NEW WEATHER BUOY DEPLOYED

This morning, a crew from Lakeshore Towing moved the company's barge 503 into the East Canal Basin to begin another day of work. Like most of the company's work, this work was designed to benefit the local boating community. Today's job, however, will have a particular impact on the local boating community.

Contracted to the Regional Science Consortium, tug LOW BIDDER and barge 503 were slated to load a new weather buoy for deployment off of Presque Isle to transmit weather data online. The data will be transmitted via cell phone and put on a website for accessibility to help boaters determine wind and wave conditions on Lake Erie. The buoy has been deployed almost in the Lake Carrier's Course, and is deployed at coordinates 42 11.141 N, 080 08.195 W. When functional the buoy will also feature a web camera.

The buoy was deployed around noon today and is now on station; it is now transmitting data.

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The weather buoy arrives.


Lakeshore Towing's crew prepares the buoy for lifting from the bed of the truck.


The excavator is moved into position.


Slings are locked into place on the excavator to lift the buoy.


Lifting.


The buoy is skillfully set down on the barge.


Attaching the top of the buoy, with all of the transmission equipment and the radar reflector.


LOW BIDDER backs the barge away from the dock.


Turning.


LOW BIDDER pushes the barge out of the East Canal basin.


USCG 45757 outbound the channel. 45757 is Station Erie's newest boat, one of the new 45-foot class of small boats being built for the Coast Guard.


Stern view. At this time it remains to be seen if this boat will replace 47241 as Erie's larger boat or if it just an additional boat for the Station.


US Customs & Border Protection Safe Boat 382907 is followed by smaller fleetmate, 332119, out of the channel.


Work on PRESQUE ISLE's starboard propeller is continuing and the vessel could potentially be departing later this week.


LOW BIDDER outbound.


Close up of the pushboat.


Stern view.