Buoy Redeployment

Over the past few months, the University of Maine’s Physical Oceanography Group has serviced and re-deployed the NERACOOS ocean observing buoys in the Gulf of Maine. Every six months the buoys are retrieved from their station and replaced with a buoy that has been cleaned and had it’s sensors tested, calibrated and repaired. Having two buoys for each station allows a nearly continuous collection of high quality ocean and weather data that is delivered to customers every hour.

The fall deployments of buoys can be especially challenging because the buoy team may have to work around significant storms that can develop in the fall. However, it is critical to have these buoys deployed over the winter since it can be one of the most dangerous times for mariners to operate in the region.