Buoy based marine seismic survey system and method

A seismic survey system for recording seismic data underwater in the presence of underwater currents. The system includes first plural buoys configured to descend in water at a predetermined depth (H1) and each having a seismic receiver for recording the seismic data; a first vessel configured to launch the first plural buoys along a first line; and a second vessel configured to recover the first plural buoys at a second line, wherein there is a predetermined distance between the first and second lines. The first plural buoys are configured to travel underwater, at substantially the first predetermined depth (H1), from the first line to the second line, due exclusively to the underwater currents.