Canadian Aids to Navigation System: lateral, cardinal and special buoys

The key idea: "red right returning"

Canada uses the IALA Region B system. Lateral buoys mark the sides of channels relative to the direction of travel upstream (going up a river, or returning from sea into a harbour).

Key fact: Going upstream (or returning to harbour), keep red buoys on your right (starboard) side and green buoys on your left (port) side. Going downstream, reverse it.

Lateral buoys

Buoy	Colour and shape	Numbers / light	How to pass going upstream
Port hand	Green; can (flat top), spar or pillar	Odd numbers; green light	Keep it on your port (left) side
Starboard hand	Red; conical ("nun") top, spar or pillar	Even numbers; red light	Keep it on your starboard (right) side
Bifurcation / junction	Red and green horizontal bands	-	May be passed on either side; the top band colour shows the main (preferred) channel. Top band red: keep it on your starboard side to follow the main channel
Fairway (safe water)	Red and white vertical stripes	-	Marks safe water (channel entrance or centre); may be passed on either side but keep it on your port side going in either direction
Isolated danger	Black with red horizontal band(s); two black balls topmark	-	Marks a small danger (shoal, wreck) with navigable water all around - keep clear; check the chart

Daybeacons (fixed signs on shore or in water) follow the same colours: port hand green square, starboard hand red triangle; junction daybeacons show the preferred channel.

Cardinal buoys

Cardinal buoys are yellow and black and mark safe water by compass direction from the buoy. The two cone topmarks point toward where the black bands are.

Buoy	Topmark	Colour pattern	Safe water is...
North	Both cones point up	Black over yellow	North of the buoy
East	Cones point away from each other (base to base)	Black-yellow-black	East
South	Both cones point down	Yellow over black	South
West	Cones point toward each other (point to point)	Yellow-black-yellow	West

Cardinal buoys carry letters (not numbers) and white flashing lights.

Special-purpose buoys

Shapes have no special meaning; they are mostly yellow (or white with orange symbols) and may carry yellow lights and letters (no numbers).

Buoy	Appearance	Meaning
Cautionary	Yellow	Dangers such as firing ranges, underwater pipelines, race courses, seaplane bases, areas with no through channel
Anchorage	Yellow	Outer limits of a designated anchorage
Mooring	White with a blue band (typical)	Used to tie up - a boat may be secured to it
Information	White with an orange square	Information (place names, marinas, services) inside the square
Hazard	White with an orange diamond	Random hazards (rocks, shoals, dams); the hazard is shown inside the diamond
Control	White with an orange circle	Restrictions such as speed limits or no wake shown inside the circle
Keep out	White with an orange diamond containing a cross	Area your vessel may not enter
Diving	Shows the diver-down flag	Diving in progress - slow down and keep well away
Swimming	White	Outer limits of a swimming area - keep out with your boat
Scientific (ODAS)	Yellow	Ocean data acquisition system - collects weather/scientific data

Using the system safely

• Always carry and use up-to-date charts - buoys can drift, be damaged or be removed for winter.
• Never tie up to a navigation buoy (only to mooring buoys).
• Give buoys a reasonable berth - they mark dangers that may extend some distance.
• Interfering with or damaging a navigation aid is an offence.

Quick review

1. Going upstream, on which side do you keep a red buoy? (Starboard / right.)
2. What shape and numbers does a green port-hand buoy have? (Flat-topped can; odd numbers.)
3. A buoy with cones pointing up is which cardinal? (North - pass to the north.)
4. What does a white buoy with an orange circle show? (A control/restriction such as a speed limit.)
5. What does a keep-out buoy look like? (White with an orange diamond containing a cross.)