Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1911 — FOR THE CHILDREN [ARTICLE]

FOR THE CHILDREN

What the Colors of Buoys Mean. When you enter any harbor in the world where the channel Is marked by buoys you will find that those on your right as you pass in are painted red and those on your left black. If you should see one painted in red and black horizontal bands the ship should run as close to it as possible, because that indicates the center of a narrow channel.

Buoys with red and black vertical stripes always mark the end of spits and the outer and inner ends of extensive reefs where there is a channel on each side. When red and black checkers are painted on a buoy it marks either a rock in the open sea or an obstruction in the harbor of small extent, with channel all around. If there are two such obstructions and a channel between them the buoy on the right of you will have red and white checkers and the one on your left will have black and white checkers. When a wreck obstructs the channel a green buoy will be placed on the sea side of the wreck with the word “Wreck” plainly painted on it in white letters provided there is a clear channel all around it. Otherwise an even number will be painted in white above the word "wreck” when the buoy is on the right side of the channel and an odd number when the buoy is on the left