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June 25th, 2010
02:38 PM ET
 Philippe Cousteau, Gov. Charlie Crist and others fly over the oil disaster. Editor's note: Philippe Cousteau Jr. is the grandson of legendary ocean explorer and filmmaker Jacques Yves Cousteau. Philippe heads the nonprofit organization EarthEcho International (www.earthecho.org). Thump-thump-thump went the heavy blades as I felt the Black Hawk slowly start to whir to life and heave its hulking weight forward. As a part of my mission to tell the stories of what is going on in the Gulf states affected by the oil crisis, I had been told we would take a helicopter trip out to survey the Florida and Alabama coasts, but I had not expected to travel in one of these huge military machines so familiar to anyone who watches modern Hollywood war movies.
As the ground slowly fell away from us, I peered out into the glaring midday sun and braced myself for the worst. It is no secret to anyone who knows me that waking up early is not my favorite thing to do, especially when four or five hours of sleep has been the norm over the past several weeks. However, a 5:45 a.m. wakeup call is made all the worse when instead of birds singing, the only morning greeting is the slight smell of noxious oil hanging in the air and the sight of thick black muck slowly seeping into what would otherwise be beautiful fine white sand. Unfortunately, that has become the usual for many of the people who live along the Gulf these days, and so it was for me.
The oil that we have grown addicted to has now reared its ugly head and is slowly laying waste to a huge swath of our country. As we flew over the Florida coast and made our way toward Alabama, we could see patches of thick orange oil interspersed with sheen dotted throughout the water beneath us.
We visited the crews along the beach as they worked to pick up the oil, wearing hazmat clothing in the 90-plus-degree heat. Oil was everywhere, and it seemed overwhelming. The men and women would work for hours, shoveling and raking up the oil, but despite their efforts, large black stains still dotted the shoreline as the sticky mass sank into the sand. My colleague Denny Kelso, executive vice president of Ocean Conservancy, one of the leading ocean conservation organizations in the country, looked at me, and I could see the grim look of horror in his eyes. Denny had been the commissioner of the environment for the state of Alaska during the Exxon Valdez oil spill 21 years ago, and this scene was all too familiar. As we headed back into the hulking Black Hawks, I felt the magnitude of what lay before us: This enemy was not going away without a formidable fight, one that will last for years and even decades.
We landed at the Pensacola airport and headed toward Mobile, where I was due to co-host a fundraiser for the Mobile Baykeeper alongside Bobby Kennedy Jr., one of the greatest environmental heroes in our country today. The Mobile Baykeeper is another group of individuals determined to do whatever it takes to defeat this new foe. Just like the workers on the beach, I knew that groups like the Mobile Baykeeper could be found across the Gulf and across the country, people who would never give up. I knew that as long as they continued to fight, there would always be hope. |
 
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Across from me was Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, and next to him sat Gen. Douglas Burnett, the director of the Florida National Guard.
Now I was flying in a machine designed for war, only this time it was not hunting any human adversary. Instead, our mission was to fly reconnaissance over a different type of enemy, one that has no rifles, no rockets, no tanks, but that has nonetheless infiltrated our country as effectively as any spy and as ruthlessly as any guerrilla warrior.
On the beach, a solid black line of oil lay along the white sand like a long black snake sunning itself. Just offshore, pods of dolphin could be seen swimming through the oil. After over an hour, we landed on a dry patch of land near the beach and held an impromptu press conference with the governor and various VIPs.
But as we lifted off and flew over the beaches, the workers toiling away in the sun, I also felt a renewed sense of determination. The men and women on that beach, fighting the relentless heat and the even more relentless oil, were not giving up. Many of them were from Pensacola, and to me, they represent the best of us, people determined to fight for what they love in the face of overwhelming odds.
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hurricanes coming soon in the Gulf... WHAT are they waiting to listen those who have the RIGHT IDEAS AND SOLUTION to STOP the oil spill QUICKLY to SAVE the sea and shores nature and wildlife BEFORE they'll be submerged by over 250,000,000 more gallons of oil, in the next TWO months (if lucky) ???????????
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http://bit.ly/c8y9GX
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Clearly, after seeing Troy Aikman-Drew Bledsoe + Jean-Michel Cousteau on TV everywhere the past two weeks ECOSPHERE TECHNOLOGIES (ESPH) OZONIX technology IS the best way to clean up the gulf. Why in the world hasn't BP or the Bov. signed a deal with them yet? What in the world are they waiting for? The ECO equipment is 150% times faster (200 gals/min to 500 gals/min. respectively) in cleaning up and separating oil from water than Kevin Costner's brother's technology and proven to work over 2 yrs of testing in the Oil/Gas industry. Millions of people are now backing Ecosphere Technologies-it's time everyone reading this started to presseure BP and the Gov to get their technology in place and operating ASAP! LOXOMO
I don't understand why they can't use a powerful suction to suck up the oil escaping from the well head. They have a pipe already in place above the well head, why can't they attach a pump to the surface ship and vacuum all the escaping oil? Yes, it will suck in seawater as well, but that can be separated at the surface. Why is this not being done to prevent this tragic catastrophe from getting worse?
GO HANDS ACROSS THE SAND! NOW YOU'RE GETTIN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE ENEMY IS GREED AND IT DOESN'T STOP WITH BP. OFFSHORE DRILLING HAS GOT TO END NOW!
TRULY THERE ARE FAST WORKING SOLUTIONS TO GET OIL OUT OF BEACH SAND: 2 fast ones: A biz in gulf region MAKES DRY ICE PRODUCT THAT INSTANTLY PULLS OIL OUT OF SAND: this is true, takes seconds, leaves sand WHITE. workers are over 100 times more productive using this. 2nd: a company in gulf now has machines which clean the sand and can clean OVER 10 MILES OF BEACH PER DAY – at a cost of $25,000 per day. that is much more productive than low-tech old world solutions. Also, Costner has the separator that pull oil out of water very high rate..
please use these fast, the oil will be coming ashore soon... This is truly a modern war, as bad as if against robot-droid-battle soldiers.. they are taking out our gulf coast, our southern economy. Obama has the power to order these machines, but they wait and wait and the enemy oil wins battle after battle, taking beaches, killing dreams, breaking america's FOOD CHAIN! and MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE: GET BP TO STOP PUTTING THE "DISPERSANTS" IN THE WATER! that is more than 400% more toxic than oil alone, and with dispersant and oil, it's more than deadly, and will ripple up the food chain for years causing birth defects and etc.
You need to send this to President Obama's email. I think that usagov. com?
GO HANDS ACROSS THE SAND! NOW YOU'RE GETTIN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE ENEMY IS GREED AND IT DOESN'T STOP WITH BP. OFFSHORE DRILLING HAS GOT TO END NOW!
It's amazing to me that nobody is telling everyone that the components of oil including kerosine, gasoline, and others evaporate leaving the thick brown oil behind. This sounds like a good thing until your kids drink gasoline laced rain water. – SEE http://greenisimo.com
more grandstanding by people in it for their own gain, politicans, etc.
It's disgusting to see comments here that disparage someone who spends their life protecting the planet. Perhaps you are the problem with the human race. Not greed, rather it's your apathy.
Congressman Joe“The Oil Man” Barton, BP Corporate Cheer Leader Michelle Bachmann and BP Water Boy and Circus Clown Rand Paul should suit up and help clean up this sludge instead of apologizing to British Petroleum while wrapping themselves up in the Flag and the Bible. All three of these modern day Carpet Baggers will proclaim that the cause of the oil spill is God’s wrath because women in Bikini’s are walking on Florida beaches!
So he flew in a giant, wasteful, oil-consuming machine to see an oil spill that we already know is bad and tell us that we're addicted to oil. Welcome to modern "conservation."
Ladies and Gentleman we have another Limbaugh Lemming: “Jr”
Jr– hopefully you'll never need one of those "giant, wasteful, oil-consuming machines" to medevac you to a hospital after you flipped your car in a remote location.
Exactly the problem! These "leaders" and "environmentalists" should actually lead by example. When Gandhi expounded non-violence, he himself led the way. The problem with modern liberals is that they talk about addiction to oil while jet-setting to the oil spill location (just like Cousteau took a "red-eye" flight so that he can be at the scene of action). Hypocrisy is quite cheap after all.
Hey, anyone have a long string and handle? We'll find a kite that's big enough to survey the damage!! Right, Jr?
I agree with you. I have a solution too. We should study how to genetically alter flesh eating bacteria into oil eating bacteria. We are close to being able to do that, aren't we? We need to put in some sort of timer. After all, we don't want them to eat all the oil. At the press of a button, they'll all revert back to flesh eating bacteria. I think that's a very "green" solution.
Ecibu33 what was Cousteau supposed to do Fly with his own wings to view the spill. You Glen Beck Robots just repeat what your masters on right wing talk radio tell you to say, at least have an original opinion and not some smarty pants pre-planned answer.
HANDS ACROSS THE SAND! NO MORE OFFSHORE DRILLING. LEAVE THE OCEAN ALONE!
google Kindra Arnesen a video of a woman who is on the scene, bad air days and sick children..... unreal that this goes unreported by our mainstream media... cause i really care so much about MJ and the other bs headlines. shame on u cnn.
I was on that beach (at Navarre and other parts of Santa Rosa Island just a week before the oil "hit" that area. I sat there taking photos of dolphin pods, pelicans, gulls and other shore birds, and people enjoying the beach and water. I swam with manta rays going by and with the other fish and mollusks, and again, the people, all the while wondering what the next week would bring. We found out only too soon. The report of a 9 mile swath of "stuff" caused tears to run. Hearing the bureaucrats argue brings not tears, but anger. And now the air in New Orleans, depending on which way the wind is blowing, smells like turpentine. Thanks for the post! Lets hope we can all do some good in whatever way we are able.
Crude oil also contains benzine witch was banned for sale because it is a carcinogen and causes birth abnormality's. Thats not Penzoil floating arround out there and we have not seen the worst of it yet. What a screw up!
So long as there is so much good news I would change the subject to the Middle East. As of today there are I believe two battle groups off the coast of Iran which have been joined by a Israeli group and many German surface ships along with subs. Many troops are moving north from Baghdad to join the base that has a lot of planes there, the odd part is a lot of the planes are Israeli. Iran military is on full alert and have been mobilized and are heading North toward the base, long columns of tanks and other assets are getting ready to fight. Several Iranian guard have taken control of the nuke facility's out of central government control and are racing to get nukes ready within thirty days.. North Korean missile techs have been helping Iran o turn out hundreds of missile's with a range that could hit Europe. This world is FUBAR!
http://www.debka.com/
Take a look!
One of the largest oil skimmers in the world from Taiwan the "A Whale" just left Norfolk, VA headed to the Gulf. However, in an interview given yesterday the skipper has NOT received the approval from the US Coast Guard to conduct operations in the gulf. It is only one of many skimmers available. This ship alone is capable of collecting half a million gallons of oil a day.
Perhaps the president who has for days known of this ships voyage could stop long enough to approve its use in the gulf crisis. less
he has to be asked by the coast guard and he hasn't stop. stop blaming things on the President if you dont know all the facts
HANDS ACROSS THE SAND!
Terrible reporting. Cliched buffoonery.
Check this 'locall' out. She lives inside the zone and speaks the truth. This is news:
Thar she blows, Jaques Cousteau
Hear here sing so sweet and low
Lull me overboard, out-cold
Gathered in and swallowed whole
Why are we to believe this woman? Who is she and what authority and access does she have that is verifiable? I am not buying it. She's lying. This is a propaganda video designed to make BP and the Federal gov't appear as if they are not doing anything to combat this problem. Why would anyone give her unfettered access? She's a liar pure and simple
I listened to her speak and she talks about how she has been here, there and everywhere. If her kids are sick why doesn't she just stay where she has gone to. Why does she keep bringing them back in harm's way. I have a hard time believing that she would be allowed to sit in on very important meetings or that anyone would say we are all in this together covering everything up. However, the horse and pony show (which is what a lot of other people are refering to it as I do believe.
She claims she had Faux News onboard of her personal vessel and went out and saw all these fish dying. Faux News videotaped it according to her account. However, there is no evidence on their site. Why? Because she's a liar. If she has done all of this and feels it's being covered up, why hasn't she videotaped it herself? Why didn't she then display her video at this event? Why, because she's a liar. This whole event is a lie. She's pathetic.
And you believe FAUX Noise would actually report real news?
Fox is run by GOP Friendly Corporation one that makes it's money from advertising so do you really believe they would show their sponsors in a bad light? You want to see un-corrupted news go to democracynow dot org That is listener supported news they don't have to worry about killing there corporate pay check they don't get one!
You think this woman is a liar? Why would she make up anything?
All she is protecting are her people and her children.
BYW, do you live down here where there is a stinch in
the air and no one trust going into the water. And people
are actually considering leaving the area because
it is unsafe. You, Captain D, need to take
a boat out on the water and film it yourself!
Show us the dying marine life. You are obviously
someone who loves BP and money!
MORE POWER TO YOU HANDS ACROSS THE SAND!
A bunch of pretty words for a situation that is self evident. I hope those workers have respirators otherwise we are simply exposing innocent people to major health hazards. a year from now we will hear about all the sick and dead clean-up crews.
captain D, perhaps you should do a bit of research yourself, you will find out that everything she says it true. you think shes lying... how about you take your kids down there for a little vacation....
For an absolutely thorough rebuke of Tony Hayward, check out this article.
http://www.dailygoat.com/2010/06/republican-rebukes-oil-executivein-news-hell-issues-frost-advisory/
Write or email the President to demand an immediate reduction of the speed limit on all highways to 60 mph max in order to save gasoline. It was dropped to 55 in response to the oil crisis of the mid 70's. It worked. Oil is too precious to be wasted and driving over 60 wastes 10%. On average, vehicles have their best gas mileage at between 58 and 61 mph. This reduction would also save lives and reduce injuries. Spread the suggestions to everyone and encourage them to do the same. If the President doesn't drop the limit, drop your own speed for the good of the nation and invite others to do the same. You will save some real money in the process. Make the suggestion every time you go on a message board
Jim: If they reduce the speed limit in NJ, we will get to work two days later. NJ & NYC are huge, concrete parking lots. I would suspect major metropolitan areas in California are as well. Reducing the speed limit is not going to one thing to stop BP's oil. Just cap the thing already, and then we can talk about the long term/short term environmental effects. Right now, let's all just pray this stuff doesn't ignite, or get sprayed all over the Eastern seaboard by the first hurricane of the season. Then, we need to deal with the outcomes of that. And, not a single person should be scooping up oil, or sailing their tiny boats into the slick. Let BP take responsibility for their gross negligence. It's time we stop spending money and apologizing for the mistakes of others upon our land.
Seriously. Can't McDonalds make a giant plastic straw, and I mean like a "Biggie SIzed" one to suck the oil out of the ocean? Or, get a bunch of Hummers down on the beach to mash the Oil into the Sand so we can't see it?
There are options, America. You betcha!
I agree we should have Ronald McDonald run a Super Size Straw from the Oil leak into Mayor McCheese’s Rump with a Connector cable Directly into BP Boot Licker Rand Paul’s Head, there is plenty of room there to store the Oil.
All that time in the air and NO video to go with story ?
WHO does Not already know that a picture tells a thousand words .
Videos or widescape pics with captions PLEASE .
There are 2 Navy subs with depth range to 5000 feet with access chambers that can be pressurized to exclude seawater and control oil flow while repairing the leaks directly. Why have these subs not been deployed? Are they no longer operational?? Is their capacity to handle this problem overrated? DSRV 1 & 2 Jane's Fighting Ships 1995-96 p851
Any of these questions that are asking, "well why don't they do this" or "why don't they do that" can be answered quite simply. Nothing is being done to fix this unprecedented ecological disaster because our government has decided that fighting a faceless enemy in Afghanistan is far more important than our own environment and livelihood. Instead of taking charge for our own natural resources, we've put the responsibility in BP's hands to clean up a mess they've created. It's a mess that will now surely ruin our ocean and all its wildlife. I can tell you straight up, BP is not going to spend one more cent than they absolutely have to in order clean their mess up. That's why, unless something drastic happens (like the U.S. government actually doing something logical for once), the Gulf of Mexico is going to be nothing more than a cess pool full of rotting animal corpses. I live in MT, but I'm planning on traveling to the gulf to do MY part, because my government lacks the balls to do anything itself. Stories like this one make me disgusted! Why aren't you outraged Mr. Cousteau???!! Your grandfather is rolling in his grave, and all you can say is, "there's still hope"????!! I don't see any hope here. Not under our half-assed leadership and our death addiction to oil and meaningless war!!!
The Federal government should allow the companies that have a vested interst in these rigs 10 days to fix a leak.
THEREAFTER the the feds bomb the hole to stop the leak.
Simple solution that has worked other places in the recent past.
WHY let BP keep the oil and sell it on the market while all the America's will be hurt.
2,3, 4 months at 1,000,000 gals. daily and we wait?
WHY? BOMB IT AND BE DONE. Let BP get another lease somewhere else.
Well said. I'm pretty sure we've shipped all of our bombs to the Middle East though lol. I'm still baffled at how our lovely, inefficient government can pass a multi billion dollar health care bill in a few weeks, but it doesn't even TRY to come up with a solution to something FAR more important than health care reform!
Pretty much all Cousteau said was, There's oil in the ocean and on the beach, and, I get to hang out with a lot of important people. Oh, yes, and people are working to clean up. Nothing new here.
Ron Gos
[I don't understand why they can't use a powerful suction to suck up the oil escaping from the well head. They have a pipe already in place above the well head, why can't they attach a pump to the surface ship and vacuum all the escaping oil? Yes, it will suck in seawater as well, but that can be separated at the surface. Why is this not being done to prevent this tragic catastrophe from getting worse?]
The reason: – As the methane gas expands it cools rapidly, like all gasses expanding after release from pressure. That not only freezes the water and the pipe, but it gets so cold the methane forms hydrates of methane which are light and cause the long tube to float and come off the BOP.
Most Americans just can't understand the physics of a 26" pipe releasing oil and gas at 10.000 psi at a mile below the ocean. That is why we keep getting all the daft suggestions like the one above. If you did not take physics or snoozed through the class, then shut up as your suggestions have zero chance of being helpful.
Benedect420, it appears they have overcome the obstacles you mention with the pipe they currently have in place (the current pipe is drawing up oil despite the freezing methane and the buoying nature of resulting hydates thatyou mention). My suggestion is to add suction and vacuum to the pipe to attemt to suck in the escaping oil at the BOP.
I'd think that closing that well-head would be the first priority. Easiest way is to do that the same way you'd snuff out a burning oil-well on land, set off a large explosion right next to it. Collapse the well-head, the ocean floor will take care of the rest.
I am sure our beloved Navy is quite capable of doing this (in fact, I know they can).
As for the oil that's already on the surface (and remember, 'dying fish' is for the most part BS, oil floats, try it for yourself, just take a little water in a glass, put some motor oil in the glass, note the effect, birds are a different matter, fish that surface for air ('mammals') as well), it can be 'caught' and towed to other locations, and as thus 'collected' in a few locations. Sure, it takes a LOT of power to move a large oil slick, or a chunk of it. Proposal: use aircraft carriers, practically unlimited power, 'clean' (nuclear powered), fast (very fast actually), etc.. Connect two with a miles long 'collector cable', have them move in the same direction, miles away from each other.. that oil slick will be gone in no time.
Nonsense. Motor oil is highly refined and won't quickly mix with water. But crude is another thing altogether, some of it dissolves in water easily, some evaporates, some disperses, some floats, some oxidizes, some does other things. The fish kill is very real and much happens hundreds or thousands of feet below the surface.
The ocean floor will not "take care of the rest" after an explosion at the well head. The crude is under extreme pressure and would push through the sand. Remember than they tried putting hundreds of tons of heavy concrete down the hole, the pressure just pushed it out.
As for the idea to take the oil away so it is "gone", what is gone? It is already 60 miles off coast. There is no place on the planet that is "gone".
So who is the Cousteau character, the Paris Hilton of the environmental crowd? Famous for being famous and using taxpayer dollars to take an unneccessary disaster-tour like the politicians that think they'll have a better idea of what to do seeing it from an expensive helicopter than by looking at the CNN oil tracker map?
I mean, it's not like any of these talking heads actually have anything to do with the solution. That's 100% engineers and they'll fix it when they come up with a working solution regardless of how much hot air politicians/celebrities spew between now and then. The problem requires absolutely no helicopter rides or trips to the region by anyone except people that are actually tracking the slick to coordinate recovery and cleanup. All of these wasted tax dollars should be going to the cleanup and to pay the engineers that are actually doing something useful.
Bomb the hole ... have you heard yourself?!
[Benedect420, it appears they have overcome the obstacles you mention with the pipe they currently have in place (the current pipe is drawing up oil despite the freezing methane and the buoying nature of resulting hydates thatyou mention). My suggestion is to add suction and vacuum to the pipe to attemt to suck in the escaping oil at the BOP]
If you notice, the vents in the device are not all closed. Some oil has to escape, otherwise the oil stream will suck in water, because of the venturi principle. So there has to be enough back pressure kept on the pipe to make sure some oil escapes.
At some time they plan to use a tighter fitting cap anchored to the ocean bed. That should help. There is no need for vacuum as there is 10.000 psi on the pipe, and you can't vacuum a column more than about 16 ft, and the pipe is a mile long! So vacuum as a solution is a non starter anyway.
Ron Gos
I don't understand why they can't use a powerful suction to suck up the oil escaping from the well head. They have a pipe already in place above the well head, why can't they attach a pump to the surface ship and vacuum all the escaping oil? Yes, it will suck in seawater as well, but that can be separated at the surface. Why is this not being done to prevent this tragic catastrophe from getting worse?
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You are thinking 2 dimensionally...you can't just vacuum up oil from a mile down under the ocean. the temperature a mile down is almost freezing...when the oil gets contained at that temperature...it freezes up as what they call..."hydrates" When that happens...it will clog and the pressure will push the oil back down into the seals of the containment dome and the pressure will blow the containment cap like if you put canada dry soda and mentos together.
It's very easy to close up an oil gusher...from the surface of the ocean...from a mile down...it's a very different senario.
I have read many of these comments and everyone is missing the most effective solution. God created the whole universe including galaxies trillions of miles from here. He is the incredibly awesome and all powerful friend to those who care to get to know Him. Nothing is impossible with God Luke1:37. If we humble ourselves and call on our Awesome Creator he could send an earthquake that would shift the ocean bottom and permanently seal off the leak. Then he could send a storm to bring the whole spill mess out into the middle of the Atlantic. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Wisdom comes with age and God has been from forever. Stop trusting in Man.Turn your eyes to the LORD like Israel just before the Red Sea was parted and they were delivered by the hand of Almighty God.
goony!
Too bad that BP and the government could care less about the leak. This is no accident!
PC is no JCousteau ..stop writing about "It is no secret to anyone who knows me that waking up early is not my favorite thing to do" and start waking up early like all of us true Americans instead of living off Daddy's trust funds- typical Frenchman bashing America in guise... I pulled triggers for this country and this is what I eat at night?
5000ft is soooo deep. The extreme conditions down there make any attempt they "try" not really work. I mean we have maned missions to space but not to the bottom of the ocean. It's seems like they hit an artery and can stop the bleeding. To think there are no proven disaster responses to deal with this event is scary. Let's face it, for years NOAA was complaining about NASA getting all the funding. The only people putting real money into deepwater exploration was Big Oil and that was just to drill.
Check this out:
I think that the biggest problem is if we do stop completely the leak and start pumping and cleaning all this mess , where do we put it all in a fastest time as possible ? Looks like years...