Abstract: Example embodiments provide a cable measuring apparatus and method comprising a cable and a fairing system. The cable may be configured to be connected at opposite ends in a marine environment, wherein one connection provides a stabilizing force in order to allow the cable to form a catenary in response to the stabilizing force interacting with currents in the marine environment. The fairing system may be connected to the cable about its length, the fairing system comprising a plurality of fairing units, at least one of the plurality of fairing units being an instrumented replacement fairing unit. The instrumented replacement fairing unit may be configured to record measurements of at least the catenary when subjected to the stabilizing force.