Remote sensing reflectance information was validated using the automated using Garaba et al. (2011, doi:10.5194/osd-8-613-2011) meteorological and sunglint quality control method. A renewed colourimetric calculation technique (Wernand and van der Woerd, 2010, doi:10.2971/jeos.2010.10014s) based on the contemporary Forel-Ule Scale was then used to convert this remote sensing reflectance information into numerical values. The resulting Forel-Ule Index determined classifies sea water on a scale 1 (indigo-blue, oligotrophic) to 21 (cola brown, hypertrophic).