Channel Markers

Like "road signs" on our highways, channel markers are the "road signs" of busy waterways. If you only kayak in wilderness lakes and rivers, you may not come in contact with channel markers, but if you want to take your boat to a place where there is more marine traffic it would be helpful to know how to read the series of buoys and channel markers.

The markers are a standardized system installed and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers. They don’t have information printed on them like highway signs, but they are easy to read once you understand them. There are two basic characteristics to the markers: color and shape. This is more useful in a marine environment because shapes and colors are easier to see in storms, fog or low light conditions that may be encountered on the water. The presence of markers or buoys usually means that there are hazards for larger boats. 

Markers and buoys come in several forms: floating buoys, fixed markers mounted on posts or pilings in the water, and fixed markers mounted on land at the edge of a channel, sometimes on a post, tower or natural rock or tree. RED and GREEN are the two basic colors used on the markers. Red markers are always triangular shaped with the pointed end up, and green markers are rectangular in shape. If the markers are numbered to correspond to navigational charts, the red markers will be even numbers and the green markers will have odd numbers on them. At night, lighted markers will display the red or green color and may also emit a sound to better locate them.

Along a straightforward channel, if you notice red and green markers, you would want to paddle between the two markers and closer to either the red or green markers depending on the direction you're paddling, as follows ....

• When you are paddling from a larger body of water to a smaller body of water (i.e. entering a river from the mouth of a bay) the red markers should pass on the right side of the boat.

• When you are paddling from a smaller body of water to a larger body of water, the red markers would be on the left and the green markers on the right.

The phrase “red-right returning” will help you remember which side of the boat the marker should pass on.

You may also see channel markers with a combination of red and green. This indicates a junction or intersection. The preferred way to go is designated by the top color. For example, green on top would mean keep the green to your right when leaving the harbor and take the right channel. Red on top when returning from sea, you would take the right channel when you are returning.

Special purpose markers are yellow and may serve a wide range of uses, such as dredging, fish trap areas, spoils areas or military exercises, among others. Be aware and use caution.

Typical information and regulatory white markers and or buoys with an orange border, diamond, circle, or square can be used to provide information or regulations such as a no wake zone or a shoal area.

We hope this will get you on your way to understanding channel markers.