Gulf of Mexico Gulf - 2011 2011 Apr 21 OWOC Gulf Flight - Chandeleurs and Breton Island
2011 April 21 Thursday (posted 2011 May 05)
Four weeks since we first returned to the Gulf in March 2011, where on our first day of flying we had found vast expanses of subsurface plumes and streamers and some surface sheen extending along the west shores of the Chandeleurs Islands, dramatically surrounding a very active rookery on Breton Island, and extending from the shores of Grand Isle, LA southward at least 10 miles and southwestward almost 30 miles. (See articles from March 22 and 23.) We wondered what we would see today.
The weather during the preceding week had been windy, and the sea was choppy and murky. We knew we wouldn't see many animals, but choppy water doesn't hide the kinds of huge quantitites of crude and crude-dispersant that we documented all last summer and saw again in March of this year. We were on a tight time constraint for this flight, just 90 minutes. So I headed directly to the gps points I had marked previously in late March as looking the worst.
The shores of the Chandeleurs looked very dirty, with trucks and evidence of dredging work all along that once-pristine and rarely-visited chain of islands and wildlife sanctuary. But when we reached the southern Chandeleurs and Breton Island, we were upset to see remains of those expansive subsurface sheets of deep red.
Not wanting to create a lot of frustration and anger without having good knowledge of what the stuff we found in March was, we didn't publish this report right away. But now, May 5, we are publishing our photos, for now we have results of laboratory analyses of the waters near Breton Island sampled in late March. Samples from those subsurface sheets of deep red oily stuff all around Breton Island and along the Chandeleurs were positively identified as BP MC252 (Deepwater Horizon) oil, still showing highly toxic concentrations of polyaromatic nuclear hydrocarbons (PAHs).
The adult seabirds setting up their nests on this popular rookery have been eating highly contaminated fish here for quite a while, and now they are setting up their nests to raise their young in this toxic environment.
This day was not great for photography. Clouds were thick and low and there was much moisture in the air. And in the haste to fly within our short time window, we forgot to bring our polarizing lens. But look closely at these photos, and you'll see the lines -- the lines of deep red, the lines of foam, tragically not the natural lines of rip tides and convergence zones and sandbars. We also spotted a dead dolphin on the east shore of Breton Island. The photo did not come out well, but flying low and slow over it left us certain of what we saw. Who knows how many others there are that have not yet washed up or been seen, and whether we will ultimately be able to understand and prove what caused the many 'unusual mortality events' of dolphins and seaturtles in these waters since last spring.
In these photos you'll also a see a shrimp boat with his nets down, not two miles northeast of the island! We wondered if he knew what lurked in the waters so close to him.
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 completed rescues under Rescue Tails, and our most current rescues under Rescues in Progress!
Some of our recent favorites include:
JEREMIAH has come home to us!
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). .JPG)
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)
NEWS!
Pellie Lou!
Aerial Monitoring of the Gulf, 2012
Aerial Monitoring of the Gulf, 2011
OIL:
Fri Dec 30
Tue Dec 20
Fri Dec 09
Sat Nov 12
Sun Sep 25
Wed Sep 21
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
2011 Sep 25, Sunday
2011 Sep 15, Thursday
2011 Sep 11, Sunday
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.
Alabama
2011 April --
“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
