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I was there as the assistant head of river kayak safety, and it was a historic moment. if you were watching, i was the kayaker wrestling the malfunctioning bouy

I was there as the assistant head of river kayak safety, and it was a historic moment. if you were watching, i was the kayaker wrestling the malfunctioning bouybot back into place under state street. why they couldn't use old fashioned bouys instead of ai bouys? beyond me. i've also accidentially fallen in the river a couple of times over the past two years, and i will confirm that the water is safe and getting colder every day this time of year.

Insanity 1y ago
Huh what is a bouybot? First time hearing about that.
- evbogue 1y ago
  https://i0.wp.com/www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/ctc-l-river-swim-15-e1758491103929.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&ssl=1 https://i0.wp.com/www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/... In this image from the Chicago Tribune you can see two of the bots. one is orange, the other yellow. they should have been in a straight line since they were being used to guide the swimmers down the course. i was told they position via gps and their gps just didn't work downtown.
  - Boltgolt 1y ago
    Also known as the "kiddy pool" that SpaceX slaps cameras and a starlink dish in on top of to record landings in the middle of the ocean
  - Rebelgecko 1y ago
    GPS can be fiddly when you're in a pit or surrounded by lots of tall things that block RF or make the signals bounce around. Clearly the event needed a local GPS augmentation signal :)
michaelt 1y ago
> i've also accidentially fallen in the river a couple of times over the past two years, and i will confirm that the water is safe I believe for open water swimming, the definition of 'safety' they're aiming for includes checking the water for human faeces and bacteria like e.coli. A one-in-250 chance of getting diarrhoea the next day is no problem for clumsy drunks, who'll just be glad to make it out - but for a health/fitness event it's undesirable.

Insanity 1y ago

Huh what is a bouybot? First time hearing about that.

evbogue 1y ago
https://i0.wp.com/www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/ctc-l-river-swim-15-e1758491103929.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&ssl=1 https://i0.wp.com/www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/... In this image from the Chicago Tribune you can see two of the bots. one is orange, the other yellow. they should have been in a straight line since they were being used to guide the swimmers down the course. i was told they position via gps and their gps just didn't work downtown.
- Boltgolt 1y ago
  Also known as the "kiddy pool" that SpaceX slaps cameras and a starlink dish in on top of to record landings in the middle of the ocean
- Rebelgecko 1y ago
  GPS can be fiddly when you're in a pit or surrounded by lots of tall things that block RF or make the signals bounce around. Clearly the event needed a local GPS augmentation signal :)

michaelt 1y ago

> i've also accidentially fallen in the river a couple of times over the past two years, and i will confirm that the water is safe I believe for open water swimming, the definition of 'safety' they're aiming for includes checking the water for human faeces and bacteria like e.coli. A one-in-250 chance of getting diarrhoea the next day is no problem for clumsy drunks, who'll just be glad to make it out - but for a health/fitness event it's undesirable.