reporter: a jay hawk helicopter has landed here, we are told we will be getting an exclusive ride on the helicopter out to the spill site, this the first trip since hurricane alex moved in and put a dammer on damper on cleanup efforts. one very big offer has been accepted, as you mentioned the world s largest skimming vessel now in the gulf, going to be tested for the first time today. this massive taiwanese flag former tank eris 3 1/2 football fields long and ten stories high retrofitted with vents. it is designed to separate the oil from the water, keep the water on board and channel the water back into the gulf. it s never been tried before and no one knows for sure if it will work. scientists at aoupb -dz say they