Penobscot Bay Marine Data
The Pen Bay Marine Data project establishes and operates sensor networks in Penobscot Bay, Maine. Data produced through this project will be shared on the NERACOOS Mariners dashboard, along with analysis tools on GitHub, and are also available by request. Please contact nkeeney@hurricaneisland.net with questions about buoy deployments and data access.
Information used for siting decisions are displayed on an interactive map below. This includes point and polygon locations referenced in site selection analysis. You can view a full-screen version of the map here. Zoom in to see more detailed features and data, sourced from NOAA, Maine Departments of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Marine Resources (DMR), and the Maine Office of GIS.
Buoys
Our data collection platforms are modified YSI DB600 series buoys and the Sofar Spotter platform. This modular system allows us to deploy and recover buoys from smaller vessels, and configure each site with sensors specifically selected for the needs of the local community.
The buoys are internet-connected through a cell phone network, and report hourly. They are named after three wee fishermen of Eugene Field’s classic poem. You can find more information about each site through the Hydrosphere data platform, while we are still in the process of making data available through NERACOOS.
Although we have additional buoys, we only deploy three systems at a time. This ensures that data at each location is continuous and of high-quality. While the others are out of the water we calibrate, clean, prepare them to swap in, which happens every two to four weeks. This also lets us experiment with embedded computing and onboard data processing, and incrementally improve the system over time, without downtime. It also means we can bring a buoy to your school or event for demonstrations and training.
Wynken (Hurricane Sound)
The oceanic site is in lower Penobscot Bay, at Hurricane Island. It is located near our experimental aquaculture lease to provide farm-based research projects with continuous, high-quality environmental data. It is a USCG-permitted private aid to navigation (PATON), and appears on charts as Hurricane Island Research Buoy A. This site came online in April 2025. The buoy broke free and was recovered in November 2025, it is scheduled to be redeployed in March 2026. You can find real-time and historical data here.
Blynken (Seal Harbor)
Our middle bay site is on the western side of Islesboro, “in the river”, at Seal Harbor. Site selection was done in collaboration with community members and marine-dependent businesses. This site has more freshwater influence, and experiences reversing flows depending on river discharge and weather patterns. The Seal Harbor site has been online since May 2025. Go here for real-time and historical data.
Nod (Rockland Breakwater)
Our western-most site is just outside of the Rockland Breakwater. The location was chosen in collaboration with the Rockland Harbor Commission, Harbormaster, and Mid-Coast School of Technology Marine Tech students. Unlike our other two sites, this one is setup for physical parameters like waves and wind. The buoy has been online since January 2026. Real-time data are currently available, and historical data will be published soon.
Weather Stations
We also maintain a network of weather stations and LoRaWAN radio gateways in Rockland Harbor and on Hurricane Island. We measure wind, temperature, humidity, and air pressure, among other observed properties. You can find real-time weather data here. If you are interested in having your own sensors piggy-back on our long-range radio backhaul network, get in touch. One objective of the project is to lower the barrier to entry for new data providers, and help standardize data collection methods and quality control across small-scale network operators.