Mission Blue: Survivors of the Spill Expedition

DOER was engaged by Hope Spots LLC and the Waitt Institute to provide submersible support services in the Gulf of Mexico. The expedition was part of a larger Mission Blue collaboration including scientists from ORCA and the Harte Research Institute. Mission Blue founder, Dr. Sylvia Earle and HRI’s Dr. Thomas Shirley were lead scientists. Dr. Edith Widder deployed her Medusa lander for its first deep water trials. The Waitt Institute donated the use of their two person submersible. DOER provided training and diving supervision for over the side operations from the TDI vessel, Brooks McCall. Film crews from Hope Spots and McGillivary Freeman films were on hand to document the expedition. Although weather proved problematic, the expedition yielded some valuable information about the recovery process in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.