Rider on the Storm

Because we dare, Ken is safe from harm. The tempests of the sea. The surprise of a winter’s squall. His forecast is now clear.

Since 1966, Ken King has fished Placentia Bay for crab, cod and other species.

The bay is large, with unpredictable weather conditions, and Ken has been caught in sudden storms that very nearly killed him – that is, until the launch of SmartBay.

A partnership among the provincial and federal governments, industry and the Marine Institute of Memorial University, SmartBay provides real-time weather data for fishers, recreational boaters and shuttle tankers in the busy, environmentally-sensitive waters of Placentia Bay.

The data is collected by four oceanographic buoys that measure wind speed and direction, wave heights, air temperature and more, often picking up local anomalies that wouldn’t appear in regional forecasts.

“Many times, I’ve stayed off the water, based on what SmartBay told me,” he said. “Without it, I probably wouldn’t be here now.”