Night moves

The shorter days mean another weather buoy (although the proper term is an ODAS-Ocean Data Acquisition System buoy) recovered in darkness. Fortunately, we have good quality flood lights to illuminate the deck. 

The calm weather is holding out for another day thanks to a big high pressure system. We try to avoid handling these buoys in rough weather as there are thousands of dollars of delicate equipment on each of these buoys that could get wiped out if they swing the wrong way and strike the ship.

The weather buoys provide wind, air and water temperature, barometric pressure and wave height, which is transmitted via satellite to Environment Canada. Anyone can access this information via their website on the Marine Forecast page.

With the buoy, its 450 feet of mooring chain and 5000 pound cement anchor safely on deck, it is time to head to port to unload so the buoys can be serviced and ready to be deployed again next spring.