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First stop: Maws, a roadside favorite of mine on the road to Venice, where I order the large banana shake. It's life-changing. This is the view of the canal out back.
NBC News President Steve Capus, who flew in on Sunday to throw a team dinner for our employees covering this story. Steve was as taken with the view as I was. Our camera crews cooked the meal, and we ate family style at a big, long table. We're all friends -- we've travelled thousands of miles together over the years, and it was heaven -- a great night with wonderful food and good company.
Photo by Kevin Allocca
While I didn't take the above photo (Kevin Allocca at TVNewser did), here's our team.
The harbor community of houseboats and converted barges in Venice, as shot from the back porch of our "bureau" there--the houseboat/boat slip we rent out. The nicest, kindest, most hospitable people in the world live in this harbor. They welcome you in and will offer you a meal, a beer, or the shirt off their back. I love it here.
Sunset on a Sunday night over Venice. Photo by Dwaine Scott/ NBC News
The heartbreaking oil in the bay, as shot by Dwaine Scott, our superb cameraman. He shot all three of the stories I did on this trip. We've been all over the world together.
Our chariot for the seaplane flight from Venice, LA to Pensacola, FL. It's a Canadian-made DeHaviland Beaver, and while the radial engine has been re-built a few times, the original 1956 airframe remains intact. In truth, I'd rather fly in this plane than most commercial airliners. Our pilot is Lyle Panepinto, who has been flying here since 1971. Our radio call sign is "Beaver Two One Zero Five Eight."
Flying over the Gulf, 1,900 feet. Airspeed: 106 mph
Drive-up window, Taco Bell, Pensacola, 10 pm
Our chariot awaits for the flight from Pensacola back to New Orleans.
View from my hotel room. Pensacola Beach. If you know where to look, the oil is actually visible on the beaches from this far away.
White sandy beaches on the Alabama coastline. They all now have a visible brown ring near the waterline.
We discovered all these vessels inside Mobile Bay. They have halted their skimming and boom work due to heavy seas from Alex, hundreds of miles away.
Runway 10, New Orleans Intl Airport. Overnight here, then home to New York.
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Thank you for sharing these.
YouTube has a video showing oil being picked up by straw. Any way you can propose it to cleaning teams to see if it really works? The link can be found by searching YouTUbe oil straw. The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7JkFW5nwMQ
Thank you for your help.
Brian, thanks for posting to the blog, and especially at such a late hour. I am so proud of you guys. You and your crew have been doing such an incredible job covering this story, and I can only imagine how heartbreaking it must be for the entire crew to cover such a sad and desperate story. Tonight's broadcast opened up another window into what this place means to the folks who live there. Their love for Louisiana is touching and beautiful. My deep thanks to all of you so much for all of your work covering this story. A special shout-out to Dwaine Scott, a great guy and an absolute superb cameraman. Thoughts and prayers are with the Gulf, and also with those covering it. I hope the crew down there is taking care of themselves and remaining as positive as possible. It must be taking such a seriously emotional toll on everyone.
Just back today from the most incredible weekend in our nations' capital. Friends and I were lucky enough to join Nancy Trejos for lunch Sunday. She is such a sweet and down-to-earth person, and is such a great motivator for a young aspiring journalist. Monday I finally made my first visit to Arlington National Cemetery. There are no words to describe the feeling. It was a very somber visit, but the knot in my throat came immidiately after spotting Bobby Kennedy's gravesite. I'd never been there before, so I didn't know after reading and picturing Bobby giving those speeches carved on the marble that his gravesite was there until turning around. After that, I couldn't hold the tears in anymore. It's such an emotional experience. Witnessed the change of the guards as well. God Bless all who rest at the sacred grounds. Last night was the most memorable of all as Laurel, Doni and I attended the screening of "Restrepo" in Washington. It was so amazingly done. I was left speechless. The Q&A was wonderful, and afterward I was so very honored to meet Maj. Kearney, Sgt. Belkin and Sebastian Junger. I was so surprised that Sebastian actually remembered me from a conversation about journalism on Facebook. I'm telling you, the internet is amazing. After drinking in the beautiful sites of Washington after dark we prepared to head out early this morning. I've never felt more proud to be an American than after last night. Please, if you haven't seen or heard of the film "Restrepo", go look it up and set time aside to watch. Everyone who served there deserves that.
Thanks again for the late post, Brian. God Bless, take care, and have a safe flight back home to New York!
-Cary
A magnificent journey into personal moments.
Every moment is beautiful.
"Soul-Crushing" stayed with me.
"Sunset," Sunday, Venice photo rescued me.
Thank You
M
Good Morning Mr.Williams, Thank you for the late night blog! So very nice of you to share all those wonderful pictures! You, Anne Thompson, Mark Potter, Kerry Sanders and the whole NBC Crew have done a fantastic job covering the Gulf region in this terrible crisis. You always do an excellent job! I especially like the group picture of everybody! My thoughts and prayers go out to all the people in the Gulf region.
Thank You to all the NBC Journalists and Crew for their fine work! Take Care Everyone!
Thank You Mr.Williams again for the great photos! Safe Travels Back To New York!
Peace to You and to All!
Lisa
Good Morning Brian-I take it you made it back to NY. You and your entire NBC team should be awarded greatly for your fantastic coverage of such a tragedy of almost Biblical purportions(forgive the misspell). God Bless you and the crew!
Sincerely,
Robert
Brian, I agree with GOV.Bobby Jindal that this is War and we must win it and in effect it is an invasion
of our country. Quoting from Sophie's World some believe such an event is an Act of God. Most
geologists swear to a "catastrophe "theory" and that after each catastrophe, God renews life on
earth.; Whatever, America must prevail. God bless you! Phyllis
Brian, Thank you for your continued coverage of the oil spill. If you would, please watch this video. A fisherman from the Florida Panhandle is pleading with Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to give them rule exemptions to help with econcomical relief. The Commission has done this already (with execitive orders) for the Shrimpers, Crabbers, Baitfishermen, Oystermen and Scallopers but Commission Chairman Rodney Barreto rudely tells this Mullet Fisherman to "we're not going to do it, forget it". He had the nerve to tell the fisherman to just go work for BP! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey2-qKooqgw
To Brian, Ann, Lester and all of the contributors and staff (both those who we see from time to time and those who work behind the cameras)... You guys are the best. We see and hear you every day. You make us feel like we know you. So reading your posts let's us know what's going on from a little different perspective. Thanks for doing what you do!