|
Deepseawaters
Home NOAA
Deploys "Smart Buoy" Near Mouth of the Rappahannock River
NOAA Deploys "Smart Buoy" Near Mouth
of the Rappahannock River
Buoy Marks Captain John Smith Chesapeake National
Historic Trail
July 18, 2008
 The
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office will deploy a “smart buoy”
on Saturday at the mouth of the Rappahannock River to take
observations of the Bay's changing conditions. A part of the
Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS),
this is the fourth interpretative buoy to mark the Captain
John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
The
buoy will be deployed off Stingray Point, near Deltaville,
Va., to mark the 400th anniversary of Captain John Smith's
exploration of the region. In July 1608, while using a sword
to fish in shallow waters near the mouth of the Rappahannock
River, Smith was stung by a stingray and nearly died. The
peninsula where this incident occurred was later named "Stingray
Point."
The
buoy collects weather, oceanographic and water-quality observations
and transmits this data wirelessly in near-real time. CBIBS
is the only operational buoy system in the Bay dedicated to
maintaining the broad range of measurements necessary to track
Bay restoration progress. Online educational resources are
also available.
“These
‘smart buoys’ are an example of NOAA’s advancements
in Earth observing systems,” said Mary
Glackin, deputy under secretary of commerce for oceans and
atmosphere. “NOAA is working to improve our understanding
of dynamic coastal areas like the Chesapeake Bay
and how areas like the Bay are affected by changes in the
global ocean."
Glackin
and U.S. Representative (VA) Robert Wittman will participate
in a deployment ceremony at Stingray Point Saturday as part
of the region's commemoration of Smith's explorations during
the summer of 1608. "Placement of this NOAA buoy is an
important addition to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National
Historic Trail and an important tool to gain additional scientific
and ecological information about the Chesapeake Bay,"
said Wittman.
This
is the second Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy in the Commonwealth,
the other buoy is located at Jamestown, Va. Additional buoys
are currently in operation in Maryland at the mouth of the
Potomac River and at the mouth of the Patapsco River near
Baltimore. Two more buoys will be launched later this summer
on the Elizabeth River at Norfolk, Virginia and one on the
Susquehanna River off Havre de Grace, Maryland.
 “This
is the fourth buoy in the expanding Chesapeake Bay Interpretive
Buoy System,” said Peyton Robertson, director of the
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office. “Placing
this buoy off of Stingray Point will enhance our observations
of the changing conditions of the Chesapeake Bay, provide
real-time information for mariners, and mark a significant
spot in Captain Smith's remarkable exploration of the New
World.”
The
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail covers
3,000 miles along parts of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries
along routes taken by Captain John Smith in 1607 and 1608
to chart the land and waterways of the Chesapeake Bay. The
trail highlights the natural history of the Bay and provides
new opportunities for recreation, education, and tourism in
the Chesapeake Bay region, and encourages stewardship of this
national treasure.
The
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office focuses NOAA’s capabilities
in science, service, and stewardship to protect and restore
the Chesapeake Bay.
 Email
To Friend
|
