After a few days off, we made it back to Lafayette.  Our trip was coming to an end, and we needed to reinstall the equipment in the Alpha Test lab before we headed back to Maine.   The equipment will remain in this lab for three months.

When we got everything set up, we were able process the last group of samples we had taken over the weekend.   This data, along with data that had been collected in the field, was compared to data generated using EPA standard methods.   These comparison studies are extremely valuable as we go forward with the EPA method approval process.

Today was our ninth day in Louisiana, and our fifth day of sampling.  This morning we were again focusing on surface samples, so we can better understand the behavior of crude oil in the ocean.  In addition, we took sediment samples to determine if deposits were forming under the water.

This morning, we found a long strip of crude oil coming into the bay.

We were able to get a few really good samples, but our trip was cut short due to some rough weather.

Back on the island, there was a benefit party being held at the Bridge Side Marina.  Organized by chefs from New Orleans, there was music, fun, and tons of great food.  The purpose of the picnic was to lift the spirits of a community that hasn’t had many positive things to think about lately.

After we could not eat another bite, we headed back to the camp to process samples.

Tomorrow is our last day of sampling on Grand Isle.  We are shipping several dozen of the samples we have collected back to our lab in Maine.   We will continue to study how our technology can be used to provide valuable information as the cleanup efforts continue.  From here we will head further east, to hopefully do more sampling.  Keep checking for more updates.

Operating out of our new Field Office in Port Fourchon, we set off this morning on another sampling trip.  The amount of oil that is being drawn into shore varies throughout the day, so we started early to gain a new perspective.  Oil levels were again lower than they had been in the previous week.  Our first stop was the island that served as a sanctuary for thousands of birds.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that the two layers of boom had been totally replaced.

This trip, we decided to take surface samples with the intent of capturing the slick and sheen that can been seen on top of the water.  Analysis of the surface oil can allow us to better determine what is going on below the surface.

Today’s trip was quick, and we barely avoided some fierce thunderstorms.  After we got off the water, we headed to Grand Isle State Park, where we got our first look at the beach cleanup efforts.

The cleanup crews had done an impressive job of cleaning the oil off of the beach.  From the pier more sheen was clearly visible washing onto shore.

After a long morning, we escaped the heat and returned to our camp.  We were able to set up our lab in the kitchen and process all of the samples we had taken in the past two days.

Tomorrow we will collect more surface water in addition to sediment samples.  More updates to come.

Today was the second day of our Alpha Site installation and training.  After the initial hurdles of setting up the instruments and training the users, we were able to start testing samples that we had collected.

Working in the lab gave us the unique opportunity to run the samples with validated methods and compare the results to the data we had collected over the weekend.  The EPA standard results correlated well with our preliminary results.

Today a reporter from the Portland Press Herald came to interview us.  She is in the area covering Maine people who have traveled south to participate in Gulf Spill cleanup and support projects, so naturally we were perfect candidates.

Tomorrow is the last day that we will be working in the lab.  Thursday we will head back to the coast to continue in our sampling efforts.  Keep checking back for more updates.

For our second day of sampling we drove 160 miles to Grand Isle, LA.  Grand Isle was one of the first places that oil made landfall and has been covered extensively in national media.  The island is a popular summer vacation spot, but has been greatly affected by the disaster in the gulf.  This year, the island is populated mostly by disaster response crews including EPA, Coast Guard, and the National Guard.  Local businesses are having a rough time, surviving only on the response crews that are there.

We were able to charter a small boat to take us around Grand Isle and the adjacent barrier islands.  This was the first time we were able to see the effects of the spill first hand.

Below is a map of our trip.

View Louisiana Gulf Sampling Trip in a larger map

At the first site, we were able to see some of the boom that had been placed to contain the spill.  The boom had washed ashore, and oil was collecting on the rocks.

The second site was just off the beach of Grand Isle.  From here we could see the beach, with a significant amount of oil washed ashore, and the cleanup workers.

The third site was east of the first site, on the other side of the island.  This area was full of boats dragging skimmers to collect oil.  On the west side of the area, we found a line of dark, heavy oil coming into the cove.  We focused on this for our sampling.

The fourth site was the furthest we went east on this trip.  The cleanup crews hadn’t made it to this area, so the oil was thick.  It stuck to our sampling gear, making it very difficult to collect samples.

Our final destination was a small island just north of Grand Isle.  It had been identified as an important refuge for birds, so it was surrounded completely by several rows of protective boom.  Oil was visible on the boom and oil had clearly penetrated the containment barrier.  The shoreline was covered with oil, including the birds that perched there.

After a long afternoon in the sun, we returned to the port.  As we got off of the boat, we were approached by a crew from a French news program.  They asked us to come back out and show our technology and sampling techniques.  We showed them where we had sampled, and how our technology could be used to assist with the spill cleanup.

We returned to Lafayette after our adventure on the sea.  750 miles and 24 hours of travel in two days.  We will spend the next few days analyzing the samples we have taken, and plan for future testing.  Below are more pictures from our trip to Grand Isle.  Check back here for more updates.