Wind, waves from hurricane dock oil skimming boats

Most days, a huge fleet of boats would be skimming oil from the Gulf of Mexico and ferrying workers and supplies. But Hurricane Alex churning in the Gulf has turned many people fighting the massive 11-week-old spill into spectators. And they will be for days.

On Tuesday, dozens of small skiffs, huge shrimp boats and even a swamp tour boat were tied to docks, winds whipping their flags and waves rocking them even in the sheltered marina on Grand Isle.

"Yesterday we had redcaps instead of white caps," said Jesse Alling, a marine science technician with the Coast Guard.

Officials scrambled to reposition boom to protect the coast, and had to …