A buoy will collect vital data on wind and wave conditions to help determine whether ferry service to Coney Island is viable. by Olivia Seaman, Brooklyn Paper After years of stalled plans and scrapped projects, the Coney Island ferry effort is moving forward once again - this time with a research buoy off Steeplechase Pier. The buoy will collect vital data on wind and wave conditions, and is part of an effort to determine whether ferry service to Coney Island can finally become attainable.