The Electric Buoys of Gedney's Channel

Buoys have aided the mariner for thousands of years. The Romans anchored compressed reed mats with rope tied to stone anchors to mark channels and harbor entrances. Later, the Flemish and English used wine and beer barrels, anchored with chains and stone sinkers, as buoys. By day, unlighted buoys have been the sign posts of the sea, showing the way around obstructions and into harbors. After 1850 an official color system was codified to enhance the buoys' worth. In this country red buoys mark the right, or starboard side of the channel when entering a port; green the left side and red and white vertically striped buoys denote the center of the channel, or the beginning of an entrance channel.