Nootka Buoy

When launching Nootka, the science team spools out exactly enough cable to keep the buoy floating where they need it. In this picture, the buoy's anchor is about to go in the water. Yellow floats help keep the mooring line vertical in the water; the twin tubes are remote-controlled "acoustic releases": they sever the line and release the buoy when it's time to recover the instruments (courtesy Dan Frye, WHOI)