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The Aqua image is from yesterday 5/18/10. The white glare and gray sheen are optical effects due to the sun's placement behind the satellite, and the "horrible" appearance extends further south in the complete image. ( All the Aqua and Terra images are taken around astronomical noon. ) Also, you don't get a good raw image every day of a given subject on the ground, since in many cases it's along opposite edges of the image in two successive passes.

Here is the Terra image from today, 5/19/10. Note the very similar appearance further east along the coast of Florida, complete with swirls. Near the leak site, very little is visible except for a brown smudge, which you can see more clearly at higher resolution.

When I saw today's image I actually thought it was the oil slick which had drifted almost to Florida, but I decided it was just clouds. At any rate, you certainly have to be very careful interpreting these images.

Oops. I linked the Aqua image twice. Here is the Terra image of 5/19/10 that I was referring to.

I should mention that an important factor is the local sun angle. As we approach the summer solstice the sun is nearly overhead at the latitude of the Gulf of Mexico, and this is what creates the effect. Here's another Aqua image over the mid-Atlantic on 5/19/10 showing the same type of effect.