[TheForge] Way OT -- remote thermometer for river water

[Bruce Freeman]

I'm tapping the diverse knowledge of this group for a product I need.

I want to measure the temperature of the water in small rivers.  Purpose -
kayaking.  I could get right up to some of these and just stick a
thermometer in them, but in most cases it would be a lot more convenient to
drop a probe in from a bridge -- maybe 20' maximum distance.  But I can't
just drop a thermometer into the water and pull it out from 20' above and
get a reading -- the reading would change by the time I read it.

If they'd work, I could use a remote thermometer like this one --
http://www.harborfreight.com/non-contact-pocket-thermometer-93983.html  But
I don't know WHAT temperature I'd be measuring just pointing a device at a
river.

Any thoughts as to what might work well for such an application?  I'd need
accuracy within 2* or 3*F, nothing precision.

-- 
Bruce
NJ