Red on the Right when Returning

[Capt Cefus]

For many new boat owner/operators, learning the navigational aids system can seem overwhelming, but the 'basics' are pretty simple.  And one of the first things you'll want to learn is how to safely navigate a channel.   Whether you are boating on a bay, a river, or just trying to find the correct way into a marina, the Red and Green markers will mark the highway you need to stay on that will keep you from running aground or hitting an underwater obstruction. 

Aids to navigation that mark channels consist of Red Triangles (and/or red lights), and Green squares (and/or green lights).   These aids are also numbered, to help you locate yourself on a chart.  The numbers increase as you go upstream or into the bay/inlet/river.   When coming in from offshore the first marker will often be called the Safe Water marker, or Farewell Buoy... indicating an area of safe, navigable water from that point seaward.

As you travel from sea toward the port and proceed upstream, the numbers on the marker increase.   And the colors of the markers tell you which side of the marker to be on as you pass it by.

The addage.... Red on the Right when Returning, or The 3 R's tells you how.   

As you travel toward shore, from seaward, the Red Triangles should be on your right as you pass them and the Green Squares will (therefore) be on your left.   When you look down a clearly marked channel,  you'll see the line of Red and Green shapes paving the way.   Many channels have markers that are separated by considerable distances.  Once you make your way to the first one, then get a bearing to the next one and decide whether it is a red one or a green one and set your course to closely pass by that marker on either the left or the right, as appropriate.   

In areas where there is a lot of mudflats, shallow water, oyster bars, or rocks, you will be well served to have a chart of the waters on board, and study it well before you get to the Number 1 marker.   Make a plan how you will enter the channel and navigate it from that point on.   

If you are ever in doubt, or cannot make out the next marker (and they do move from time to time due to storms, etc) then simply slow down to an idle and asess the situation before going on.

Remember Red on the Right when Returning.   And conversely, when you are leaving the port/harbor/marina, the Red markers will be on your left and green on your right as you pass them by.

   

[Pressure Drop]

Once everyone has the above fully understood, we shall move onto "Inetercoastal markers". this will add to and spice up the 3 R's

[Capt Cefus]

Ooooooo..... can't wait.   Tell us all about it Capt. K.   And split channel markers are a good one too, since they are both Red and Green!!

[wahoo]

Regardless of shape or color, if there are shore birds standing in the water on one side of the marker....chose the other side.  No need to talk about how I know this...

[Capt Rick Hiott]

   Dont forget about the little Crab trap markers.............................Ha-Ha-Ha.

[Bakerman]

Lets not forget the cans and bouys.

Some of the day marks are often white from bird affects. You can often tell by the shape of the mark what it is if you can't see the color. For example,

a. Square..............green
b. Triangle............ red
c. Diamond........... range mark or hazard mark
d. Can bouy............green
e. Nun bouy........... conical shape........red
f. piece of PVC pipe..............private mark may mean anything, but usually means it is shallow since they are never very high tech installations