Navigation in sailing, or any other
type of water sport, is complicated.
There are maps, charts, lights, rules,
exceptions to rules, more rules...
I try, really I do, to pay attention to
all this navigation stuff. But, until we are actually cruising on a
course which will take us to and from Portofino to Nice and I am on
first watch, all those numbers and circles and lines and arrows put
me in a geometry coma.
Just point the boat in the direction of
lunch.
That is all I need.
That being said, there are two
navigation aids which I do pay attention to.
Mostly because these mark the way to
lunch.
I am talking about the channel markers.
If you have been on any body of water
you have probably seen them.
Those red and green buoys bobbing
around.
They come in varying styles, depending
on just what they are marking, but the colors are always the same.
Red nuns.
Green cans.
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| both these photos were taken from my US sailing 101 book. I don't think they will mind if it helps educate... |
Yes, you read that correctly.
Nuns.
Not the habit wearing, ruler weilding
nuns.
Although, if you are so inclined, you
may say a prayer or two taught you by said nuns when trying to get
back to port.
I had never heard the markers
referrenced this way until Toddy, our English Navy sailing
instructor, explained.
Nuns are pointy, like the old style
hats sisters wore. They are numbered in even numbers.
Cans are green, and by process of
elimination, numbered in odd numbers. Like the number Seven. As in
7-up. Which is in a green can.....
Toddy was a genius at explanation.
The numbers tell you how many markers
there are going into and out of the harbor to open water. Sort of
like 'go to the last stop sign then turn left' logic.
They don't mark miles.
Mile markers are a completely different
marker, and from my experience are purposely hidden along the
shoreline making it really difficult to figure out where the turn is
to get to lunch.
And they don't mark depth.
That is also a completely seperate set
of numbers on the nautical map.
Are you beginning to see my problem
here?
Luckily, sailing instructors are aware,
Toddy was no exception.
From the beginning he taught us the
universal sailing haiku:
Red
Right
Returning
When you are returning to port, or
traveling through a channel, you always keep the red nun on the right
(or starboard) side of the boat.
Unless you are studying for the British
Sailing class, which naturally keeps the red nuns on the left.
I don't understand.
But I will not be sailing, or driving,
in England.
The green cans get no haiku.
You just have to use the process of
elimination and keep them on the left. Or port side.
(Need help keeping port and starboard
straight? P-O-R-T has four letters. Just like L-E-F-T!)
And that concludes Navigation for those
who are really only interested in getting to lunch.
A-Ahoy
B-Bells
C-Catamaran
D-Dramamine
E-Escape
F-Flags
G-Galley
H-Head to Heel
I-IC24
J-Jib/Jibe
K-Keys
L-Lakes
M-Motor
