Navigation

 

Yellow Buoy

Buoy.jpg
  • Cautionary Buoys are used to warn mariners of dangers such as firing ranges, race courses, seaplane bases, traffic separations, underwater structures and areas where no safe through channel exists. Yellow in colour they carry an identification mark, or letter. If they have a topmark, it is a single yellow "X" shape. If lighted, the light a yellow flashing (Fl) four seconds light.

  • Yellow Buoy marks the boundary of the anchorage for the big vessels.

    A place for fishing too, the buoy and the anchor are structures that fishes will for shelter.

 

Red/Green Buoy

Left_and_right_channel_markers_at_Marsden_Point_NZ_(20047235141).jpg
  • Port hand buoys are green and starboard hand buoys are red. They show which side of a channel is safest to travel; accordingly, they mark channels or hazards. Generally, green buoys must be passed on the left side of a craft heading upstream, i.e., against the current. Red buoys must be kept on the right side of a craft when proceeding in the upstream direction. A simple rule is red to the right when returning, or the three “R’s”: red, right, return.

    In many places, the direction of the current is determined by consensus or by the tide. It is important to be thoroughly familiar with the aids to navigation in your region.

  • if it carries a top mark, the top mark is a single red cone, pointing upward;

  • if it carries a light, the light is red and is a flashing (F1) 4 s or quick flashing (Q) 1 s;

  • if the buoy does not carry a light, it has a pointed top.

 

Preferred Channel Buoy

Screenshot 2021-01-21 at 1.21.48 PM.jpg
  • A Preferred Channel Buoy is actually very helpful and easy to understand. When two channels meet this buoy tells us which is the preferred channel of travel. That’s it. Kind of disappointing huh? What actually dictates which channel is preferred is typically decided by the Harbormasters over time but is typically the larger, more traveled, and busier channel. Kind of like the highway versus the back road.

  • So what do the colours mean. To travel the preferred channel, you treat this buoy with regards to its MAJORITY colour. Two red strips and one green, treat it like a red buoy, Two green stripes and one red, treat it like a green buoy. The pictured beside should be treated like RED buoys. If you want to travel the preferred channel where the MAJORITY of the traffic goes.

 

Cardinal Buoy

CARDINAL_BUOYS-01.jpg
  • The four configurations of cardinal buoys indicate the safe side of a danger with an approximate bearing. For example, the West cardinal buoy has safe water on its West and the danger on its East side.

 

Blue Barriers

151749844.jpg
  • The buoyant blue barrels, linked by metal chains and meant to deter illegal entry into Singapore, are being installed in phases about 50m to 70m from the coastline.

  • Residents of Sentosa Cove, many of whom paid premium prices for the sea view and peaceful surroundings of their posh homes, have described floating security barriers being installed nearby as an "eyesore" and a "design failure" because of the constant noise generated.

  • A total of 143km out of Singapore's 197km coastline would be protected by barricades such as floating sea barriers and fences on land and in the sea, the ministry said.

  • The barriers have so far proven to do nothing to protect Singapore but has endangered the lives of multiply kayaker and small crafts users because it cuts off their emergency landing points.