John Maas spent years buying and outfitting a 17-foot aluminum boat called the Superskiff 1 so he could take customers fishing for sea trout and flounder in the Gulf of Mexico.
But before the Mississippi captain could make his first charter trip in 2010, the BP Deepwater Horizon drilling rig blew up 120 miles (193 kilometers) to the south, killing 11 people and sending many millions of gallons of oil into the sea.
As for many along the Gulf coast, the disaster changed Maas’ life. Fishing stopped when oil contaminated the water, so he used his boat to help clean up the spill. It was nasty work under oppressive, humid heat in oily water and around the chemical dispersant Corexit deployed in massive quantities to break up oil.
Maas said the Corexit smelled like burning brake fluid and caused his eyes to water and skin to burn. “You were coughing and things like that. It’s like tear gas almost,” he said in an interview.
Dutch soccer club Vitesse docked points and relegated during probe of Russian ties to Abramovich
Hurricanes Poua won't be allowed to repeat haka criticising government
Efeso Collins' funeral to be held in Auckland on Thursday
Small bump in Covid vaccine uptake, but still well below 2021 peak
NWSL champion Gotham FC sign German goalkeeper Ann
Telling the story of Taiwan beyond the cross
Body removed after violent attack at Auckland sushi shop
Lacazette ready to play for Lyon against PSG after face injury
Red Sea attacks: Sheep and cattle left stranded off Australia's coast
Standing in the shadows of giants: 1,475 statues fill the landscape beside D
Cancer experts urge Pharmac to fast