Ch 01.qxd 8/24/04 10:28 AM Page 1-4 buoys use even numbers whose values increase from seaward. The mnemonic mariners and seaplane pilots remember to keep the red buoys to their right when proceeding toward the shore (“returning” to their home port). Black and white vertically striped buoys mark the cen- ter of the channel or fairway (the nautical term for the navigable part of a river, bay, or harbor), and may use letters starting at A from seaward. Naturally, not all waterways lead straight from ocean to port, so there are also buoys to mark the junctions of waterways. Buoys with red and black horizontal bands mark junctions or places where the waterway forks. They also mark wrecks and obstructions that can be passed on either side. The color of the top band (red or black) and the shape of the buoy (nun or can) indicate the side on which the buoy should be passed by a ves- sel proceeding inbound along the primary channel. If the topmost band is black, the buoy should be kept to the left of an inbound vessel. If the topmost band is red, keep the buoy to the right when inbound. Buoys with the black top band will usually be cans, while those with the red top band will usually be nuns.  Usually only the more important buoys are lighted. Some unlighted buoys may have red, white, or green reflectors having the same significance as lights of the same colors. Black or green buoys have green or white lights; red buoys have red or white lights. Likewise, buoys with a red band at the top carry red lights, while those with a black band topmost carry green lights. White lights are used without any color significance. Lights on red or black buoys are always flashing or occulting. (When the light period is shorter than the dark period, the light is flashing. When the light is interrupted by short dark periods, the light is occulting.) A light flashing indicates a mid-channel buoy. There is much more to the system of maritime naviga- tion aids than can be presented here. Nautical books and online resources can be a great help in extending knowledge and understanding of these important aids. For waterways that run more or less parallel to the coast, there is no obvious inbound or outbound to give direction to the waterway, so by convention the inbound direction of such waterways is assumed to be “clockwise” around the contiguous states. This means that for waterways running parallel to the east coast, southbound is considered the inbound direction; for waterways along the Gulf coast, inbound means westbound; and for waterways along the west coast, northbound is inbound.  Daybeacons and daymarks serve similar purposes as buoys and use similar symbology. In the United States, green is replacing black as the preferred color for port- side daymarks. [Figure 1-4] These are just the most basic features of the most com- mon buoyage system in the United States. There are other buoyage systems in use, both in the United States and in other countries. Sometimes the markings are exactly the opposite of those just described. Good pilots will obtain a thorough understanding of the mar- itime aids to navigation used in the areas where they intend to fly. NIGHTTIME BUOY IDENTIFICATION Daymark Daymark Pointer Pointer Port (Left) Markers (When Coming from Seaward) Starboard (Right) Markers (When Coming from Seaward) Figure 1-4.Typical daymarks. 1-4