Lights, Buoys & Fog Signals
Lighthouses and foghorns warn boaters and ships of impending danger like a rocky shore, a sandbar or a disabled boat in the water. A buoy can indicate where a channel or fishing trap is located or can warn of danger.
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Lighthouses
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Each lighthouse has its own signal. The white light of the lighthouse at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, shines every seven and one-half seconds and can be seen from 23 miles away. Built in 1823, the Oracoke lighthouse emits a continuous light, which can be seen 15.5 miles away, according to ManyThings.org.
Buoys
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Buoys marking channels will be green on one side of the channel and red on the other and may have lights on the top. A buoy warning of danger will display a diamond shape and may list the danger outside of the diamond. Flashing buoys can be seen for 5 miles on a clear night.
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Fog Signals
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One prolonged blast of a whistle that is four to six seconds long indicates a tugboat is underway. Two prolonged blasts indicate a powerboat is drifting but not disabled and two short blasts means a vessel can't move for some reason. Rapid ringing of a bell for five seconds every minute means a boat is anchored.
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References
- Photo Credit a lighthouse image by Elmo Palmer from Fotolia.com
