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New buoy system tells boaters of John Smith's journeys
By Rob Hedelt DELTAVILLE --The official deployment of the bright yellow high-tech piece of the new system was still 20 minutes away.But that didn't stop the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's John Page Williams yesterday morning from trying to connect right then with the new addition off Stingray Point. From the bow of a restored work boat ferrying dignitaries to the event at the mouth of the Rappahannock River, Williams pulled out his cell phone and dialed the magic digits: 877/286-9229, choosing the Stingray Point option. "The buoy says the air temperature's 93 degrees," said Williams with a smile. "Sitting up there on the black deck of that barge, I'm sure it is 93. But once it gets into the water, it'll be telling us everything from water temperature to wave heights to water quality." Williams had connected, in what engineers like to refer to as "near real time," to a collection of hard plastic data-gathering gizmos and communications links that moments later became the fourth "smart buoy" launched in and around the bay. Part of the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System, the phone-booth-size buoy is one of several that will mark key points along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. That's the route taken by Smith in 1607 and 1608 to chart the land and waterways of the Chesapeake Bay, now being turned by the National Park Service into a trail to be used to teach people about the journey and to boost tourism along the route. Peyton Robertson, director of the Chesapeake Bay office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration overseeing the smart buoys, said they'll be used many ways. "One of the most exciting is the informational and educational opportunities they'll provide," said Robertson. "Connecting by phone, computer or PDA, you can check water temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, wave heights and more." He added, "That's information usable to both the scientist and the middle school student in Fredericksburg learning about the science of the bay, especially if it's charted over time." In addition to the meteorological and other data shared, the buoys will use phone and computer contacts to share information about Smith's journey and the water trail.
Date published: 7/20/2008
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