Wave Watch buoys are LIVE for the 2026 season

Wave Watch buoy on a mirror calm lake with cloud reflections - Jeff Rennicke photo

May 20, 2026

Ice may still be clinging to some of the cliffs of the northernmost islands, but boating season 2026 has officially begun. On Wednesday, May 20th, Friends of the Apostle Islands joined the National Park Service and representatives of the University of Wisconsin-Madison to splash the Wave Watch buoys for the new boating season.

ice hangs over sea cave opening - Jeff Rennicke photo
Detail of ice on sea cave wall - Jeff Rennicke photo
Ice clings to sandstone cliff on Devils Island - Jeff Rennicke photo

Ice on Devils Island cliffs – Jeff Rennicke photos

Five solar-powered spotting buoys were deployed at strategic boating locations throughout the Lakeshore and are already transmitting data to the Wave Watch real-time data page. From now until fall, these buoys will measure wave height, direction, period, and water temperature every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week putting vital information in the hands of boaters when they need it most.

Josh Anderson and Karl Carlson on board - Jeff Rennicke photo

Josh Anderson and Karl Carlson on the deployment mission – Jeff Rennicke photo

“These buoys are your eyes on the water,” says Friends Executive Director Jeff Rennicke who participated in the deployment. “With over 33,000 hits on Wave Watch data pages last season, it is clear that they have become an integral part of boater safety in the Apostle Islands.”

Wave Watch buoy on the rail - Jeff Rennicke photo
Close up of buoy with island in the distance - Jeff Rennicke photo

This year’s deployment team included Dr. Chin Wu, founder of Wave Watch, which began in 2021 as the WISC Watch program.

Dr. Chin Wu, Wave Watch founder - Jeff Rennicke photo

Dr. Chin Wu, Wave Watch founder – Jeff Rennicke photo

“Wave conditions are generally most sheltered near the mainland (where boaters launch) and increase in intensity toward the open waters of Lake Superior, which may cause boaters to underestimate wave conditions,” Dr. Chin said.
“The history of boating accidents in the islands is an unpleasant reminder of the potential dangers. Our goal with the buoys is to improve boater awareness and safety, by providing access to real-time wave and water temperature conditions around the Apostle Islands.”

2026 Wave Watch buoy locations

2026 Wave Watch buoy locations

Wave Watch cling QR Code

“The 2026 season is off to a smooth start,” said Dr. Josh Anderson, also with the University of Wisconsin. “The waves were calm, all our systems for deployment worked smoothly, and the buoys are in place transmitting data and keeping boaters safe. What more can you ask for?”

Friends of the Apostle Islands urges boaters to use the Wave Watch data before heading out into the islands. Free QR code stickers and clings are available to all boaters.

Wave Watch QR Code

Thank you to the National Park Service for their support of this project. We would also like to thank our growing list of Wave Watch sponsors and urge all who care about boater safety in the Apostle Islands to support this important program. When making your donation, simply choose Wave Watch on our online form. And thank you for your investment in safer boating the Apostle Islands. 

Let the 2026 boating season begin.

Wave Watch Sponsor logos

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