National Park Service advances plans to relocate Chequamegon Point Light Tower
(Apostle Islands National Lakeshore News Release) BAYFIELD, Wis. — Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has awarded a...
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 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 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.”
This year’s deployment team included Dr. Chin Wu, founder of Wave Watch, which began in 2021 as the WISC Watch program.
“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.”
“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.
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