Tar balls brought to Hoosier state

TERRE HAUTE, Ind (WTHI) - The largest oil spill in U.S. history continues to wreak havoc on Florida beaches. Beaches that were once crowded are now are desolate. Yet, some are still venturing out to be tar ball tourists.

Last weekend, David Bolin, of Terre Haute, visited family down in Pensacola, Florida.

"I went to the beach down there and found some tar balls and brought one back," Bolin said.

Bolin goes down to Florida to visit his daughter a couple times a year.

"The only thing you see normally is sea weed and jelly fish," Bolin said.

This trip was a little different, the beach was sprinkled with sea weed and tar balls.

"My daughter was drinking out of a Starbucks jar and I told her here give me the jar. We filled it full of sand and used a sand pail shovel to put the tar ball in there," Bolin said.

Bolin said there were no signs on the beach warning of any hazards.

"They were telling us it is safe to be in the water but I say if this is washing a shore I wouldn't want to be in the water," Bolin said.

Bolin stayed away from the water yet took away a small piece to remember this disaster more than a thousand miles away from his home.

"I guess it is a piece of history. It is the biggest oil spill we have had in history," Bolin said.

A part of history Bolin hopes will change tides soon.