Turns out it’s closed till further notice because of last week’s oil spill.

If you see any more news about how this spill is affecting local beaches, please leave a comment and share with the rest of the class. (Here’s one from last week in the L.A. Times).

This story from yesterday’s Chronicle has a pretty good spill round-up — including this story from last week about closed beaches.

“It’s just heartbreaking,” said Sally McFadden, 49-year-old birdwatcher from Larkspur. She went to Kirby Cove in the Marin Headlands to help and was shocked when she saw the oil-slathered rocks and sand.

“This is peak migration season for birds, and all the birdwatchers are excited about it – so it’s at a particularly bad time,” she said. Voice breaking with emotion, she added, “It’s disturbing. These are all beaches that I love and spend a lot of time at.”

The state Department of Fish and Game says 26 live, oiled birds have been recovered. Hundreds more are likely injured.

Coast Guard officials said 16 beaches have so far been contaminated and closed off, and large patches of oil are floating on the bay. Beaches closed include including Baker Beach, China Beach, Keller Beach, Point Isabel, Ferry Point, Caesar Chavez, Crissy Field and Fort Point.

Along Rodeo Beach in the Marin Headlands, National Park Service ranger Robert Del Secco kept visitors away from the beach, which is covered in dark clumps of oil.

So much for no blogging on my mini-vacation … but I have an idea on where to go today: Point Lobos, where it’s peak sea otter season.

In other news: Tioga Pass and Glacier Point roads at Yosemite are closed, as is Highway 108 26 miles past Strawberry.

Speaking of oil spills, a really, really bad one happened in the Black Sea.