Health •
Melbourne Surfers Now Defend Reefs With AI Buoys
By Syed John
Wave riders deploy cheap sensors that text storm warnings to Pacific islands.
Australian surfers used to chase swells; now they chase signal strength. A Melbourne collective built AI-powered buoys that monitor reef conditions and SMS warnings to Pacific islands. They tow them out during dawn patrol, surf, then retrieve logs over coffee.
It’s citizen science with saltwater hair. Governments appreciate the data but can't replicate the agility. The surfers treat it like a duty: if you ride waves, you protect the reefs that make them.
This mashup of sport, climate activism, and DIY hardware gives me hope. When locals defend ecosystems with the same spirit they bring to competitions, maybe the ocean stands a chance.