Meet Bob, the buoy federal researchers need help finding in the Gulf

Houston Public Media News 88.7 | By Julianna Washburn, Galveston County Bureau

Published January 14, 2026 at 1:07 PM MST

A small yellow buoy in the Gulf, nicknamed "Bob," monitors wave height, wind speed and temperature to provide real-time information to the recreational fishing and diving communities.

Federal researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are asking for the public's help in the search for their Sofar spotter buoy, which is lovingly named "Bob."

In a Facebook post on Monday, NOAA’sFlower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuarysaid Bob the buoy is floating away from where it’s normally stationed at theEast Flower Garden Bank, about 119 miles south of the Texas and Louisiana border.

Bob monitors wave height, wind speed and temperature to provide real-time information to the recreational fishing and diving communities. The data the buoy gathers also allows researchers to track ocean conditions in real time and help them better understand what is happening more than 100 miles offshore.

A small, yellow buoy, nicknamed "Bob" is normally stationed at the East Flower Garden Bank, just 119 miles south of the Texas and Louisiana border.

"All of the buoys within the sanctuary are attached to either the seafloor or a structure ... somewhere along the tether line broke. We cannot speculate the reason why and will assess the damage once the buoy is recovered," said Taylor Galaviz, the constituent engagement specialist and engagement coordinator for the sanctuary.

This isn't the first time Bob took a trip away from the tether.

After Hurricane Francine in September 2024, the buoy became dislodged from its station at East Flower Garden Bank. Conveniently, the research team was on a mission at the time and the buoy was close enough for a recovery.

This time, though, Galaviz said they do not have any missions planned to go to the sanctuary this month, which is why officials are asking for the public's help.

Staff hold "Bob" the buoy before its initial deployment in June 2023.

"As many can imagine, a trip over 100 miles offshore requires the appropriate crew, vessel and time. Additionally, the R/VManta, our site’s research vessel, is in the shipyard for maintenance," Galaviz wrote in an email toHouston Public Media.

According to the sanctuary's Facebook post, the buoy’s GPS beacon is still active and officials can track its movement through the Sofardashboard site. As of Wednesday afternoon, Galaviz said the buoy was tracking at about 130 miles off the coast of Louisiana and southeast ofRezak and Sidner Banks.

Galaviz asked that anyone who spots the buoy contactNOAA’sFlower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. According to the Facebook post, Bob should have a Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary sticker with an email address and phone number. The post also said that Bob may or may not have an attached tether.

“While we can’t speculate on the likelihood that someone from the public would collect the buoy out in the open Gulf, there are vessels and platforms that could be nearby, depending on the path the buoy takes,” Galaviz said. “We have contacts within the fishing community, the oil and gas sector, and other agencies with vessels in the Gulf that are keeping an eye on the buoy’s location in the event that it does come close to their vessel or platform and it can be retrieved. Eventually the buoy could reach a shoreline and we’d like for the public to know what to do if it does wash up.”