| Category: Flight Track Files | ||
| Files: 66 | ||
We've found a way to share with you the detailed flight tracks and waypoint information from our aircrafts' Garmin GPS units. This will give you much more detailed information than you get from our gps SPOT tracker, and it wil show you the exact lat/longs and dates and times of every waypoint we mark while we fly. And, if you want more, you can download the spreadsheet (e.g., a ".csv" file) that shows our position and time every ten seconds or so during the entire flight! So now, when you see photos and videos in our articles, even if our metadata has only date/time stamp and not a gps stamp (as happens sometimes when we don't have all the right gear on board with us), you'll still be able to determine exactly when and where our photos were taken.
On this page, you can select files for flights we've made, and in those files -- after you've downloaded the free application from Garmind called "Base Camp" to read them (download that here) -- you'll see maps of our flights superposed on an actual map of the area covered (like we see in our airplane), with all waypoints marked. Here's how to do it: 1. Download the free application from Garmind called "BaseCamp" at the following link (or click here): http://www.garmin.com/us/products/onthetrail/basecamp 2. Scroll down the list below to the flight that you want to see. Click the title of the flight track file you want to download. 3. You'll be taken to a new screen, where you are invited to download that flight track file. Click on "Download" to receive a file with an extension ".gpx." 4. If you've downloaded the BaseCamp application, the application will automatically open when you doube-click on the downloaded .gpx file. 5. The rest will be intuitive, or you BaseCamp will explain it to you. (Don't feel bad if you have to experiment a lot; I did.) If there is more than one "Active Log" it's just because at some point I redirected our course to go directly to a new point. ENJOY! |
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This is the Garmin gps flight-track file for today's On Wings Of Care's flight over the Gulf, in which we surveyed some of the Louisiana shoreline areas and visited briefly the Macondo Prospect. See here for the article with photos and videos. |
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| This is the file downloaded from our aircraft's Garmin gps for our flight over the Gulf Friday December 09, 2011. We flew over the eastern shoreline of Plaquemines Parish, then down past the tip of the "Bird's Foot" to the site of the old Taylor Energy platform (a significant and ongoing oil leak that we've documented before), then out to the Macondo prospect, and back home through Breton Sound. See the article here. By using Garmin's free BaseCamp application, you can see every point along our track at 10-15-second intervals (download the data as a .csv file), and you can see the time and lat/long of every particular waypoint we described in the Flight log in the article for this day's flight, 20111209. |
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| This is the file downloaded from our aircraft's Garmin gps for our flight over the Gulf Tuesday December 20, 2011. We flew southeast from New Orleans over the Macondo area and eastward to the Shell drilling site in the Appomattox area, where Transocean's semi-submersible rig the Deepwater Nautilus is drilling. Despite very poor atmospheric conditions, we (sadly) still found oil in the Macondo area, though we saw none associated with the Shell area. We also found a great deal of fresh and weathered oil still covering several square miles at the Taylor Energy site, and assorted small slicks along the east coast of the Delta. We were treated to a most beautiful site of hundreds of white pelicans all gathered together in a lovely heart shape on a small piece of land north of Boothville. That made our week! See the article here. By using Garmin's free BaseCamp application, you can see every point along our track at 10-15-second intervals (download the data as a .csv file), and you can see the time and lat/long of every particular waypoint we described in the Flight log in the article for this day's flight, 20111220. |
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| This is the file downloaded from our aircraft's Garmin gps for our flight over the Gulf late in the dayFriday December 30, 2011. We flew southeast from New Orleans to about 20 miles south of land, passing over the vicinity of the Taylor Energy site. This has been an area of chronic leakage since the (now absent) platform was damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. This site is nearly 30 miles northwest of the Macondo well (site of the Deepwater Horizon disaster). Again today we filmed serious surface oil that stretched for more than 7 nm west to east and about a half-mile north to south. See the article here. By using Garmin's free BaseCamp application, you can see every point along our track at 10-15-second intervals (download the data as a .csv file), and you can see the time and lat/long of every particular waypoint we described in the Flight log in the article for this day's flight, 20111230. |
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This is the file downloaded from our aircraft's Garmin gps for our flight over the Gulf Wednesday March 1, 2012. We felw southeast from New Orleans' Lakefront airport (KNEW), over two marsh fires on our way to the ongoing chronic oil leak near the Taylor Energy's Ocean Saratoga platform sunk by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. From there we proceeded to the Macondo prospect and found lines of fresh oil but not a single vessel. A few platforms were flaring, but other than those, there was little or no visible human activity, and not much wildlife either. See the full story here. By using Garmin's free BaseCamp application, you can see every point along our track at 10-15-second intervals (ust download the data as a .csv file), and you can also see the time and lat/long of every particular waypoint we described in the Flight log in the article for this day's flight. |
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| This is the file downloaded from our aircraft's Garmin gps for our flight over the Gulf Wednesday March 28, 2012. We flew a search grid between Destin, FL and Panama City, FL, from the coast outward, looking primarily for basking sharks for some NOAA scientists. We found what we thought was a basking shark, and also found several mako sharks, sea turtles, large manta rays, cownose rays, and several good-sized pods of dolphin. See the full story here. And another flight the next day proved even more successful. By using Garmin's free BaseCamp application, you can see every point along our track at 10-15-second intervals (ust download the data as a .csv file), and you can also see the time and lat/long of every particular waypoint we described in the Flight log in the article for this day's flight. |
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| This is the file downloaded from our aircraft's Garmin gps for our flight over the Gulf Thursday March 29, 2012. We flew a search grid from Destin, FL eastward almost to Panama City, FL, all within 5 miles from the coast. Again we were looking primarily for basking sharks. This time we did find one basking shark within a mile of the beaches east of Destin. We also found a few smaller sharks, several large manta rays and turtles, and over a hundred dolphin in about 8 different pods, both bottlenose and spotted. Within 3 miles of shore we also found a whale shark! It was interesting that we found so many animals so close to the beaches. This may not reflect the statistics of their locations; the incoming fog made it difficult to search any farhter from the beach, so our close-in sightings could be just a selection effect. See the full story here. The scientists were quite excited that we saw the three great plankton feeders in such close proximity to each other -- the whale shark, basking shark, and large manta ray. By using Garmin's free BaseCamp application, you can see every point along our track at 10-15-second intervals (just download the data as a ".csv" file), and you can also see the time and lat/long of every particular waypoint we described in the Flight log in the article for this day's flight. |
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| This is the file downloaded from our aircraft's Garmin gps for our flight over the Gulf Friday April 06, 2012. We flew southeast from New Orleans, over the site of the chronic oil spill from the defunct Taylor Energy platform (destroyed in Hurricane Ivan in 2004), and out to the Macondo area, scene of the Deepwater Horizon disaster almost two years ago. Read about what we saw and see the photos and videos here. By using Garmin's free BaseCamp application, you can see every point along our track at 10-15-second intervals (just download the data as a ".csv" file), and you can also see the time and lat/long of every particular waypoint we described in the Flight log in the article for this day's flight. |
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| This is the file downloaded from our aircraft's Garmin gps for our flight over the Gulf Friday April 06, 2012. We flew southeast from New Orleans, over the site of the chronic oil spill from the defunct Taylor Energy platform (destroyed in Hurricane Ivan in 2004), and out to the Macondo area, scene of the Deepwater Horizon disaster almost two years ago. Read about what we saw and see the photos and videos here. By using Garmin's free BaseCamp application, you can see every point along our track at 10-15-second intervals (just download the data as a ".csv" file), and you can also see the time and lat/long of every particular waypoint we described in the Flight log in the article for this day's flight. |
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This is the file downloaded from our aircraft's Garmin GPS for our flight over the Gulf Wednesday April 18, 2012. We flew 180 nm (about 210 statute miles) south from New Orleans to the "Green Canyon" block of the Gulf of Mexico, to rendezvous with scientists in the NOAA vessel Endeavor and provide them with aerial spotting of oil slicks. We documented several oil slicks on the way there, and a large one in which Endeavor was floating, and which the scientists sampled extensively. From there, we proceeded northeastward, documented the Shell-reported slick near the Mars and Ursa platforms again, and then documented a slick about eight miles west of the infamous Macondo well, the site of the BP oil pollution disaster of April 2010. On our way back to New Orleans, we also documented another large slick near Breton Island. |
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Pellie Lou!
"The Story of Pellie Lou - a Pelican who survived the Gulf of Mexico oil spill"
by Bonny L. Schumaker, Ph.D.
With 46 photos from the Gulf of Mexico.
ALL proceeds go to benefit Gulf wildlife!
Order your autographed hard copies or an electronic copy here!

Follow Our Flights!
You can track our paths for several days after them, when we keep our GPS "SPOT" transmitter on "Track" mode. For the latest flights, see
For our latest journeys see (Track our flights).

Read about our rescues under Rescue Tails!
Here are some samples:
A Dog Named Pepper Doesn't Give up Easily on Life!
20130428 - This 15-yr-old deaf, blind, arthritic senior held out in a hot, dry, desert parking lot until love finally found him!
CHAZ - No Ordinary Extraordinary Cur!
20130422 - Left to die but instead, this super-intelligent deep-hearted dog discovered love, family, and even fun -- from the most unlikely mentors!
Turbulent Trails for Tails from TX-20130413
Six rescue dogs from east Texas find forever homes in Nevada and California!

Skip the Wonder Sled Dog - 20120930
Happy Update! 20130312
Last but not left! 20130106
Happy Update - 20130311!
20121223-Thanks to Sheba, the rescued and rescuer
Who was rescued, and who was the rescuer? Anyone who has known this kind of bond has felt something so deep, so real, so ancient, that it cannot be described with words. These bonds ground us and free us from pettiness in our lives. Thank you Sheba. Rest in peace.
A Letter From Your Admirers! 20121231

20121208- 43 Dogs go from dead-end in Porterville to homes and happy hearts!
This was a last-minute challenge that seemed beyond even our own grandest heroic imaginings. But it turned out not to be beyond the devoted hearts and energies of about 30 rescuers, shelter staff, volunteers, and families working together. Forty-three (yes, 43!) dogs in one day, from dead-ends in a Porterville shelter to homes and real lives with real humans who love and want them. Rescuers ROCK!
20121206-Saga of Squee: From orphan with mange to her own fur-ever family!
Orphaned very young, left alone and hungry til her fur fell out and her skin was covered with mange. Thanks to some big-hearted Texas rescuers, not only did she recover, she found the family who wanted to love her forever. How glad we were to be able to give this little pup with the big paws the ride to the rest of her life!
20121205-Blackie Goes Home at Last, and Taylor Turns Texan!
Four long months since Blackie's lifelong human companion and partner Tammy suffered a serious injury from a passing truck and disappeared from his life. Suddenly Blackie was in a shelter kennel, and Tammy fought for her life as she dreamed of her beloved dog. Thanks to many people, both of these souls survived to find each other again! This was a rescue and a reunion we'll never forget.
Miss T'Chen was lost in Hurricane Isaac, and saved 800 miles away!
2012 Oct 02
The same rains that made us work "On WHEELS Of Care" this week kept us grounded for this trip, which serendipitously combined the transport of Skip northward and the joyful and miraculous reunion of Miss T'Chen, who had been rescued and taken to Illinois after Hurricane Isaac, with her family in Baton Rouge!
This flight went almost as planned, and our plane was filled to over-flowing on every leg. And we met some wonderful new cat and dog rescues in Idaho and Oregon!
20 Lucky rescued dogs flown to homes in Canada!
2012 Sep 22
It turned out to a journey full of unexpected challenges, but these 20 lucky lovable canines who had been through the worst of times in California were just the best through it all, and now they are warming the hearts and laps and lives of some very lucky Canadian families!
Spindletop Scandal and the Search for Scarlett
2012 July 17 - present
With pitbull-like tenacity, we wouldn't take "NO" for an answer. Out of 21 dogs we sought, we have closure on all but two. Alas, one of those two is our Scarlett.
Tale of seven cities, six cats, and five goats!
2012 July 16
Who knows if the pleas for help brought the plane, or vice-versa.
But when serendipity puts this much together, there's no saying no!
Homeless Mom and Pups no More!
2012 July 08
Sometimes rescuers find the IDEAL person to adopt that animal in need ...
themselves! And in the process, a hole gets filled for the entire family.
This lucky mom now lives with Bear, Sheba, and Dave!
From Empty Nest to Love Fest!
2012 May 11
That last urgent plea came for the five orphaned pups ...
but what about the two large senior boys who would probably never get adopted?
Some people are just angels, meant to be who they are and where they are.
Check out these two and their new happy pack!
JEREMIAH has come home to us!
UPDATE 2012 July 7!
2012 January 13
His adopter called to say she had become ill, and could we care for Jeremiah? You bet we could. We rented a plane and flew to Arizona and retrieved him immediately. Jeremiah was indeed a true friend, and we aim to be his true friends, too. He has been eating like crazy and slept his stress away for the first few days, and now he's acting like a young dog again. Read more here! 
CHAMP found at the airport!
2012 January 01
A sad, scared but dignified young Champ quickly won the hearts of everyone who met him at the New Orleans airport, and within two days we had permission from his original breeders to give him to a young couple with a younger female boxer mix, all of whom fell totally in love with him at first sight! Champ and Miss Princess are leading the good life now, and Champ's new dad finally has the fishing buddy he wanted! They tell us we made their dreams come true. We think they made Champ's come true, too.
Abby & Dinozo -- Two of a Kind!
2011 September--2012 January
Orphaned brother and sister, rescued and adored until calamity struck and they lost their family. Orphaned again, these gentle gems and perfect canine citizens found love and adventure with us until we found them their true forever home! Abby & Dinozo came with us to Washington January 7, and they were welcomed warmly and immediately into a home. Read more here!
Yo! Get a Load of Yolo!
2011 November--2012 January
Left in the cold, high in the mountains of southern California, life was over before it had barely begun for this orphan teenager.
Little did he know, his adventures had only begun! As of January 7, it's back to snow but this time with a family who adores him, and lots of fun and play in the Pacific Northwest!

Saving Scarlett -- Love Forever at Last!
2011 August--December
Found on the streets, teats full but puppies absent, a battle-torn very hungry pitbull.
Hardly that sought-after doggie in the window.
But after we brought Miss Scarlett home to love and food, warmth and stuffed animals,
we discovered a warm heart and sweet spirit that changed us forever.

Gunner and Cain - A Very, Very Long Journey Home and the Happiest Reunion Ever!
2011 July--September 29, A Joyful Reunion At Last!
Here they are during their flight with four other dogs Sep 29 (New Orleans to Oakland, CA, fuel stop in Roswell, NM).
And here's a photo from the happiest reunion ever!
More photos and updated videos here!
Ten dogs from death row to Canada!
Sheba-Cosette - this lovely lady waited a lifetime!
(2011 June)

Jeremiah - a true friend finds a new lease on life!
(2011 May)
Two Giant Dogs & three cats reunited with their family on Whidbey Island, WA
(2011 April)
Chihuahuas "Betty" & "JellyBean" fly to their rescue in Bremerton, WA!
(2011 April)
New Year's Rescue: 33 dogs & cats are flown to rescue in the Pacific Northwest!
(2011 January)


Hounds fending for themselves for years in Alabama fly to rescue in Arizona!
(2011 Mar)

Romo & Stanley are flown to safe havens in Arizona!
(2011 Mar)


Aerial Monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico - 2013
Site Search
NEWS!
Aerial Monitoring of the Gulf - 2013
Tue Apr 02 - OIL
Sat Mar 16 - OIL
Fri Mar 08 - OIL
Sun Feb 17 - Coal&Oil
Sun Jan 27 - OIL
Sun Jan 20 - OIL
Fri Jan 04 - OIL

Special Articles
2013 Apr 12 - Mayflower, AR Pipeline Spill
2013 Apr 02 - Bayou Corne #6
2013 Mar 23 - IMMS Marine Mammals
2013 Mar 19 - Bayou Corne Sinkhole-#5
2013 Feb 15 - Bayou Corne Sinkhole-#4
2013 Jan 26 - Bayou Corne Sinkhole-#3
2012 Dec 24 - Bayou Corne Sinkhole-#2
2012 Nov 08 - Tar Sands and Texas
2012 Aug 30 - Hurricane Isaac Conquered
2012 Aug 28 - Hurricane Isaac Arrives!
2012 Aug 13 - Sinkhole in Bayou Corne, LA
2012 Jun 13-Dispersant Spraying Exercise off LA
2012 April - Chronicles of the Endeavor
2012 Dec 10 - How Dilute is Dilute Enough?
Aerial Monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico - 2012
Sat Nov 17 - Platform Explosion
Wed Nov 14 - Barrier Islands 1
Sat Nov 10 - OIL
Fri Nov 09 - OIL
Sat Oct 06 - Whale Sharks
Fri Oct 05 - OIL
Fri Sep 14 - OIL
Sun Sep 09 - Hurricane Isaac
Sun Aug 12 - Whale Sharks
Wed Jul 11 - Whales & More
Fri Jun 29 - Whale Sharks & More
Dominica - The Nature Island!
Aerial Monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico - 2011
OIL:
Fri Dec 30
Tue Dec 20
Fri Dec 09
Sat Nov 12
Sun Sep 25
Wed Sep 21
Thu Sep 15
Tue Sep 13 - USCG
Sun Sep 11
Sat Sep 10
Wed Sep 07
Tue Aug 30
Thu-Fri Aug 25-26
Fri Aug 19
Fri Jul 01
Thu Jun 16
Sat May 14
Fri May 06
Thu Apr 21
Sat Mar 26
Wed Mar 23
Tue Mar 22
Mon Mar 21
Sun Mar 20
Sat Mar 19
Fri Mar 18

Sperm Whales & Whale Sharks:
2011 Sep 25, Sun
2011 Sep 15, Thu
2011 Sep 11, Sun
2011 June

Humpback Whales!
Our Gift for YOU for 2011!
Click Here to Smile
from your heart, out! 
Aerial Monitoring of the Gulf, 2010
Galapagos Veterinary Support
Galapagos vets do much with little,
thanks to true friends who shipped a TON of supplies and meds from the U.S. in June, 2011.

“Man can no longer live for himself alone. We must realize that all life is valuable and that we are united to all life. From this knowledge comes our spiritual relationship with the universe.”
-Albert Schweitzer

This is the Garmin gps flight-track file for today's On Wings Of Care's flight over the Gulf, in which we surveyed some of the Louisiana shoreline areas and visited briefly the Macondo Prospect. See 













