Deepwater Heroes: The Boats That Saved the Coast

As the extent of the oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico from the Macondo well became evident, the Vessel of Opportunity program came to life. Thousands of local fisherman and their deckhands attended training classes along the Gulf Coast to prepare them to conduct oil clean-up on the water. Deploying boom and doning Tyvek suits, with various adapted tools ranging from pool skimmers to onion sacks, they took to the water in hopes of preserving the waters they love so much, as well as their way of life. In the pages that follow you will see pictures of these boats in action, as well as oil that made landing on
the Mississippi Gulf Coast.