DockTalk
T
Interpretative Buoy System Upgrades
made to the system. Most of the original he National Oceanic and Atmo10 buoys have been replaced with new, spheric Administration (NOAA) smaller ones, and three buoys are no longer Chesapeake Bay Interpretative Buoy operating. The smaller buoys are a little System (CBIBS), has been collecting data for use by scientists and the public since the first buoy was placed in 2007. Over the years the system has evolved, and especially in the last two years some changes and upgrades have been underway to address the aging physical structures and the parts within them. “The primary goal of the buoys is to deliver observations to the scientific community, both within NOAA and to our partners. However, we love that ##Chesapeake Bay Interpretative Buoy others, such as sailors, paddlers, System maintenance. Photo courtesy boaters, educators, and the of NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office maritime safety community access and use the data too,” says Kim Couranz, a communications specialist more nimble and easier for buoy techs at the NOAA Chesapeake Bay office in form NOAA to work on without hiring Annapolis. outside contractors. Buoys are no longer After 10 years of service, the agency in operation at the mouth of the Patapsco realized that some adjustments could be and Susquehanna or south of the Wood-
row Wilson Bridge in the Potomac. This makes Annapolis, which has the most used buoy in the system, the most northern location. Other changes include new hardware and software. Updates now occur every six minutes instead of the previous 10-minute intervals. Additional steps along the way have included upgrades to sensors on the buoys themselves, meteorological air sensors, and sensors in the water. Each of these sensors relay information to computers in the buoy, which will collect and send the information to a database, which can be accessed through the CBIBS website or mobile app. Updates on the buoy system can be found at buoybay.noaa.gov. For more “real time” updates, for example if a buoy is temporarily not functioning, check out the CBIBS Facebook page.
Revolutionize
b o at d o c k i n G • Dock without jumping off of your boat • Use on any size or type of boat • Will accommodate up to an 18” wide cleat
• Lightweight (1 lb., 13 oz.), simple to use and no moving parts
• Use it with your own 1/2”, 5/8” or 3/4” 25 ft. or 35 ft. docking line
• Detachable and collapsible head for easy storage
CALL TODAY! 802.734.3389 Visit our website for the Landing Loop video and many other great products!
s e a d o g b o a t i n g s o l u t i o n s. co m 36 October 2019 SpinSheet.com