Navigation markers and buoys

Lateral marks indicate the port and starboard sides of channels. The marks topped by a red can shape are called Port Marks, and those topped by a green triangle shape are called Starboard Marks.

Coming in, going out rule

When entering harbours or travelling upstream in a river, make sure port hand marks are on your port side and starboard hand marks are on your starboard side.

When leaving harbours or travelling downstream, make sure port hand marks are on your starboard side and starboard hand marks are on your port side.

Tip: One way to remember this is the saying ‘there's some red, port, left in the bottle’ when travelling upstream.

Lateral marks are not always placed in pairs where you simply pass between them. When you see just one, you will need to bear in mind the upstream-downstream principle.

Lead marks are a pair of triangular navigation marks used to guide vessels through a shallow or dangerous channel.

They are usually used to enter a harbour, anchorage or navigate a channel.

They are separated in distance and elevation, so that when the two triangles are lined up vertically they provide a bearing.

Steer your vessel to keep the rear lead mark directly above the front lead mark.

Example of sectored lights on a nautical chart

The lights in this nautical chart demonstrate that you are on the recommended course as long as you keep within the white sector of the light. If the light colour shifts to red or green, you need to adjust your course to return to the white sector of the light.

Isolated danger marks indicate a specific danger with navigable water all around.

The mark is a black pillar with a red band in the middle with 2 black sphere top marks.

If an isolated danger mark is lit, it will have a white light flashing in groups of 2.

In general, keep clear of an isolated danger mark.

Safe water marks indicate that there is safe water all around.

It is often used to mark the seaward end of channels into ports.

They are sometimes used to mark the centre of a channel; or are used in a series down the middle of a channel instead of lateral marks on the edges of the channel.

Safe water marks have red and white vertical stripes and may have a red top mark.

If a safe water mark is lit, it will have a white light flashing in an occulting or isophase pattern, or 1 long flash every 10 seconds.

Special marks are used to indicate special areas or features, such as:

• traffic separation marks
• spoil ground, such as for waste or dredging material
• aquaculture.

Special marks are yellow and have a cross-shaped top mark.

If lit, a special mark will have a yellow light that flashes in a different pattern to cardinal, isolated danger and safe water marks.