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Launching the Wave Watch boater safety buoys for the 2025 season takes teamwork, timing and some help from our Friends who value this life-saving service enough to support it. Late last week, a team from the National Park Service, University of Wisconsin – Madison and Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore boarded a park service boat to deploy five solar-powered buoys. Buoys that are now providing real-time wave height, period and direction, as well as water temperature for key locations within the Lakeshore. Thankfully, the plan, the people and the weather came together for a successful mission; there’s more work to be done. You can help us to spread the word, raise awareness and support safe boating.
Watch the video to experience what it’s like to cover a hundred miles of Lake Superior water in a day, and set up the Wave Watch network to benefit thousands of boaters who love exploring the islands.
Transcript of the 2025 Wave Watch deployment video – click to view PDF
Below: additional photos from the deployment mission – click to enlarge
Navigating to the next Wave Watch buoy location – Josh Hodgdon photo
UW student Josh Hodgdon prepares to deploy a yellow flag attached to a Wave Watch buoy – Jon Okerstrom photo
A Wave Watch buoy in position to report real-time data – Jon Okerstrom photo
The freighter Algoma Buffalo at anchor among the islands with a common loon in the foreground – Josh Hodgdon photo
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore ranger pilots the vessel to five locations – Josh Hodgdon photo
NPS Supervisory Park Ranger Karl Carlson launches a Wave Watch buoy over the side of the Park Service boat – Jon Okerstrom photo
UW Student Josh Hodgdon drops weights that anchor a Wave Watch buoy to the lake bottom – Jon Okerstrom photo
Paddlers explore the mainland caves as we deploy a Wave Watch buoy – Josh Hodgdon photo
Friends of the Apostle Islands Executive Director Jeff Rennicke wants to thank the National Park Service, University of Wisconsin – Madison, project partners, individual donors and business sponsors for their support. Now in our second year, Friends encourages you to join us in supporting this vital service. Read more about this year’s Wave Watch deployment day and how you can help ensure that the program continues.



Video and photography by Jon Okerstrom. Jon is a Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore board member and digital and social media volunteer with a background in digital and television journalism, photography and graphic design.
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