PacIOOS Wave Buoy 146: Kaumalapau, Lanai, Hawaii

Wave buoy 146 measures wave height, wave direction, wave period, and water temperature in the vicinity of Kaumalapau Harbor on the leeward (western) coast of Lanai in the State of Hawaii. Data are transmitted every half hour. Moored in water 201 meters deep, this Datawell Directional Waverider Mark III (DWR-MkIII) buoy is equipped with three accelerometers measuring north/south, east/west, and vertical displacements, allowing it to measure both wave direction and wave energy. The temperature sensor is located at the base of the 0.9 meter spherical buoy, approximately 45 cm or 18 inches below the ocean surface. Wave buoys are useful tools for forecasting local waves and are used by recreational and professional ocean users alike. For recent wave observations at a nearby location, please visit the Lanai Southwest wave buoy (cdip239). Because this historical Kaumalapau buoy location experienced significant damage during vessel strikes, it was decommissioned and later replaced by the Lanai Southwest wave buoy in a less frequented area to help avoid future collisions.