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Two Yellow Buoys is now an award-winning Twitter feed

July 20th, 2017 by

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s two Lake Michigan real-time monitoring buoys know that they’re popular. And if you follow the Twitter account, @TwoYellowBuoys, they’ll tell you so.

Part of this popularity may be because the buoys are festive. In addition to decking themselves out for holidays.

 

4th of July

#PrinceDay

 

Alternatives to Easter egg hunts.

 

Or maybe it’s because the buoys are clearly in love with science so they share interesting data patterns.

 

 

Here they introduce themselves to Bill Nye, the Science Guy.

 

The buoys’ hard work informing people about conditions in southern Lake Michigan was recognized with an APEX Award of Excellence for Social Media – Sites. This is the second IISG project to win a 2017 APEX Award. The buoys are proud to work alongside their Sea Grant colleagues, serving the people who live and recreate in southern Lake Michigan.

*The buoys would like to thank IISG Assistant Research Coordinator Carolyn Foley for managing their Twitter account. They also blame Carolyn for any mistakes made, because they’re buoys. It’s difficult to Tweet when you don’t have arms.

If you love the buoys, let them know!

Buoy lovers donate to keep life-saving weather data afloat

July 5th, 2017 by

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) is proud to support two real-time monitoring buoys in southern Lake Michigan, one located just north of Michigan City, Indiana and the other near Wilmette Harbor, Illinois. Recently, users have started pitching in with donations to help keep the buoys afloat.

The buoy program started when a Purdue researcher pointed out that there were no real-time data being collected in Lake Michigan’s Indiana waters. A few years later, concerned citizens and sailors pointed to a similar need for the Illinois shoreline. Now, the two IISG buoys are filling information gaps for anglers, sailors, swimmers, and weather professionals who are interested in this part of the lake.

Over the years, buoy users have made phone calls, emails, and interactions through Twitter and Facebook to share that the buoys are valued and needed. We at Sea Grant have enjoyed hearing how our fans use buoy information. All told, lake enthusiasts are checking our real-time buoy data nearly 30,000 times per year!

Putting a buoy in the water, year after year, requires many things to happen. Weather conditions, equipment, people, and technical services have to come together perfectly to keep the buoys operational. This program would be impossible without sufficient funding.

Sea Grant’s buoy managers, Carolyn Foley and Jay Beugly, try to support the buoys with grants, but those funds can be hard to come by. When the unexpected happens, like a power-generating solar panel comes loose, or it takes three trips to remove a hook found tangled in wires at a depth of 30 feet, we burn through our funds pretty quickly.

IISG is constantly on the lookout for partnerships to help keep the buoys afloat, but you can also make a donation. The funds raised will go directly toward the buoy program, supporting data charges, travel costs, repairs, and upgrades. Already, folks are stepping up and donating to keep the buoys operational.

We love providing the buoy data as a service to everyone and helping families stay safe during these summer days. Please join your fellow buoy fans and consider donating today!​

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue University Extension.

The World Series of Buoy Data: An island of activity amidst a lake of statistics

October 28th, 2016 by

The Chicago Cubs versus the Cleveland Guardians isn’t the only Great Lakes World Series happening this October!

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s Wilmette buoy (45174) has been pitted against the City of Cleveland’s Cleveland Crib buoy (45176) in the World Series of Buoy Data. The match-up is playing out on Twitter. It’s a best of seven series and will last up to seven days. Questions are posted in the morning and answers are posted in the afternoon. After three days of competition, Wilmette is in the lead 2-1, winning both the highest wave and strongest wind gust recorded between July 1 and October 24 of this year. Cleveland saw the warmest water temperature.

See the rest of the series play out on Twitter by following @TwoYellowBuoys, and let us know who you’re rooting for in this best of seven series!

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.

IISG Instagram

Don`t miss out on the latest edition of our "Making Waves in Education" newsletter! Reserve your spot for a live, Students Ask Scientists call from Lake Superior, and stay updated on upcoming in-person events to learn and network with fellow educators. Perfect for Illinois and Indiana educators passionate about the Great Lakes and environmental education.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17951156597972005
Don't miss out on the latest edition of our "Making Waves in Education" newsletter! Reserve your spot for a live, Students Ask Scientists call from Lake Superior, and stay updated on upcoming in-person events to learn and network with fellow educators. Perfect for Illinois and Indiana educators passionate about the Great Lakes and environmental education.

Join us on June 6-7 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to explore aquaculture business management at the NCRAC Aquaculture Business Short Course! Presented by Sea Grant & @purdueextension, this course provides essential skills for effective farm finance management. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your expertise in aquaculture!

Important Info:
-Hands-on training to help aquaculture producers manage their farm finances
-Includes one-on-one expert time + free $120 textbook
-Instructors from Purdue, Mississippi State, and University of Maryland
-Laptop + farm financials required for participation
-Limited seating – first come, first served!

More info at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18046039451526560
Join us on June 6-7 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to explore aquaculture business management at the NCRAC Aquaculture Business Short Course! Presented by Sea Grant & @purdueextension, this course provides essential skills for effective farm finance management. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your expertise in aquaculture!Important Info:-Hands-on training to help aquaculture producers manage their farm finances-Includes one-on-one expert time + free $120 textbook-Instructors from Purdue, Mississippi State, and University of Maryland-Laptop + farm financials required for participation-Limited seating – first come, first served!More info at the link in bio.

May is National Water Safety Month—and Lake Michigan deserves your attention. Its waves may look calm, but dangerous currents and sudden drop-offs make it the most hazardous Great Lake for drownings.

This May, we’re encouraging everyone to take a moment to get informed. Check out our brochures, safety tips, and the new Lake Michigan water safety video before heading out to the beach or boat.

Full story at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17847887121478092
May is National Water Safety Month—and Lake Michigan deserves your attention. Its waves may look calm, but dangerous currents and sudden drop-offs make it the most hazardous Great Lake for drownings.This May, we’re encouraging everyone to take a moment to get informed. Check out our brochures, safety tips, and the new Lake Michigan water safety video before heading out to the beach or boat.Full story at the link in bio.

Join the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative for an exciting webinar featuring educator and author Rick Reynolds. Rick will demonstrate how to engage grade 2-12 students using the newly developed science curriculum "Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems". Rick will share STEAM activities, including scientific investigations and simulations. Participants will also gain the tools and confidence to participate in the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative’s crayfish study- supporting ongoing research and conservation efforts.

Register for the webinar at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18100015732548817
Join the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative for an exciting webinar featuring educator and author Rick Reynolds. Rick will demonstrate how to engage grade 2-12 students using the newly developed science curriculum "Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems". Rick will share STEAM activities, including scientific investigations and simulations. Participants will also gain the tools and confidence to participate in the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative’s crayfish study- supporting ongoing research and conservation efforts. Register for the webinar at the link in bio.
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