2011 Drifter Tracks
resolving transport pathways through New England's estuarine and continental shelf waters and beyond
updated every two hours[Note: No drifters funded as of yet in 2012]
GoogleMap of just this week's tracks.
GoogleMap of all 2011 tracks.
To see this week's tracks overlaid on other fields (sst, models, etc), go to the MARACOOS site and click on "Drifter" layer.
Description of the drifter construction and technology.
Blog about students deploying drifters with our MATE colleagues
See various drifter-project descriptions.
Drifter newsletters
Raw data of drifters underway
Raw statistics
Download tracks stored in historical database
Calculate and reserve a "deployment id"
Document a drifter deployment
Document a drifter recovery
Last year's webpage.To get PYTHON and/or MATLAB processing routines, email james.manning@noaa.gov for the latest versions.
Get the Flash Player to see this animation.
To see information on individual clusters, click the links in the following cronological table
Institution
(data)Deployer
(cruise report)Date Deployed
(animation)Dropsite
(observed track)#units Science
(FVCOM forecast snapshot)Status
(customized googlemap)Fate
(photo)SMCC Long/Tarbox 18 Nov 2010 off Casco Bay 2 educational done Rachel came ashore at Cape Elizabeth while Eddie traveled to the the Grand Banks, lasted 8-9 months College of the Redwoods Grantham 11 Apr 2011 California 1 educational done landed on Bodega Bay Rocks 25 Apr Southern Maine CC Long/Tarbox 19 Apr 2011 off Casco Bay 1 HABs done stalled near Isle of Shoals and then evidently crash landed near Cape Ann during Northeaster on 10 May Mass Marine Educators Reynolds/Zephyr 30 Apr 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done stalled in Edgartowm Harbor, entrained in Muskget Channel, south of Vineyard, died off NJ months later Monteray Peninsula College Hochstaeder 01 May 2011 California 1 educational done made it to Mexican waters before apparently going down in a storm on 26 May NOAA Orono USCG/Music 10 May 2011 off Pen Bay 6 Salmon done quick to SW, two failed after a few days, one recovered 5/31 on Cape Cod, Greater New Bedford Tech HS Reynolds/Zephyr 12 May 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done around the Vineyard, into Block Island Sound, washed up on Moonstone Beach, picked up with the tide, landed on East Beach and picked up by Anna (URI grad student) on 29 May NOAA Orono USF&W/Music 19 May 2011 Downeast 5 Salmon done quick to SW, two ashore in early June, last died in mid-July off Cape Cod UNH Goldstein 22 May 2011 off NH 1 HABs done initially northeastward, into the coastal current, and died in NE Channel in mid-July Pope John Paul II HS Reynolds/Zephyr 24 May 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done oscillated off Falmouth beaches for a few days, through the hole to Buzzards Bay, landed on Chapaquoit Beach on 29 May, picked up by Rob Reynolds WHOI D.Fratantoni/Woods/Auk 25 May 2011 outer Cape Cod 1 Whale acoustics done headed SE towards Georges Bank and apparently went down near NE Seamounts during Hurrican Katia in early September UNE Tilburg 01 Jun 2011 Downeast 5 Mussels done two headed down coastal current and three retained near deployment site (2 ashore on 12 June) Science and Discovery HS Reynolds/Zephyr 03 Jun 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done headed SW down Vineyard Sound, Block Island Sound, smashed into the Pt Judith breakwater on 20 June and lost among the rocks South Shore Vo-Tech HS Reynolds/Zephyr 14 Jun 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done nearly came ashore on the Vineyard, oscillated through dozens of tides, died offshore in late October after nearly 3K kits Mass DMF Weber/Glenn 22 Jun 2011 Mass Bay 2 Lobsters/LNG done washed up in Rockport within one day National Small School Conference Reynolds/Zephyr 22 Jun 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done washed up on Nashon Island within one day and recovered by local fishermen, Tuck Hiyashi and Jim Hynes, on 26 June Mass DMF Weber/Glenn 26 Jun 2011 Mass Bay 4 Lobsters/LNG done caught in gyre and then headed to Georges Bank UNE Tilburg 28 Jun 2011 Downeast 8 Mussels done 2 died, 2 ashore (one found by the Knapick family while kayaking), 4 in coastal current Mass DMF Weber/Glenn 28 Jun 2011 Mass Bay 2 Lobsters/LNG done headed east offshore, one brought to Nova Scotia where transmitter was sent back and the other died in late Aug on Southern Flank of Georges Mass DMF Weber/Glenn 29 Jun 2011 Mass Bay 1 Lobsters/LNG done drogued unit, initially northeast, got caught in coastal current, died on Georges Bank 7/31 GOMLF Tuck Hiyashi 04 Jul 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 model validation done recovered by Rob Reynolds 9 July on Naushon Bowdoin Loucks/Laine 6 Jul 2011 Harpswell Sound 6 Hypoxia done most afloat for more than a day Bowdoin Loucks/Laine 8 Jul 2011 Harpswell Sound 3 Hypoxia done 2 ashore less than a day Children School of Science Reynolds/Zephyr 13 Jul 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 model validation done quick 3-tide exit to the south off Cuttyhunk, washed up on Horseneck Beach Campground Beach on 22 July, held in maintenance garage by Mike, and picked up by Steve Wilcox (MA-DMF) Bowdoin Loucks/Laine 13 Jul 2011 Harpswell Sound 3 Hypoxia done most ashore within 24 hours UNH Salisbury/Mannino 14 Jul 2011 Chesapeake Bay 1 OA done recovered several hours later after some southward flow ~30 cm/s UNH Salisbury/Mannino 15 Jul 2011 Chesapeake Bay 1 OA done upstream Patuxent River mouth UNH Salisbury/Mannino 18 Jul 2011 Chesapeake Bay 1 OA done turned with tide? and headed south ... GLERL McCormick 18 Jul 2011 Lake Michigan 6 dispersion study done one day trip southward Mass DMF Glenn 20 Jul 2011 Mass Bay 5 Lobsters/LNG done headed to P-town, most failed within days, drogue recovered 22 Aug off Eastham SEA Jaroslow 25 Jul 2011 shelf edge 1 Plastics done rode shelfbreak jet to Hudson Shelf Valley, exited offshore, and quit in late October Children School of Science Reynolds/Zephyr 27 Jul 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 model validation done retained for weeks until Irene washed it on the Narragansett RI rocks on 28 Aug where it was recovered by Anna Pfeiffer-Hebert at GSO... GLERL Fahnenstiel/McCormick 27 Jul 2011 Lake Erie 2 HABs done one recovered by mariner and the other died in mid-November just beyond Long Point WHOI Rypina/Limeburner 1 Aug 2011 SNE shelf 1 small scale eddies done quick to SW OceanQuest Mullin 11 Aug 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done came ashore near Quicks Hole 3 days later and recovered by Tommy Vose UNC/NOAA Mansfield/Putnam 13 Aug 2011 Gulf of Mexico 4 turtles done 1 failed after a few weeks, 1 grounded on the east coast of Florida (south of Melborne) on 7 Nov, two headed south into the gulf and apparently ran out of battery in late November Bourne Community Boating Reynolds/Milliken 17 Aug 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done came ashore the next day near Tarpolin Cove and recovered by Rob Reynolds on 19 Aug Bourne Community Boating Reynolds 19 Aug 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done redeployed by Rob Reynolds, came ashore the day before Irene between Lackey and Tarpolin Cove, and recovered by Naushon resident Rob Bessler who brought the transmitter to WH UNE Tilburg 23 Aug 2011 Downeast 7 Mussels done Jordan Basin cycles, two ashore in late October GLERL Fahnenstiel/McCormick 23 Aug 2011 Lake Erie 2 HABs done both apparently picked up by unknown island mariners, the 2nd in late October Milton Academy Reynolds 10 Sep 2011 Vineyard Sound 1 educational done almost grounded on first tide, did apparently ground for several hours on 15 Sept, went silent on 18 Sept. when it apparently lost its ballast, righted by a fishermen a few weeks later, washed up on Barney's Joy Beach in Dartmouth MA, and recovered. UNH-CMB Goldstein/Watson 16 Sep 2011 Great Bay NH 2 lobsters done came ashore right away UNH-CMB Goldstein/Watson 19 Sep 2011 Great Bay NH 2 lobsters done under Rt 4 and back UNH-CMB Goldstein/Watson 21 Sep 2011 Great Bay NH 2 lobsters done longest trip UNH-CMB Goldstein/Watson 30 Sep 2011 Great Bay NH 1 lobsters done one moved out of the bay and came back in CFCC Shaw 27 Sep 2011 Gulf Stream 1 educational done rode the Gulf Stream, turned south to just east of Bermuda, and died in mid-January URI/GSO Kincaid/Pfeiffer 28 Sep 2011 Block Island Sound 6 shelf processes underway two ashore, one to shelfedge, three past NE Seamounts UNH-CMB Goldstein/Watson 10 Oct 2011 Great Bay NH 2 lobsters done ashore next morning for a short time and then in and out a few times CFCC Shaw 12 Oct 2011 Gulf Stream 1 educational underway rode the Gulf Stream fast and ... URI/GSO Kincaid/Pfeiffer 12 Oct 2011 Block Island Sound 6 shelf processes underway all blown east 14-16 Oct, four washed up on the Vineyard (recovered by Keston Smith and Sidney Morris), one circumnavigated the Vineyard and reentered coastal current with the last UMASS-B Gardner 24 Oct 2011 Gulf of Mexico 1 instrument test done headed west and landed on National Seashore outside Pensacola on 27 Nov UMASS-B Gardner 25 Oct 2011 Gulf of Mexico 3 instrument test done one headed west and landed on National Seashore outside Pensacola on 27 Nov, two headed into deep gulf near DH well site SMCC Long/Tarbox 27 Oct 2011 Casco Bay 1 educational done headed south quickly in the Halloween Weekend Northeaster and died mid-gulf in early December Penn State Broughton 3 Nov 2011 Lake Erie 1 educational done header north, jogged east, landed on shore before going over Niagra Falls in late December... Maine Maritime Academy Sahl 7 Nov 2011 Penobscot Bay 1 educational done ashore on west side of Sears Island at 1400Z 9 Nov Maine Maritime Academy Sahl 10 Nov 2011 Penobscot Bay 1 educational done ashore on small island in middle of Isleboro's Ames Cove at ~2200GMT on 12 Nov, recovered by Pennelton Yacht Club mooring crew, called in by Jayne Barrett SMCC Long/Tarbox 10 Nov 2011 Casco Bay 1 educational underway NE Peak of Georges Bank in January and ... NOAA/NEFSC Richardson/Prezioso 13 Nov 2011 Georges Bank 3 Herring Larvae underway stalled a week, accelerated, entrained in ring, one died 31 Dec, ... URI/GSO Kincaid/Pfeiffer 18 Nov 2011 Narr Bay 1 shelf processes done came ashore on Narragansett Pier Beach several hours later, recovered by Jon Hare without transmitter while transmmitter reported from Pattaquamscutt Lake Shore neighborhood (2nd house on left on Meadowvue Rd) URI/GSO Kincaid/Pfeiffer 20 Nov 2011 Narr Bay 2 shelf processes too short came ashore on Bonnet Shores hours later UMaine Machias Terner/Johnson 21 Nov 2011 Downeast 1 educational done came ashore on small island east of Bucks Harbor on first tide College of the Redwoods Grantham 2 Dec 2011 California 1 educational done went dead 21 Dec after oscillating a few times south and north
To see more detailed information on individual drifters, click on the links in the following table ordered by deployment location
Launch Location
Date Deployed
(animation)Deployer
(observed track
forecast dashed)
ID#
(Speed)
Drogue Depth
in meters
(google kml)Color
(temperature)
Fate
California Current 11 April 2011 CRM 114391231 1 ESN 331431 hit Bodega Bay rocks 16 days later, watched by Bodega Bay Marine Lab folks 1 May 2011 MPC 115361221 1 ESN 333119 Gulf of Maine Coastal Current 18 Nov 2010 SMCC 100430702 1 ESN 333231 Eddie retained on Grand Banks 14 Apr 2011 SMCC 114430701 1 ESN 319203 Eddie stalled near Isle of Shoals and then evidently crash landed near Cape Ann during Northeaster on 10 May 10 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115430681 1 ESN 318415 Rachel failed after a few days 10 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115430682 1 ESN 3368741 Rachel recovered by my life guarding nephew on 31 May in Wellfleet 10 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115430683 1 ESN 330101 Rachel 10 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115430684 1 ESN 333664 Rachel quickest advection yet 10 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115430685 1 ESN 3327371 Rachel failed after about a week 10 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115430686 1 ESN 333627 Rachel 19 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115440671 1 ESN 311422 Rachel 19 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115440672 1 ESN 327182 Rachel apparently crashed on the rocks near the north end of Cushing Island in Casco Bay on 31 May 19 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115440673 1 ESN 322052 Rachel miss fired a few times and loss GPS on 1 June near Monhegan Island, recovered again, hungup on fixed gear on about 1 June, recovered by Spencer Dyer of Round Pond on 15 June, ME, and scheduled to be picked up by Paul Music 19 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115440674 1 ESN 358623 Rachel landed near Boothbay on 1 June 19 May 2011 NOAA Salmon 115440675 1 ESN 359561 Rachel 23 May 2011 UNH lobsters 115430701 1 ESN 327604 Rachel 25 May 2011 WHOI whales 115420691 1 ESN 329690 Eddie Good time on Georges Bank, ... 1 Jun 2011 UNE 116440671 1 ESN 333828 landed on Beals Island (Downeast) on 12 Jun 1 Jun 2011 UNE 116440672 1 ESN 329872 1 Jun 2011 UNE 116440673 1 ESN 330491 1 Jun 2011 UNE 116440674 5 ESN 318338 landed on Criehaven Island on 12 June, stopped transmitting, recovered without drogue by Clayton Philbrook of Matinicus, and ... 1 Jun 2011 UNE 116440675 1 ESN 330490 troubled start with episodic transmissions but later improved 28 Jun 2011 UNE 117440671 1 ESN 325100 28 Jun 2011 UNE 117440672 1 ESN 322188 28 Jun 2011 UNE 117440673 1 ESN 322574 apparently washed up on Cross Island the next day 28 Jun 2011 UNE 117440674 1 ESN 330492 28 Jun 2011 UNE 117440675 1 ESN 363933 nearly washed up on Cross Island the next day 28 Jun 2011 UNE 117440676 1 ESN 332200 hung up on fixed gear on 1 July south of Great Spruce Island, recovered by Gary Knapick and kids in a kayak, sent to Dr. Sahl at MMA, and ... 28 Jun 2011 UNE 117440677 1 ESN 359108 28 Jun 2011 UNE 117440678 1 ESN 368889 apparently failed after one tide 23 Aug 2011 UNE 118440671 1 ESN 909656 Apparently washed ashore on Campabella Island by Irene and then brought to mainland by ... 23 Aug 2011 UNE 118440672 1 ESN 909844 ashore missing drogue in Al Carver's pound SE side of Beals Island on 23 Oct 23 Aug 2011 UNE 118440673 1 ESN 910536 Apparently washed ashore by Irene just south of Cutler 23 Aug 2011 UNE 118440674 1 ESN 910539 Apparently washed ashore by Irene in Hamilton Cove northeast of Cutler 23 Aug 2011 UNE 118440675 1 ESN 910572 Entered Cobscock Bay, exited, went as far north as the Wolves, returned to deployment site, and ... 23 Aug 2011 UNE 118440676 1 ESN 911537 23 Aug 2011 UNE 118440677 1 ESN 917884 ashore on remote section of the east side of Digby Neck's Long Island on 24 Oct (decommissioned) 23 Aug 2011 UNE 118440678 1 ESN 916866 Mass Bay 22 Jun 2011 Mass-DMF01 116420701 1 ESN 363634 Rachel washed up in Rockport within one day Mass-DMF02 116420702 1 ESN 322216 Rachel washed up in Rockport within one day 26 Jun 2011 Mass-DMF03 116420703 1 ESN 329609 Rachel two trips around Mass Bay gyre and died east of Cape Cod on 10 July 26 Jun 2011 Mass-DMF04 116420704 1 ESN 322943 Rachel two trips around Mass Bay gyre and on to Georges Bank 26 Jun 2011 Mass-DMF05 116420705 1 ESN 333796 Rachel Intermittent but made it to Georges Bank 26 Jun 2011 Mass-DMF06 116420706 1 ESN 327715 Rachel 1.5 trips around Georges Bank and started failing in late September 28 Jun 2011 Mass-DMF07 116420707 1 ESN 363634 Rachel Georges Bank 28 Jun 2011 Mass-DMF08 116420708 1 ESN 322216 Rachel Georges Bank, NE Channel, brought into Lower West Pubnico, Nova Scotia on 7 August by unknown fishermen so we called our man David Surette who went down to the ship, recovered it, and will mail transmitter. 29 Jun 2011 Mass-DMF09 116420709 1 ESN 322922 drogued started to fail in late July on Georges Bank 20 Jul 2011 Mass-DMF10 1174207010 1 ESN 311148 quit transmitting 19:13 21 July (one day after deployment) off Plymouth Harbor 20 Jul 2011 Mass-DMF11 1174207011 1 ESN 319050 quit transmitting 00:00 22 July 1.5 days after deployment off Plymouth Harbor 20 Jul 2011 Mass-DMF12 1174207012 1 ESN 321896 quit transmitting 23 July on backside of Cape Cod 20 Jul 2011 Mass-DMF13 1174207013 1 ESN 324907 retained near Plymouth, possibly hungup on 26 July, released, recovered by Jim McGrath off Eastham on 22 Aug, left at the Dawson Farber harber master's office, picked up by Carrie Rushby, returned to Falmouth 20 Jul 2011 Mass-DMF14 1174207014 1 ESN 358390 quit transmitting 22 July nearing P-town Martha's Vineyard Sound 30 April 2011 MME 114410701 1 ESN 329434 stalled near Edgartown Harbor and then headed for New York 10 May 2011 GNBT High School 115410701 1 ESN 321764 3/4 around Vineyard, Block Island Sound, washed up on Moonstone Nude Beach on 26 May, lifted with the tide, and found by meganreneewalker@gmail.com a few days later who provided a photo of it after being smashed by the surf 24 May 2011 Pope John Paul II High School 115410702 1 ESN 330489 Eddie w/bucket flotation oscillated in the sound for a few days, exited through the hole to Buzzards Bay, and recovered by Rob Reynolds on Chapaquoit Beach on 29 May. 3 Jun 2011 Science and Discovery High School (Chester, PA) 116410701 1 ESN 322385 Eddie w/bucket flotation oscillated in the sound for a few days, exited east of Cuttyhunk, headed to RI, smashed into PJ breakwater and lost between the rocks 14 Jun 2011 South Shore Vo-Tech High School 116410702 1 ESN 318833 Eddie w/1 by 4 platform nearly came ashore on the Vineyard but then ... 22 Jun 2011 National Small Schools Conf 116410703 1 ESN 316167 Eddie w/2 by 4 platform ashore the next tide and recovered by fisherman Tuck Hiyashi on 26 June 5 Jul 2011 Tuck Hiyashi 117410701 1 ESN 316167 Eddie w/2 by 4 platform deployed by fisherman Tuck Hiyashi on 5 July 13 Jul 2011 Children School of Science 117410702 1 ESN 316167 Eddie w/2 by 4 platform headed down the sound and ended up on Horseneck Beach Campground Bearch on 22 July 27 Jul 2011 Children School of Science 117410703 1 ESN 319484 retained for weeks, finally got into Buzzards Bay, ... 11 Aug 2011 OceanQuest 118410702 1 ESN 361007 came ashore on 14 Aug near Quicks Hole and recovered by Tommy Vose 17 Aug 2011 Bourne Community Boating 118410703 1 ESN 361007 came ashore hours later near Robinsons Hole and recovered by Rob Reynolds 19 Aug 2011 Bourne Community Boating 118410704 1 ESN 361007 redeployed by Rob Reynolds, oscillated for X days, and ended up in RI rocks during Irene, recovered by Anna at GSO 10 Sep 2011 Milton Academy 119410701 1 ESN 322444 almost ground on Naushon on first tide, did apparently ground for several hours on 15 Sept, and then went silent on 18 Sept Casco Bay 7 July 2011 Bowdoin 117430691 1 ESN 318715 came ashore about 5am GMT on 7/7 7 July 2011 Bowdoin 117430692 1 ESN 326967 entered Beals Cove on 8 July 7 July 2011 Bowdoin 117430693 1 ESN 327086 entered Long Reach on 8 July 7 July 2011 Bowdoin 117430694 1 ESN 327183 ashore at Bonds Pt on 8 July 7 July 2011 Bowdoin 117430695 1 ESN 330845 almost exited sound on 8 July 7 July 2011 Bowdoin 117430696 1 ESN 366721 intermittent transmissions, ashore at Doughty Point on 8 July 8 July 2011 Bowdoin 117430697 1 ESN ? 8 July 2011 Bowdoin 117430698 1 ESN ? 8 July 2011 Bowdoin 117430699 1 ESN 326967 13 July 2011 Bowdoin 1174306910 1 ESN 318715 13 July 2011 Bowdoin 1174306911 1 ESN 318715 13 July 2011 Bowdoin 1174306912 1 ESN 326967 13 July 2011 Bowdoin 1174306913 1 ESN 327086 13 July 2011 Bowdoin 1174306914 1 ESN 327183 ashore on 14 July at 1200GMT 13 July 2011 Bowdoin 1174306915 1 ESN 330845 ashore on 14 July at 1200GMT Chesapeake Bay 14 July 2011 Bowdoin 117390761 1 ESN 322634 southward 30 cm/s 15 July 2011 Bowdoin 117380761 1 ESN 322634 upriver 18 July 2011 Bowdoin 117380762 1 ESN 322634 turned with tide? SNE shelf edge 25 July 2011 SEA 117400701 1 ESN 329831 Shelf/slope front jet? Lake Michigan 18 July 2011 GLERL 117430861 1 ESN 323109 Short deployment with southward flow for one day Lake Erie 27 July 2011 GLERL 117410831 1 ESN 325690 Recovered by unknown mariner on 7 Aug 27 July 2011 GLERL 117410832 1 ESN 327194 Eastward advection .... 23 Aug 2011 GLERL 118410831 1 ESN 328823 23 Aug 2011 GLERL 118410832 1 ESN 329423
Note: Most units were made by marine science students at the Southern Maine Community College. While most are standard "surface drifters" marking only the top 1-meter of the water column, some units have 6m by 0.6m subsurface drogues centered at 15m below the surface. For details, call 508-495-2211 or email james.manning@noaa.gov.
