Red, Right, Returning

Those are the words every sailing or boating instructor recites when talking about Navigation and Buoyage. It’s only true in half the world, the rest use the opposite.

In the late 1970’s standardized markings were introduced worldwide, except for North and South America, Japan, Korea and the Philippines. They adopted their system in the early 1980’s and it was backwards. The International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), came up with Region A and Region B. In the US etc, we use the phrase “red on right returning” to keep us in the channel and therefore safe. The rest of the world uses green on right when traveling up-river or returning to port.

To further complicate the issues, IALA B, (our system in N. America) starts the numbering on the left hand marker, with a Green #1 being the beginning of a new channel. Our green marks are known as Cans, whilst the red marks are even numbered and shaped like a triangle, known as Nun buoys. In IALA A, (the rest of the world), the numbering starts with the Green #1 on the right hand side but they are triangle/nun shaped. The reds are can shaped but still even numbered. Confusing to say the least.

Just remember to switch your brains over when you arrive in a new region.