GULF SHORES (AP) — Globs of oil were washing into Mobile Bay on Thursday and spotting the white-sand beach on the bay’s eastern side at Fort Morgan.

The coin-size globs could be seen in the water rolling along the bay’s bottom, and the soft, redish-brown goo glistened in the sun on the sand near the historic Civil War fort.

The oil spill from the exploded BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico has been spreading north and east in recent days toward the bay and the beach resorts at Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and the Florida Panhandle.

At Fort Morgan, dark patches of what appeared to be oil hung in the surf just offshore. The beach was mostly deserted except for birds and crabs, and two volunteers, Faith Kaiser and Bertice McPherson.

They were picking up the gooey mess while paid cleanup crews were still at a staging area waiting to start work.

The two came to sightsee but brought rubber gloves and plastic bags just in case.

“It was just sickening to see this coming. We wanted to see it one more time before it was destroyed,” said McPherson of Mobile.

“Six months from now the government will lie to us and say everything is fine,” said Kaiser.

At Gulf Shores, beachgoers stood and clapped Thursday when an airplane flew by pulling a banner that said: “Obama stop talking. We need action now.”