Navigation and Seamanship (1+1)

4.3.5.2. Cardinal marks

Cardinal marks used in conjunction with the mariner’s compass to indicate where the mariner may find navigable water. Navigator may find the four chief points of compass where there is cardinal marks are anchored . Cardinal marks indicate that the deepest water in the area lies to the named side of the mark. The four cardinal buoys indicate the safe side of a danger with an approximate bearing. You should pass to the east of an East Cardinal mark, to the south of a South Cardinal, to the west of a West Cardinal and to the north of a North Cardinal. Cardinal marks do not have a distinctive shape but are normally pillar or spar. They are always painted in yellow and black horizontal bands and their distinctive double cone top-marks are always black. The cardinal system is identical in both the IALA A and IALA B buoyage systems

. Notice the “clockwise” resemblance of the light phase characteristics. Lights (white) The lights in individual quadrants have the following characteristics:

• 3 o’clock = East Cardinal = 3 flashes. VQ(3) or Q(3) with a blackout afterwards
• 6 o’clock = South Cardinal = 6 flashes + 1 long. VQ(6) or Q(6) with a long flash and a blackout
• 9 o’clock = West Cardinal = 9 flashes. VQ(9) or Q(9) with a blackout afterwards
• 12 o’clock = North Cardinal = continuous flashing. VQ or Q - continuous

The top marks consist of two black triangles placed in accordance with the black/yellow scheme of the buoy. The lights, topmarks and colour schemes have a logic to help you memorise them. The cones on top point in the direction of the black segment of the pillar:

• North – (meaning: pass to North) both cones top point up, black at the top of the pillar.
• East –(meaning: pass to East)  the cones point up and down, black at top and bottom.
• South –(meaning: pass to South) both cones point down, black at the bottom.
• West – (meaning: pass to West) the cones point inwards, black in the middle.

When a new obstacle (not yet shown on charts) needs to be marked, two cardinal buoys - for instance a South buoy and an East buoy - will be used to indicate this “uncharted” danger.