November 27, 2018. The longest-serving CARICOOS buoy in USVI waters, designated by the National Data Buoy Center as #41052, has been recovered so that new batteries and other updated instrument parts can be replaced. This buoy survived the fury of both hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. Used heavily by fishers, ferries, cruise ships, meteorologists and others, the St. John buoy as it is affectionately called, continues its important role in the US Integrated Ocean Observing System network. Coordinated by OCOVI, its recovery and redeployment are conducted by Lighthouse Marine. Battery replacement and the servicing of instrument will be conducted by the University of Maine under contract with CARICOOS, Inc. As it has when this buoy was first launched in April 2011, WICO, the West Indian Company, provides shoreline space for the operation, which will only take a few days.

CARICOOS St. John buoy #41052