No, it is not just a new buoy anchored off Shark Rock Pier.
The yellow object floating in Algoa Bay is actually part of a state-of-the-art scientific research project between eNtsa Engineering and Nelson Mandela University’s Marine Robotics Unit (MRU).
The data collection buoy is planned to provide publicly accessible data while making a minimal impact on the environment.
Beachgoers have been able to spot the yellow research buoy anchored some distance off Shark Rock Pier.
Some of the information is geared towards measuring noise pollution in the Bay, migration patterns and movement of local sea life, currents, wave heights, tidal range, and to build up an overall indication of the Bay’s ocean health.
eNtsa director Andrew Young said the project was a locally designed and manufactured data collection buoy, providing a constant stream of information that had not been available before.
“A simple comparison would be the smart watch.
“Until you actually have the sensors in place, you have no idea of the data available and what it is going to tell you about your body.
“We expect to be learning through every step of this process.”
The project is in the early stages, and is currently fitted with temperature sensors, with more technology set for deployment as the research progresses.
Young said everything from the design of the buoy, installation of the sensors and the solar panels which powered the instrumentation, and even the chosen location of the mooring had been meticulously researched.
“We have done everything possible for a successful deployment, with a strong focus on utilising local resources, ingenuity and skills development,” he said.
“The sea is out of our control, so we simply have to be adaptable, and this will be part of the learning curve we face.”
The research initiative follows an agreement with the South African International Marine Institute (SAIMI), and has multiple goals both in terms of data collection and providing opportunities for masters students in a variety of disciplines.
“The instrumentation which will be contained within this buoy allows measuring of environmental conditions, and monitoring the marine ecosystem.
“The opportunities this platform creates for ongoing, detailed research will deepen our understanding of our environment.
“There are some 40-million people living along the Southern African coastline who rely on the ocean for their livelihood.
“Information about changes in that environment is a vital part of planning for the future,” Young said.
The launch of the research buoy is the first of three planned for data collection in the bay, and was through with assistance from RV Observer, a research vessel of the South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB).
The Herald
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