come-what-may?hpt=Sbin