Welcoming a new BWBS ambassador - @sofarocean !
“We are confident that collaboration between Sofar Ocean, @bluewhalesblueskies , and the broader #shipping industry can accelerate the adoption of smarter sailing strategies in whale hotspots around the world.” 🐋🌎💙
> Founded in 2016 to make the ocean more predictable and sustainable, Sofar Ocean owns & operates the world’s largest private network of real-time ocean sensors — known as Spotters — turning billions of measurements into insights trusted by global shipping fleets, scientists, & governments.
> Their models assimilate Spotter network observations into marine weather forecasts, which are up to 50% more accurate than traditional models.
> Forecasts help power the Wayfinder Platform, which Captains and operators use to optimize #voyages for time, fuel, emissions, and #safety.
➡️ read more: bluewhalesblueskies.org/stories/
If you are in Alaska between May 15, 2026 and May 15, 2027, stop by the Anchorage Museum and check out their exhibit: Arctic Marine Science: Sikuliaq to Shore!
The exhibit features science, art, Indigenous Knowledge and community-led ocean observing projects, including Backyard Buoys!
The exhibit was primarily funded and organized by the North Pacific Research Board and also features other Alaska Ocean Observing System-supported projects, such as harmful algal bloom monitoring, gliders, and moorings.
Photo: Cape Lisburne Spotter, Alaska
Credit: Michael Tuzroyluk, Jr.
#BackyardBuoys #AnchorageMuseum #MarineScience #SikuliaqToShore #IndigenousKnowledge #ArcticMarineEcosystem #NPRB #AOOS #NANOOS #PacIOOS #IOOS #SofarOcean #RVSikuliaq
Backyard Buoy Training in Taholah
Backyard Buoys members from the University of Washington led a training session at the Quinault Division of Natural Resources in Taholah, Washington, on March 13, 2026.
Quinault Indian Nation community members learned more about the wave buoy, data collection, and mooring strategy.
The hands-on training led to many comments on how deploying a Backyard Buoys wave buoy seemed similar to other fishing practices, just different applications of using lines, weights, buoys, splicing, and anchoring.
We look forward to continued operations led by the community!
View the Quinault North Data on the NANOOS Visualization System (NVS) at the link in our bio!
Many thanks to the collaborators on the Backyard Buoys project- Quinault Division of Natural Resources and Quinault Indian Nation Community, AOOS, NANOOS, PacIOOS, IOOS, Sofar Ocean, UW Applied Physics Lab
#backyardbuoys #WaveData #CommunityCollaboration #TraditionalKnowledge #pacificnorthwest #pacificislands #alaska
PacIOOS Oceanographic Modeling Specialists joined other exhibitors at the 17th Annual Hawaiʻi STEM Conference yesterday!
Students participated in hands-on demonstrations of coastal erosion and made waves with a PocketLab accelerometer and Sofar Spotter buoy from the Backyard Buoys project.
It is always inspiring to lead hands-on sessions, and connect with the next generation of Hawai'i's innovators in STEM fields!
#HawaiiSTEM #CoastalErosion #BackyardBuoys #PacIOOS #WaveData
Real-time reef monitoring just leveled up. 🪸
Sea-Bird Scientific, Sofar Ocean, MEGA Lab, UH Hilo, and Aqualink have successfully integrated a Sea-Bird Scientific sensor with a Sofar Spotter Buoy + Smart Mooring using the Bristlemouth Development Kit. This is a significant step forward for plug-and-play integration of marine sensors.
Off Keahole Point, Kona, Hawaiʻi, live pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, salinity, pressure, wind, wave, and temperature data are now combined with a live underwater video feed in one public dashboard: aqualink.org/sites/1006. See every stressor the reef is facing and watch it respond in real time.
“These data are paired with real-time visual observations from the MEGA Lab livestream camera to document how physical and chemical conditions vary with tides, storms, seasonal cycles, and heat stress events... The measurements also provide an open resource for students, community partners, and researchers to link observed reef behavior with shifts in local ocean chemistry.” — Dr. John Burns, MEGA Lab at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
The data, code, and decoders are open-source and free to use.
🔗 Link to the live dashboard in Aqualink’s bio and story.
From curiosity to coastal impact 🌊
Dr. Josh Humberston shares how his path led to oceanography and to leading the Coastal Hazards Lab at ARII.
There’s no one way into this field, just real opportunities to make a difference.
🎥 : @laymans_terms_productions
#atlanticrii #workforcedevelopment #coastalresilience #engineering #massachusetts
Got to spend a few days at @sofarocean giving a quick injection of color to their Canary conference room. The conference rooms are named after ocean currents- so the mural is a visual representation of the conference room's namesake: Canary. Process video coming later this week.
The American Samoa Ta'ū Harbor buoy has been redeployed!
The buoy provides vital wave data for the safe navigation of Ta'ū Harbor.
It takes a dedicated team to coordinate buoy deployments. Many thanks to the community partners in American Samoa who coordinated the shipping, transportation, logistics, and buoy deployment!
Captain Suafo'a Faifua
Keith Ahsoon
June Lefotu
Ta'ū Community
American Samoa Department of Port Administration
National Park of American Samoa
The teamwork involved in the deployment of Backyard Buoys spotters is a testament to the project's core value of collaborative stewardship and management of ocean data to enhance ocean safety and the sustainability of the blue economy for coastal communities.
Photos: Ta'ū Buoy Deployment
Credit: Valentine Vaeoso
#WaveBuoy #WaveData #OceanObserving #OceanSafety #BackyardBuoys #CommunityStewardship #CommunityResilience #TraditionalKnowledge #CommunityPartners #Alaska #PNW #PacificNorthwest #Hawaii #HawaiianIslands #PacificOcean #PacificIslands #Oceania #AOOS #NANOOS #PacIOOS #IOOS #SofarOcean #SpotterBuoy #SmartMooring
The Backyard Buoys project is excited to announce a new educational resource, the Backyard Buoys Activity Book! Beautifully illustrated by American Samoa artist Puataunofo Tofaeono, the activity book brings together lessons from Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and the Tropical Pacific to highlight how the buoys support coastal communities, and help us caretake our Pacific Ocean backyard.
Visit the Backyard Buoys Activity Book tab in our linktree to download for free!
Images: Backyard Buoys Activity Book
Credit: Backyard Buoys
#BackyardBuoys #WaveBuoys #OceanData #OceanWaves #OceanBackyard #OceanCommunity #OceanStewardship #Alaska #PacificNorthwest #PNW #HawaiianIslands #PacificIslands #Oceania #Guam #AmericanSamoa #CNMI #RMI #FSM #AOOS #NANOOS #PacIOOS #IOOS #SofarOcean
The Backyard Buoys program continues to expand across the Pacific Islands, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska, providing coastal communities with real-time wave data that supports safe boating. Sofar Ocean spotter buoys deployed by local residents feed information directly into the Backyard Buoys smartphone app, giving users easy access to current conditions on the water.
In Alaska’s Kuskokwim Bay, three buoys deployed by Nalaquq, LLC were successfully retrieved this fall, marking the end of a highly productive firstdeployment season. The buoys will be re-deployed next year, with educational activities planned for Quinhagak students to coincide with the start of the season.
All of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission’s 2025 buoys have also been retrieved. The final tally includes one buoy in Gambell, one in Savoonga, two in Point Hope, two in Wainwright, six in Utqiaġvik, and three in Kaktovik. Plans are being made for the 2026 deployment season.
Another program highlight this year was the launch of the “Friends of Backyard Buoys” feature, which allows Sofar Spotter wave buoys not funded through the Backyard Buoys program to be added to the app. More than 20 additional buoys were visible this season, providing ocean users with even more data to support safe boating.
In partnership with the Pacific Islands Observing System (PacIOOS) and the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), Alaska Ocean Observing System developed a buoy-themed activity book for students. Available as a free download, the colorful booklet offers information and activities for all ages related to the Backyard Buoys program.
The education team has also partnered with PocketLab on a wave activity using their sensors, which will is now available as an iPad lesson!
Visit the links in our bio to download the Mobile App, the Activity Book, and the PocketLab lesson!
Photo: Patrick Jones deploys a Sofar Spotter buoy near Quinhagak
Credit: Sean Gleason
#BackyardBuoys #OceanData #WaveData #Alaska #PacificNorthwest #PNW #PacificIslands #TraditionalKnowledge #BuoyData #CommunityStewardship #BuoyDeployment #SofarOcean #PocketLab #AOOS #NANOOS #PacIOOS #IOOS
Alaska Ocean Observing System had a blast bringing a Backyard Buoys spotter buoy and mini-wave buoy for high school students in Anchorage, Alaska to demonstrate how wave data is generated.
More than 100 students at Bartlett High School attended Ocean Tech Demo Day to explore marine research tools including ROVs, gliders, wave buoys, and zooplankton labs.
Hands-on stations gave students the chance to work directly with scientists and discover STEM pathways connected to Alaskaʻs waters.
Students were able to see the Sofar Ocean wave buoy used by Backyard Buoys, and experimented with a Nereid Biomaterials mini-buoy to create waves, while watching the data generated by a PocketLab accelerometer in the buoy.
Thank you, Anchorage School District for your commitment to building strong community partnerships!
Other partners in this event included NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, University of Alaska Fairbanks, JOA SURVEYS
#BackyardBuoys #WaveData #CommunityEngagement #OceanCareers #STEM #CommunityOutreach #Anchorage #Alaska
