Spill closes Fla. beach; govs. declare Sunday a day to pray for help

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Oil from the massive Gulf spill neared fertile barrier islands in Mississippi on Thursday as crude forced Florida officials to close a popular section of beach near the Alabama border.

It was yet another reminder that the oil gushing from the blown-out well on the seafloor is having a very real effect along the Gulf coast, washing up on beaches, damaging wetlands and killing animals.

The cap that has been the most effective method so far to contain some of the oil was back in place after a deep-sea blunder a day earlier forced crews to remove it for about 10 hours.

While the cap was off, clouds of black oil gushed unchecked at up to 104,000 gallons per hour, though a specialized ship at the surface managed to suck up and incinerate some.

Meanwhile, the governors of Louisiana and Texas declared Sunday a day to pray for help rebuilding communities and restoring the environment.

Darlene Kimball, owner of Kimball's Seafood on the docks in Pass Christian, Miss., has been doing that all along.

"I kept praying and praying that we'd be protected because we've been so fortunate," Kimball said. "All I can do now is pray, pray, pray."