a chemical lab that you can't learn about the safety of the water from a bathing purpose by looking at it and smelling it. >> reporter: it looked pretty good to this family vacationing from oklahoma. they played in the surf. they hadn't seen the avoid the water sign. and no one told them not to go in. if they were warning you to stay out of the water? >> we wouldn't have gone in. >> reporter: you wouldn't have gotten in. >> right. >> reporter: the bottom line seems to be right now scientifically no one is sure whether the water is safe. you're on your own. just smell it first. john zarrella, cnn, pensacola, florida. okay. let's get you caught up on the top stories. day 77 of the oil disaster and we have to wait a while longer to see how well the a-whale works. weekend tests were inconclusive. the company that owns the ship says rough seas made it hard to gauge its success. check out these pictures. a massive march for the release of a captured israeli