Our Mission

ScooterCam provides real-time weather monitoring and captures the natural beauty of Lake Michigan's eastern shoreline. This site runs on cameras, sensors, cables, and a refusal to stop looking. Scootercam doesn’t predict the lake so much as witness it, repeatedly, until something interesting happens—which it always does, eventually.

On Sunsets

One of the things the lake does particularly well is end the day. Scootercam captures sunsets not as highlights or events, but as evidence — small variations in light, color, cloud, and atmosphere that never repeat. Over time, this has become an accidental collection: a virtual sunset museum assembled one evening at a time.

No two are the same. None are optimized. All of them happened.

The Technology

Scootercam combines multiple weather data sources with automated camera systems to provide accurate, real-time information about Lake Michigan conditions:

• Tempest Weather Stations - Professional-grade sensors for wind, temperature, pressure, and precipitation
• NOAA Integration - Marine forecasts and detailed weather predictions
• Reolink Camera Systems - Multiple views including PTZ and panoramic ultra-wide
• Raspberry Pi Controllers - Local processing and timelapse generation
• Automated Sunset Detection - AI-powered scoring system for optimal viewing conditions

Coverage Area

Scootercam is based in Allegan County, Michigan, and provides coverage for Allegan County's Lake Michigan shoreline. Weather data is hyperlocal, reflecting actual conditions at the beach.

Ten Years In (Unplanned)

Scootercam has been operating for nearly ten years. This was not intentional. It began as a way to look at the lake. Then it became routine. Then an obseccion. Time accumulated without instruction. The log exists to acknowledge that accumulation.

Our sunset archive preserves over 11 years of Lake Michigan sunsets, creating a unique historical record of atmospheric conditions and natural beauty along the eastern shoreline.

Weather Data Sources

We integrate multiple weather data sources for maximum accuracy:

• WeatherFlow Tempest - On-site weather station providing real-time conditions
• NOAA/NWS - Official forecasts and marine conditions
• Visual Crossing - Extended forecasts and historical data
• NDBC Buoys - Open-water wave heights and temperatures

Technical Details

ScooterCam runs on custom PHP code developed over 11 years, with zero reliance on WordPress or other content management systems. All weather processing, image handling, and timelapse generation happens locally on Raspberry Pi hardware before uploading to our web server.

System Architecture: Pi-based video compilation, automated upload via SFTP, responsive web design, WebP image optimization, mobile-first CSS, real-time API integration.

Contact

ScooterCam is operated by Scootercam Worldwide LLC. For questions, comments, or technical inquiries:

Email: rxaver@att.net
Updates: ScooterCam Blog