Mote Marine Laboratory scientists deployed an underwater robot
nicknamed "Waldo" off Englewood to monitor the ongoing bloom of
red tide off Southwest Florida. The yellow, torpedo-shaped
autonomous underwater vehicle will head toward the edge of the
bloom to gather information on its shape, size and other
characteristics. The robot carries a BreveBuster - a Mote-
designed instrument that detects Florida red tide algae, Karenia
brevis. Waldo was deployed Friday on a boat several miles
offshore of Englewood. During the next two weeks, the robot is
programmed to move southward to an area offshore of Boca Grande
Pass and then head toward the last known edge of the bloom. Alan
Hails of Mote Marine with Waldo, an underwater robot monitoring
red tide this week along Gasparilla Island and elsewhere on the
Southwest Florida coastline. Mote wants to gain a better
understanding of red tide dynamics along with partners from the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Fish and
Wildlife Research Institute and the