GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Three solar-powered yellow buoys floating in the Bay of Green Bay are giving boaters real-time wave and weather data to help them stay safe on the water.
The buoys measure wave height and frequency, wind speed and direction, air temperature and water quality. The data is available to the public through an online platform called Seagull.
Water Resources Specialist Sarah Bartlett said there was previously no wave-sensing equipment in the lower bay, but grant funding helped NEW Water, the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District, change that.
"Waves can kick up really fast on the bay. Conditions can change," said Bartlett.
Bartlett added that the technology is becoming more widely available—and for good reason.
"[It's] just so important for recreators, people that use the bay, use the Great Lakes, just to have some information on the weather, on the waves," Bartlett explained.
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Longtime boater John Kennedy said the information could save lives.
"If you've been on the water any number of years, you've been caught in some ugly stuff... The waves don't get as big as Lake Michigan, but they're much closer together and they will beat you to pieces," noted Kennedy.
Green Bay Metro Fire received 22 water rescue calls last year. Kennedy hopes the buoys will help people stay clear of water hazards.
"It's critical," Kennedy said of the resource. "I take advantage of all those things."
The real-time data gives Kennedy peace of mind and helps him plan ahead.
"That's what it's all about," he stated, "planning for a safe, happy trip."
