Lateral markers are buoys and other markers that indicate the edges of safe water areas.
Green colors, green lights, and odd numbers mark the edge of a channel on your port (left) side as you enter from open sea or head upstream. Numbers usually will go up as you head upstream. A type of green marker is the cylinder-shaped can buoy.
Red colors, red lights, and even numbers mark the edge of a channel on your starboard (right) side as you enter from open sea or head upstream. Numbers usually will go up as you head upstream. A type of red marker is the cone-shaped nun buoy.
Red and green colors or lights are placed where a channel splits in two. If green is on top, keep the buoy on your left to continue along the preferred channel. If red is on top, keep the buoy on your right. These markers are sometimes called “junction buoys.”
