Sunsets are coming noticeably earlier these days around the Chesapeake, and fall—both meteorological (September 1) and astronomical (September) —is not far off. Here’s an update on where CBIBS stands as we head toward shorter days.
We are following strict operational protocol set by NOAA during the current public health emergency. This means that the CBIBS buoy technicians are not permitted to work out on the water together because they would be in close proximity for extended periods of time.
Because we cannot yet access the facility where we repair buoy parts and sensors, we cannot prepare any sensors for NOAA partners to deploy on our behalf. So for the time being, no physical repairs are being made to CBIBS buoys.
Here is the status of the seven buoy locations planned for 2020:
- Gooses Reef is deployed and reporting most parameters (not wind)
- Stingray Point is deployed and reporting most parameters (not current)
- York Spit is deployed and reporting
- Annapolis is in the water but has stopped communicating data (which may be a battery and/or onboard computer issue); it also is physically missing its wind instrument
- Point Lookout is out of the water; awaiting rebuild and redeployment
- Jamestown is out of the water; awaiting rebuild and redeployment
- First Landing is out of the water and is currently lowest priority for redeployment of these locations
In previous years, there were three additional buoys. There were no plans to deploy these buoys in 2020, given resource and staffing levels:
- Susquehanna
- Patapsco
- Upper Potomac