"First Landing" CBIBS Buoy Deployed at Mouth of Bay

Submitted by david.riddel on 08/17/2011

The First Landing buoy is deployed from the deck of the NOAA ship Thomas Jefferson.Boaters and fishermen have a new way to check conditions at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, thanks to a new NOAA “smart buoy” just deployed near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel near Virginia Beach. The highly sophisticated observing platform is the tenth buoy in the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS).

“This buoy completes the backbone of NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System and strengthens our ability to gather environmental intelligence about the Bay,” said Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., assistant secretary of commerce for environmental observation and prediction and deputy NOAA administrator. “These continuing observations provide NOAA and coastal officials with a better picture of how hypoxia, climate change and other marine stressors are changing the Bay environment.”

In addition to tracking data at this website, observations are also available on mobile devices at www.buoybay.noaa.gov/m, by calling toll-free 877-BUOY-BAY (877-286-9229), and via free apps for iPhone and Android smartphones.

The buoy was deployed August 17 from the deck of the NOAA ship Thomas Jefferson, thanks to collaboration between the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office and NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.

A buoy celebration event was held the previous week that included participation by Dr. Sullivan, as well as Rep. Robert J. Wittman, U.S. Congressman from Virginia; Anthony Moore, Virginia’s assistant secretary of natural resources for Chesapeake Bay restoration; and Charlie Stek, chairman of Chesapeake Conservancy.