Greaterfireisland.com contributor Captain Michael Patrick is once again finding interesting news around Fire Island.

Patrick took these photos of an offshore, solar-powered buoy that had washed up on the beach just east of Sunken Forest.

The light is broken, but the solar panel is still attached, he said.

Also, the chamber is intact so the buoy can probably be re-floated and returned to its prior location.

According the markings, it looks to be an exclusion or keep-out buoy, designed to keep boats and ships away from a particular area.

Editor’s Note: After this story was published one reader indicated the buoy has been on the beach since spring, but recently floated west from an area between Cherry Grove and Sailors Haven.

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