How to know which side of the buoy you should pass…
Here is the rule that must be remembered when traveling on waterways in North America, it will be different in other parts of the world, as in the Mediterranean, be vigilant.
This is the three RRR rule for RED, RIGHT RETURNING that applies here (US-Canada).
Indeed, when you are on your way back to your home port, that is, when you return from the sea inland, the red buoy must always be on your right.
You have to understand the sense of the right direction. We speak of a direction from downstream (valley) to upstream (mountain), we raise the current based on the fact that rivers, rivers normally flow towards the sea.
To illustrate even more, you start from the Port of Quebec to the Port of Montreal, the red buoys must be on your right (to your starboard).
Now you are in the intercostal, precisely, in the ICW for example, INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY, it is the navigation zone sheltered from the sea that allows you to sail from Florida to New Jersey and not entering the sea.
In this channel itself, the direction of the current is interprète in the following way (in reality, it is absent), one must take into account the direction of the hands of a clock. From New Jersey to Texas (this direction), the red buoy should be on your right (a north-south direction).
Take your time to understand and assimilate this rule.
Also, if you are in a canal and there are well-identified red and green buoys, always be in the center, in between.
In short, you have to keep up to date on the meaning of buoys but the rule of three Rs and normally easy to remember.
RRR: Red Right Returning
Here is a handy link to properly assimilate the rules of navigation in Canada, suivez ce lien
or this one celui-ci.
