All things wave buoy, tidal and met

We recently had a fantastic day in Portchester visiting the Fugro team, who manage our marine instruments for us.  We embarked on a journey through their offices and workshops, delving into the intricate world of hydrodynamic, tidal and meteorological (met) monitoring equipment. 

Our immersion began with a captivating introduction to the wave buoy network, where we witnessed first-hand how Fugro meticulously oversees our network.  They swiftly troubleshoot any issues in real-time to ensure the seamless operation of
buoys, tide and met stations. 

As the afternoon unfolded, we found ourselves amidst a labyrinth of buoys in the workshop, a sight many of us had only previously encountered through data screens. It was truly eye-opening to peer into the inner workings of these buoys, revealing a fascinating array of components including accelerometers, batteries, and layers of foam, all meticulously assembled to withstand the rigors of the sea. 

One particularly striking revelation was the robustness of the bungees used to secure the buoys to the seabed anchors—a stark contrast to the flimsy bungees one might use on a roof rack! 

We were privileged to catch a glimpse of Fugro’s upcoming tide gauge installation at West Bay—a bespoke solution for the longstanding challenge of monitoring in a dynamic saline environment mixed with freshwater inflows. Through innovative design, Fugro has engineered sturdy tubes housing pressure transducers that will be affixed to the harbour wall.  This will offer both ease of maintenance and resilience against environmental forces. 

The day concluded with an enriched understanding and appreciation for the intricate web of technologies underpinning the wave buoy, tide and met station network. It was truly a day of enlightenment, further cementing our commitment to the pursuit of
knowledge and excellence in our endeavours.