While some people have been enjoying the sunshine on South Padre Island recently, others have been busy shaking off the tar.
Some beachgoers said they had difficulty avoiding the tar balls.
Marine experts say the tar balls are not the result of an oil spill but a natural phenomenon.
“It’s constantly coming off the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico,” said Tony Reisinger, Cameron County Marine Extension Agent.
Reisinger said oil leaks from the bottom of the bay and rises to the surface, forming tar balls that wash up on shore.
“This happens all the time, but you don’t notice it as much in the winter because the temperatures are usually lower and it’s not as soft,” Reisinger said, adding that it’s more noticeable during the late spring and summer months.
Tar balls are not a health hazard, they are just a nuisance.
If the tarballs get on your clothes, you can remove them with WD-40. If they get on your skin, you can remove them with baby oil or cooking oil.
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